GOOD NEWS! Three New Babies! Are On Their Way To Join Our Family!

GOOD NEWS! Three new babies! Are on their way to join our family! Between December 2012 and March 2013!

Over the last couple of weeks we received news of the forthcoming arrival of three babies, and are delighted. First we heard news from the family of one nephew and a few weeks later from another nephew and afterwards from a niece. This has compounded our rejoicing! We are very happy for the parents-to-be. We wish to convey our blessings and best wishes to the parents-to-be and the babies on their way.

My wife happily announced this family news through her status update on facebook, a few days back. You can see below an interesting picture of her with three babies which she attached to her status update along with an apt verse:

Three lovely babies in our hands;

And three more to appear!

By end of March next year!

To fill our hearts,

With great pleasure!

Thank you Gods,

Thank you Storks!

Remembering “The Picnic of 2005 - A Celebration of The Impending Birth of Two Babies!”

Five days back, on 20th August 2012, I posted an article soon after returning from a pleasant and memorable picnic: Serene and entertaining sojourn at a farm house in Solipur. I explained in that article that we have a tradition of going out on a picnic to a garden or farm when a family member is in the family way. And I mentioned that our recent picnic of 19th and 20th August was in celebration of my nephew, Ch. Sridhar and niece-in-law, Ch. Swathi; expecting their first child towards end December 2012. This picnic has reminded me of the picnic of 2005 when our family was expecting the arrival of two babies!

Seven years ago, on 10th April 2005 we went on a picnic to a large farm close to Vikarabad, about 70 Kms. from our house in Secunderabad. This was to celebrate the impending birth of two babies! in our family. My niece, Ch. Uma Rani and Ch. Ravi were expecting their first child and my nephew, Dr. Sudheer and niece-in-law, Dr. Lavanya were also expecting their first child. Though it was summer the weather was very good on that day. The picnic was well enjoyed by everyone. We played a lot of games, including the usual Cricket and Tambola. I entertained everyone with several Playing card tricks and few magic tricks. We had sumptuous food and returned home late in the night. The attached photographs of the picnic reflect our camaraderie and happiness. Ch. Ravi is missing in the photographs as he was in USA on office work.

Two and a half months later, Ch. Uma was blessed with a baby boy, Ch. Akhil, on 25th June 2005, at Hyderabad. And Dr. Lavanya was blessed with a baby girl, Ch. Sudhiksha, on 1st September 2005, at Nagpur. Both these lovely and wonderful children are now in 2nd Class. They are big sources of our happiness.    

I like being called Grandpa!

I love the status of Grandpa and being called Grandpa (Thatha in Telugu) as often as possible, it is like music to me. My six year old great-niece, Ch. Sudhiksha that is my brother, Dr. Lakshminarsu’s granddaughter, spends some time every day with us and addresses me as Raghu Thatha. As a baby she used to call me as Gaghu Thatha! She is in the habit of saying Raghu Thatha several times in a conversation and that makes me happy. She affixes my name to Thatha to differentiate me from my brother.

Now my sister, Hemalatha’s one year old grandson, my great-nephew, Ch. Vikyat has just begun speaking and calling me Raghu Thatha, and I am enjoying it.

You may click on the YouTube link below to see and hear him say Raghu Thatha! and me enjoying it. I am sure you too would enjoy watching and listening to Ch. Vikyat addressing us as Raghu Thatha, Sudhiksha, Bablu Lalai instead of Bablu Babai and Mama. 

CLICK HERE to enjoy the video.

Serene and entertaining sojourn at a farmhouse in Solipur.

We have a tradition of going out on a picnic to a garden or farm when a family member is in the family way. My nephew, Ch. Sridhar and niece-in-law, Ch. Swathi are expecting their first child. In celebration of this happy news, my brother-in-law, Sri. Niranjan and sister, Smt. Hemalatha organised a lovely overnight picnic at a 200-acre farm at Solipur, 65 km. from our house at Secunderabad, along the Hyderabad-Bangalore highway. Thirty-seven members of our family circle went there yesterday morning (Sunday, 19th August) in a caravan of eight Cars. We had a wonderful and memorable time. We surveyed parts of the huge farm having a beautiful landscape, plenty of fruit-bearing trees, paddy and cornfields. The farmhouse is beautiful and modern, well-furnished with all amenities and a lovely swimming pool and all facilities for overnight stays. Being the rainy season we were surrounded by amazing greenery all around us, the weather was cool, it was cloudy but fortunately, it did not rain.

We played lots of games like Cricket, Tambola and Musical chairs. A number of us spent a long time at the Swimming Pool. Between all these activities there were plenty of snacks, sweets, fruit juices and sumptuous lunch and dinner. After a comfortable overnight stay, we returned to the city today, in the afternoon (Monday - 20th August, another holiday due to Ramzan).

The attached photographs are a few clicked with my camera, there are many more from other cameras which I am waiting to see.

       

Happy Independence Day!

Today is the 65th anniversary of our Independence. It is being celebrated as usual with great fervour and exuberance around our house and across the entire country.  The Television is full of Independence Day News, speeches and messages. It is a National Holiday and as I know everyone is enjoying it. Our day started with a very special breakfast as you can see in the attached photographs. And you may see the breakfast-verse! posted by my wife to her status on facebook – at the bottom of this article. Very special meals are also planned for us today and getting ready! I am sure the day will end as a very happy one for all of us, for all Indians!

Our country has achieved much since we got independence but there is much more to achieve in each and every field. Our country is afflicted with several evils which I wish will end soon, so that our country can prosper rapidly.

Wish you all a very Happy Independence Day, may our country develop by leaps and bounds this year. 

This Independence Day,

The breakfast made our day!

We had an interesting breakfast!

That left Sudhiksha happiest.

The usual; but artistic Idly!

Made so stunningly,

Idly never looked better!

So full of colour,

A little humour,

And grandeur! 

In loving memory of my brother, Dr. N. Lakshminarsu.

It is exactly a year since my elder brother, Dr. N. Lakshminarsu, passed away. We remember and miss him all the time.

I miss his company a great deal. Our family, friends, community and even the followers of my blog know that I and my brother have been together throughout our lives  and were soul mates, seen together at our house, at all gatherings and functions. Wherever I go now, acquaintances miss my brother and mention to me that I and my brother were like Lord Rama and Laxmana; seen together always, and feel sorry at our separation.

Death is inevitable, but it has come to my brother early, at the age of 63. He should have lived longer to be amidst us until ripe old age and experience life along with us. It is a different matter that his most important life commitments are accomplished – he has been a very popular Dental Surgeon for 38 years until the time of his death, he has provided education to his two sons to become highly qualified and experienced Dental Surgeons, he has performed their marriages with equally qualified Dental Surgeons and got to spend happy times with his granddaughter for six years. How wonderful it would be if he lived longer.

I have posted several articles to this blog; of our family’s various festivals, celebrations, pilgrimages, outings, marriages, our children and our childhood and so on along with a number of photographs. You will see my brother and his role in all these articles. He was a great doctor, husband, father, brother-in-law, uncle, father-in-law, a good friend to all who knew him and a caring brother to me and my sister. Today these articles are there to celebrate my brother’s life and keep his spirit alive.

The photographs attached to this article are of floral tributes to my brother and of the memorials published in various newspapers, today – 12th August, 2012.

“Love is stronger than death even though it can’t stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.” – Unknown.

Mind Your Blood Pressure.

Recently on 28th July – ‘World Hepatitis Day’, I wrote an article in this column titled Protect Yourself From Hepatitis. Soon afterwards I thought of writing an article on Hypertension that is High Blood Pressure which is afflicting a very large percentage of people. High Blood Pressure is commonly referred as a silent assassin or silent killer as more than half of all Hypertension persons don’t know that they are at risk. Most people do not experience any adverse symptoms and they lead a normal carefree life until Hypertension affects them fatally. It causes strokes, heart attacks and Alzheimer’s disease. Some people experience frequent headache or giddiness and when they see a doctor their Hypertension is diagnosed and are put on lifelong medication and advised a lifestyle change to keep the Blood Pressure normal.

I was diagnosed of borderline High Blood Pressure a few years ago when I went for a health check-up which was required for a Life Insurance Policy. Since then I am under medication and my Blood Pressure is under control. I regularly monitor and record my Blood Pressure at home using a Digital Sphygmomanometer and I see a doctor from to time for check-ups and advice. My Blood Pressure is under control due to the daily medication that I take and I must continue with it forever. In case my BP rises in the future I will be advised a different and powerful medication which I must take to combat the risks of Hypertension.

My attempt to write on this subject is to warn and advise the followers and casual visitors to my blog about the dangers of this silent and serious affliction. For those of you who would like to know the fundamentals of Blood Pressure in brief - Blood Pressure is the force or pressure that carries blood to all parts of our body. A Blood Pressure reading is the pressure that blood puts on the walls of our arteries. There are two parts to a Blood Pressure. One is called SYSTOLIC – it is the top or the first number in a Blood Pressure reading. The other number is called DIASTOLIC – it is the bottom or second number in the reading.  The SYSTOLIC number is the Peak Blood Pressure when our heart is beating or squeezing out blood and the DIASTOLIC number is the pressure when our heart is filling with blood or resting between beats. A normal Blood Pressure reading is 120/80, where 120 is the SYSTOLIC number and 80 is the DIASTOLIC number. Arteries that are tensed, constricted or rigid offer more resistance resulting in High Blood Pressure and make the heart work harder. The chart at the top of this article clearly explains about Low, Normal and High Blood Pressure and the medical classifications. Any abnormal reading needs the best of medical attention and constant monitoring, regular medication and lifestyle changes. A healthy diet with low salt, very little red meat, less sugar and sweets, no saturated fats etc., weight reduction, moderate exercise, no smoking, alcohol in moderation, good sleep and stress free life are advised. 

There are a number of books to choose from and vast information available on internet for understanding risks and combating High Blood Pressure. Those affected with Hypertension may please equip themselves with full knowledge of the ailment to take proper care of themselves.