The other day, I had an unique experience.  While returning home around 8 pm after work, I boarded the second class compartment of a Virar train (as it was comparatively less crowded). After getting into a comfortable standing position (between the seats!), I started doing my regular “train” work i.e. reading newspapers/magazines. As I was reading, I noticed a seventy-year old “sadhu” in his so called uniform – saffron pyjama and kurta and long white hair and beard –standing next to me. After some time, we started talking each other. He mentioned that he was on a pilgrimage to Ganeshpuri temple, and would get down at Vasai and catch a bus. Though he was looking in his late sixties/early seventies, I was surprised to know that his age was more than eightyfive, but still did not have any problems in standing for a long time and bearing the free-massage  - better known in the Mumbaikar’s lifeline parlance “dhakka” - of the Virar train.

When asked about the secret of his health, he narrated a short story from Mahabharata which I thought I would share with you, as this has got relevance and value in our topic of discussion – tryst for a disease-free world!
 
In Mahabharata, the King Dhritarashtra asked Vidur, “Vidur, According to me, the life span of a human being is 125 years, but only very few reach even close to that age, and most of them die much before their 80s i.e. achievement of 66% versus target!.  Can you tell me what is the recipe for a  long life”.  Vidur, who was an authority on many aspects did not need to think for a minute. He, in his inimitable style, smiled and replied “Hey Rajen, there are five determinants that contribute to a short span of life – excessive and irregular food habits; less exercise to body; anger; more talk; and ego – and if you address all these, you will have long life ahead.

Though this was written centuries ago, what a thoughtful answer!
  
Take the first example, it is said that the number of people who die due to diseases like diabetes, BP, cancer, etc. - the root cause of most of them is excessive and irregular food habits  - outnumber the people who die due to starvation. As we live in a social world – which require us to attend many functions – where food is the main agenda – the situation only exaggerates. There is an age-old saying “we should eat to live, and not live to eat”. The number of diseases only multiplies in nth proportion e.g. a fever comes in various avatars: malaria, typhoid, dengue fever, chikunguny, swine flu, and many more are on the springboard!
 
Second, lack of exercise leads to numerous health problems and complications. Our razzmatazz, home-office-home life style and long hours of work do not find us time for any exercise.

Third point is anger.  On many occasions, we get angry thinking that by shouting and keeping the other person terrified are a panacea for getting the work done, but we do not realize that such unhealthy behaviour only leads to our own health problems like blood pressure, hypertension, etc.
 
What is said about anger is also equally true for excess and loud talk. I know many people who do not go to their bosses’ cabin when he is in a bad mood for obvious reasons (though the person going to his cabin will not be the cause!).  Also, in many such cases, you cannot listen to what others are saying as you have created a mental block!

The fifth and the final one relates to ego.  Though Vidur indirectly addressed to Dhritarashtra for his anxiety to retain his Kingdom, this is relevant to us also. Many people wear “blinders” and carry the syndrome of “I am always right, and you are wrong”, and if things are not happening as per his/her wishes, they get unnecessarily hyper and this leads to unhealthy problems. The words of William Hazlitt is worth mentioning here “You cannot always expect the whole world dance according to your tune!”.

India is on the threshold of development – we have many positive things on our side viz. largest number of youth, emerging markets, economic development, IT wizards. There is an age old saying “health is wealth”. Hence, if the health of the people is not good, all these tall pronouncements and opportunities will be converted into liabilities within no time. India is predicted to be the diabetic capital of the world, and our rankings on some other diseases are also not far behind. 

Hence, as we celebrate the 63rd Independence Day, let’s all rededicate ourselves and make this land “healthy” which will, in turn, transform into “wealthy”.  Whatever small thing that we as members of the Piramal family do will go long way towards this endeavour.  To paraphrase the words of John F Kennedy, “.. … Not asking what your  country can do for you….. but asking what you can do to make our Hindustan Saare Jahan Se Achha at last !

Jai Hind !!!
 

Kuttykrishnan P.P.
Chairman’s Office

This entry was posted on Monday, August 17th, 2009 at 10:35 am and is filed under Health Connect (Personal Stories). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.