Setu 🌉 सेतु: Poet as a healer: Conversation with Rameshwer Singh

He heals---with words, smile, gentle tone and surgical hands that can delve into the mysteries of life and death, and eyes that can look into your soul!

He is a rarity in a transactional and highly-mercenary culture.

He is a noble soul, radiating simplicity, earthiness and joy around.

His friends and patients admire him for his basic humanity and humility towards everybody. A grounded being. Accessible. Kind.

Excellent medical professional of high ethical values.

And an artist of first order.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Renaissance man Rameshwer Singh for you!

Brief Bio: Dr Rameshwer Singh roots lie the ancestral village Kullewal District Samrala, Punjab, India. Born in New Delhi, he moved to Meerut, as his father changed jobs. Completed High School and Intermediate exams from prestigious Government Inter College, Meerut. A brilliant student, Rameshwer got the National Scholarship and was among the toppers throughout his studies. He cracked Medical Entrance Examinations of Varanasi, Combined Medical Test, UP and also All India Engineering Test. Passed MBBS and Master of Surgery from reputed LLRM Medical College, Meerut.

Then he joined as Senior Resident in Dhaliwal Hospital, Moga, Punjab with his wife Dr Dipika Ramesh. Both worked there for two years. Afterwards, he came back to Meerut with his wife. Both have been practicing here in Meerut for 28 years. Since childhood he has been writing prose and poetry. Rameshwer has been published in some of the top newspapers, magazines and various anthologies.

Dr. Rameshwer Singh

Excerpts of a long conversation with the eminent author and surgeon:

Q: What is the connection between divine and the medical science? What are the critical moments that nudge a physician towards a higher reality? Or, is it a desperate human search for divine signs in crises, emergencies and pandemics? Kind of tenuous link or a strong belief system? Your measured views, please?

A: Medical science is an art that maintains mental and physical health and heals mental and physical diseases. Human body is so minutely and delicately formed. This formation is Divine. Body cells, tissues, organs, associated blood vessels and nerves are so meticulously placed in the body governed by several biochemical and hormonal reactions. The astonishing phenomenon is not constructed by us but developed by its own. It is Divine.

It is developed by the spiritual energy. To heal it, God guides the healer. He is supreme. I always feel this Divinity continuously flowing inside me.

When I make a big transverse incision with my knife, critical vessels are there within few millimetres of my knife. I am to reset the diseased part from the bed of critical vessels and nerves. God gives that skill and he guides. He guides everyone in their respective field He has assigned us.

Sometimes critical vessels come in the vicinity of knife or scissors and get injured leading to torrential bleeding. Here calmness to deal with the situation comes from the Almighty. Mostly surgeons control such situations. I feel hands of God at work there.

At the time of this Covid pandemic, you can observe that catastrophe would have been severe, wiping out human race but Divinity in the form of immunity has been keeping it at bay. It seems He is teaching us to respect the Nature with its fauna and flora.

Doctor Patient relationship is all trust. Patient trusts me because God trusts me. So I trust both.

Trust is Divinity. God has sent this patient to me to be treated safely. So God has trusted me to serve and cure.

Great God trusts me. He stands beside me always.

I humbly place my head over His feet.

I also believe that God is Shakti and Shiva both. God is both feminine and masculine spiritual energy.

This Divine Energy operates during surgery for every surgeon. I am fortunate that the Almighty trusts me.

Q: The connections between poetry and medicine? Some best writers of the world---Chekov, for example---belong to this healing science.

A: Medicine and Surgery help getting out of drastic situations of mental and physical agony of patients and their relatives. They go through many emotions of mental pain and physical agony. I, as a surgeon and as a poet, feel their changing emotions and behaviours during the course of their diseases.

Patient reads you too.

So this doctor patient relationship easily comes to my pen.

I humbly present my poem regarding this:

So she said,

Birjo, my patient!

You know, Doctor,

When you visit me,

I read you

More than you read me.

I examine you

More than you examine me.

That day when you visited me

In the hospital room,

You smiled but

Your eyes were teary,

You did not look into my eyes.

You wished me

But your voice I noticed was not pristine.

I knew I was nose diving!

Then the next day

During your visit

You smiled at me.

Smile that was hearty

Your lips signing happy notes,

I knew

I was responding!

Today as you entered

My room with zealous steps,

Approached my bed

With fragrant laughing

With seemingly singing lips,

I knew

It was a happy time that

I had recovered!

I was leaving!

Doctor!

Now I can see,

Even today you have moist eyes,

Your lips solemnly smiling,

Which I can read

Signify

Pride of serving God by

Curing me!

So she said

Birjo, my patient!

Q: Does art heal?

A: Certainly. Art in any form. Surgery and poetry are arts and they heal miraculously.

Music, Painting, Singing all are healers.

Impromptu dance in a ward which has been distressed in a pandemic disease help heal their agony.

I humbly present my poem here:

Cry And Relief!

Hospital wards!

Night deep,

Still and silken,

A stone falling in a pond

You may listen!

Occasional sounds of footsteps of

Nurses walking across ,

A stretcher wheeling a patient for scan.

I take a sip of hot tea

Just served by Gracy the nurse

A kind soul.

Last night

Corridor was reverberating

with sharp cries of Vaishnavi

A middle aged female,

Room number 116.

Visiting her room

I said

Vaishnavi, you calm down

You are disturbing others.

Doctor,

Pain is so agonizing

Please get rid of this pain of mine

Get rid of my life!

But Vaishnavi

You have a whole life to live on,

Beautiful world still to be explored,

Dancing peacock and singing koel

Await you outside.

World needs you.

Pain will take some days to subside

But for that to happen

Firstly you have to remain alive.

She smiled.

A smile that would remain

Etched in my heart!

Night deep,

Still and silken,

A stone falling in a pond

You may listen!

Now a fearful thought run

through my mind

I shudder.

It should not be so calm.

How has Vaishnavi become so quiet!

She has been disturbing the wards

For days

By her relentless cries.

Oh, light may have been extinguished!

Night deep,

Still and silken,

A stone falling in a pond

You may listen!

I briskly walk towards room number 116.

Anticipating the worst.

Suddenly a high pitched shriek of pain

From Vaishnavi`s room

Echoed through hospital walls.

Oh,

A big sigh of relief for me

She is alive

Though she is crying.

Coming back

I order some painkiller for her,

I take another sip of tea.

Night not still

Nor calm and silken,

A cry in agony from her

A ray of hope for me!

She will see the world,

With peacock and koel,

She will

Dance and listen!

Q: Your poetry is deeply characterized by a sense of divine. The spiritual elements pervade your works. What are its deep springs within? Sikhism? Family background and values?

A: Divinity is deep inside me that has been instilled in me by my family. My parents Shree Sohan Singh and Smt Pritam Kaur taught me the basics of Sikhism. My Dada ji Shree Kehar Singh and dadi Smt Prasinni were very simple persons. My father gave us an harmonium to sing Shabads. In Sikhism, Baba Nanak has emphasized the service to humanity the best way to reach Him. Uninterrupted Langar to feed all irrespective of caste and creed and Joda-seva of shoes are selflessly being done by Sikh devotees all over the World. It helps in keeping oneself attached to the roots. I respect every religion and learn from them. Basically, I have found, all religions tell us that Love is God.

Q: What turned you towards poetry based on nature and profound humanism seen in your trilingual works, lyrical in effect? I find the words soothing, calming.

A: I told you in my previous interview that my father fell critically ill when I was in 11th standard. While recovering, father was very weak. I used to take him to a school park on my bicycle. The park was full of beautiful trees, chirping birds, galloping squirrels, multicoloured butterflies. I observed the minuteness of nature and gradually changing emotions of my ailing father in his journey towards recovery. So basic ingredients of poetry, nature, humanity and compassion were absorbed in my soul during that period.

Q: How do you manage to compose so well in three languages---English, Hindi and Gurumukhi? The easy flow and cadence---so beautifully captured? What are the challenges of such a great endeavour? Its joys?

A: Simplicity and honesty should be there. The more you construct your writing, more it becomes complicated. I remain natural so flow is simple and easy. It flows easily when I write. Eternal Light glows and I flow. Punjabi is my mother language, Hindi is my language of developing years and English I have learnt through reading extensively.

When I write trilingual I get myself immersed in the culture of that language. It becomes joyful to merge into the culture of that language.

For me translation doesn’t work. I get into the fragrance of that language and write accordingly keeping the essence intact.

My humble presentation of my poems here

Multilingual Poems: बहुभाषी काव्य

दीये - बहुभाषी काव्य, पंजाबी, हिंदी और अंग्रेज़ी में

Multilingual Poetry (Punjabi, Hindi, and English)

I dedicate these poems to my respected and beloved father Sohan Singh ji, a graduate in English, a soulful poet with a golden heart and my teacher.

Here it goes:

ਦੀਵੇ! दीवे! दीये! Earthen Lamps!

ਦੀਵੇ!

ਆਖਿਆਂ ਬੀਚ ਮੇਰੇ

ਇਕ ਦਰਿਆ ਵਗਦਾ ਹੈ ।

ਰੋਜ ਮੈਂ ਕੁਜ ਜਲਦੇ ਦੀਵੇ ਲੈਕੇ

ਇਸ ਦੇ ਕੰਢੇ ਆਣਾ ਹਾਂ

ਤੇ ਇਕ ਇਕ ਕਰਕੇ ਲਹਿਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਸੁਪਰਦ ਕਰ ਦੇਣਾ ਹਾਂ ।

ਇਕ ਦਿਵਾ ਬਿਸ਼ਨੀ ਦਾ ਹੈ ।

ਟਿਡ ਦੇ ਦਰਦ ਨਾਲ ਤੜਫਦੀ,

ਚੀਖਾਂ ਉਸਦੀਆਂ

ਕਾਫੀ ਦੇ ਕਪ ਤੋਂ ਨਿਕਲ ਰਈਆਂ

ਭਾਪਾ ਨੂੰ ਕੰਬਣੀ ਦੇ ਰਹੀਆਂ ਸੀ ।

ਮੈਂ ਉਸ ਕੋਲ ਗਯਾ ।

ਡਾਕਟਰ,ਏ ਦਰਦ ਮੇਰਾ ਕਦ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਹੋਏਗਾ ।

ਜਲਦੀ ਹੋਏਗਾ ਬਿਸ਼ਨੀ ।

ਮੈਂ ਉਸਦੀ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਬਿਚ ਇਕ ਆਸ ਦੀ ਲੋ ਵੇਖੀ,

ਤੇ ਇਕ ਦਿਵਾ ਵਾਲ ਲਯਾ ।

ਇਕ ਦਿਵਾ ਅੱਬਾਸ ਦਾ ਹੈ ।

ਨਾਕ ਬਿਚ ਟਿਊਬ,

ਗੱਲ ਬਿਚ ਸਾ ਲੈਣ ਲਈ ਪਾਈਪ,

ਗੁਲੂਕੋਜ਼ ਪਤਲੀ ਸੂਈ ਨਾਲ ਨੱਸ ਬਿਚ

ਬੂੰਦ ਬੂੰਦ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਸੀ ।

ਬਸ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਉਸਦੀਆਂ ਕੁਜ ਕਹਦੀਆਂ ਸੀ ।

ਮੈਂ ਉਸਦਾ ਹੱਥ ਹੋਲੀ ਜਹਾ ਫੜਿਆ

ਤੇ

ਇਕ ਦਿਵਾ ਵਾਲ ਲਯਾ ।

ਅੱਜ ਮੇਰੇ ਕੋਲ ਕਈ ਦੀਵੇ ਹਨ ।

ਮੈਂ ਹੋਲੀ ਹੋਲੀ

ਦੀਵੇਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਦੇ ਦਰਿਆ ਬਿਚ

ਬਹਾ ਰਹਾ ਹਾਂ ।

ਏ ਤਿਰਦੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ

ਪੁਜ ਗਏ

ਮੇਰੇ ਦਿਲ ਦੇ ਸਾਗਰ ਬਿਚ

ਆਪਣੀ ਲੋ ਨਾਲ ਟੀਮਟਮਾਨ ।

ਏ ਲੋ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਨੇ ਭੀ ਵੇਖ ਲੀ ਹੈ ।

दीवे!

अखियाँ बिच मेरे

इक दरिया वगदा है ।

रोज़ मैं कुज जलदे दीवे लेके

इस दे कंडे आना हाँ,

ते इक इक करके लहरा दे सुपर्द कर देना हाँ।

इक दीवा बिशनी दा है ।

टिड दे दर्द नाल तड़फदी,

चीखां ओसदियाँ

काफी दे कप तो निकल रईयाँ भापा नु कंपा रही सी।

मैं उस कोल गया ।

डॉक्टर, ये दर्द मेरा कद जाऊगा ।

जल्दी जाऊगा बिशनी ।

मैं उसदी अखां बिच इक आस दी लौ बेखी,

दे इक दिवा वाल लया ।

इक दीया अब्बास दा है ।

नाक बिच ट्यूब,

गले दे अंदर पई पाईप,

ग्लूकोस पतली सुई नाल नस बिच

बून्द बून्द उतरदी ।

बस अखां ओसदियाँ कुज कह दियाँ ने ।

मैं उसदा हथ होली जहा फड़या

ते

इक दीवा वाल लया ।

अज मेरे कोल कई दीवे हन ।

मैं हौली हौली

दीवेयाँ नु अखां दे दरियां बिच

बहा रहा हान ।

ए तिरदे जांदे हन

ते

पुज गए

मेरे दिल दे सागर बिच,

अपनी लौ नाल टीमटमान ।

ए लौ

परमात्मा ने भी वेख ली है ।

दीये!

मैं रोज़ कुछ जलते दीये

अपनी आँखों मे

बहती नदी में बहाता हूँ ।

आज इक दीया बिशनी का है।

पेट की असहाय पीड़ा

से प्रकम्पित,

वेदना आस बन

उसकी आंखों में उतर आई है

मेरा दर्द कब जाएगा डॉक्टर।

जल्दी ही बिशनी।

और मैंने एक दीप

उसकी आँखों में

टिमटिमाती आस से

प्रदीप्त कर लिया।

एक दीप अब्बास का है

नाक में ट्यूब,

गले मे कृतिम साँस की ट्यूब,

ग्लूकोस पतली सुई से

बून्द बून्द जीवन देता हुआ।

अब्बास की बस

आँखें बोलतीं है

बहुत सी जी चुकी कहानियाँ

और सपने संजोती कहानियाँ।

एक दीप मैंने

अब्बास की आँखों की लौ से

प्रदीप्त किया ।

बहुत सारे दीये है मेरे पास।

एक एक कर

अपनी आँखों में बहती नदी में

बहा रहा हूँ ।

बहते दीये

मेरे हृदय सागर में उतरते हैं।

परमात्मा ने

लौ देख ली है।

Earthen lamps!

I float many earthen lamps

in the ever flowing river of my eyes!

Today,

One lamp is of Bishni.

Writhing with

Agonizing pain of abdomen

She looks into my eyes

With a hopeful flame.

I lit a lamp there.

Another lamp is of Abbas

A Ryle's tube in the nose,

A respiratory tube in the neck,

A needle infusing drops of glucose,

He had many stories

He wanted to tell,

Many hopes he wanted to live.

Only his eyes can speak now.

He looked in my eyes,

Some tears were rolling down,

A sparkle appeared in his eyes

And

I lit a lamp here too.

I have many such lamps!

I float them

In the river of my eyes.

Swiftly moving

These earthen lamps reach my heart,

A sea of soulful emotions.

So illuminating are these lamps

With hope and prayer!

God has already seen them!

Q: Most memorable incident of your medical profession?

A: There are infinite moments when Almighty has helped in saving lives.

I have been in medical profession for nearly forty years. So there are infinite memorable moments of failure and success. By God’s grace, I will share it with all of you in my writing in future. I pray my writing would serve the humanity by sharing what I have humbly experienced.

I would like to share one incident for my respected readers so as to tell how assuring the doctor’s presence is for the patient

That evening when she was being wheeled into emergency room she was in acute distress. She was referred from a nearby town named Baraut. Examining her, I thought it better to refer her to Delhi. Then suddenly I saw her eyes. I could see a save- me -anyhow look in her nearly- sinking and -slowly blinking eyes. I prayed to God to give us strength.

No time for further delaying the intensive treatment.

After getting her scanned, Dipika and I decided to keep her under our treatment. She was admitted to the intensive care unit. Treatment was promptly started.

At night, when we visited ICU, she said she was feeling better. It was a positive sign, though I knew the road ahead would be treacherous.

As a doctor, I know the first sign of recovery is the feel-good inner feelings of patient herself/himself.

We spent some time in the ICU with her. She, along with her husband and relatives, was happy to see her doctors at the bedside. One thing more I have observed during the years of my practice is that nothing is more assuring than the doctor at your bedside, spending some quality time during their critical period of illness.

She was in septicaemia. During the night she remained critical .First sign appeared in the morning as she passed motion, pulse rate came down to 80,BP 110/65.

She came out of danger.

When Dipika and I visited her bed next morning her eyes were gleaming.

We should always remain thankful to God. I will always cherish the wonderful feeling of the divine call in her eyes that night. The call guided us to go ahead as she would not have tolerated any further delay. Same divine call guides us all.

Q: How do you view death as a doctor? As a poet? As a well-read and grounded human being? Its meaning and symbolism for humankind over ages?

A: I feel Death is the beginning of new Life. We are scared of Death because we don’t know what happens afterwards. We don’t ever see the person after death. So Death brings sadness and agony for the near and dear ones. We remain with memories of Departed soul and cry when we remember them .Our heart aches.

I have many time asked God why to keep it a mystery. Enlighten us so we may enjoy our journey till we meet our Destination of Beautiful Death.

Death meets me many times, one moment my patient is alive and looking in my eyes, other moment he/she is gone. No pulse, no respiration. Pupils dilated.

Always I wonder where? Where have you gone in a flicker of a second? And what was the hurry?

And not to be seen again physically!

Only in dreams, feelings and thoughts!

I humbly present my poem here:

Life!

Life,

For me or anyone,

It is till one is.

Before I appear

Or after I go,

I have no personal feel of its presence.

But Life in universe exists

With or without one.

One feels if one exists.

No evidence visible

If I were here or anywhere

In any form

As a part of universe

Before or after my present life!

For me,

Life is as perceived by my conscious.

Consciousness is soul.

Where has it come from

Where shall it go

No evidence and no footprints present.

Therefore,

Uncertainty of unknown,

When one leaves

It brings

Sadness and pain,

Agony and devastation

For the ones left behind.

Only if

One would be in know of

That Afterlife Life shall bring

Bliss of Eternity,

Meet with our beloved departed souls,

It will bring joy and pleasure.

Alighting a train on a particular station

We find

That Destination is beautiful.

Meeting Eternity and our loving souls.

But

I don't know!

Here then what the

Dilemma or mystery is!

Oh Almighty,

You have made this universe

Micro complicated,

Macro beautiful,

Please unveil

This mystery.

Let us enjoy our journey

Do our work,

Not with fear or scare

But with excitement and enthusiasm

So as to fulfil our duties you have given us.

Q: What does life whisper in your ears, when taking a walk in the country lane or on your terrace?

A: Love God.

Love His creativity and serve it

Immerse in Him through service and Love.

Love is the spiritual energy. Serve humanity through the skills Almighty has provided you. Surgery and Poetry for me.

Miles to go before I sleep.

Q: Rains. How do they inspire the poet within? And the seasonal changes, cycles, climate change?

A: You have touched my sensitive chord.

Rains and Trains!

I can write infinitely on them. They are in my soul. Life’s whole philosophy I can find in them. I was born in a rainy season in July. Maybe Rain got into my nascent cells and became infused in plasma. Forever!

Trains.

We as a family used to visit our ancestral pind, village in English, during summer vacations.

During those journeys in Mystic Steam engine train I used to see outside, alight at stations, drinking and bringing kulhar tea for the family, Sitting inside near window seat looking below flowing beautiful river, running away green trees and far spreading wet fields. When it rained I could see wonderful rain playing with watery fields,

Even today, looking at glistened with rain water railway lines I visualize myself performing surgeries in future motivated by the Divinity of rains and trains. I feel everyone of us feels Divinity in Nature.

I humbly present my poem here:

My Train Chugs On!

This is a chilly winter dawn,

White fragrance of a nascent day

Imbibing nocturnal dark,

Drizzling water pearls falling on the wet tracks

My train chugs on!

I look through the window

I realize it is a bend

Whole train as my life I can see

With its masthead light falling on the tracks

Entering into a new terrain,

And its tail light leaving behind

Trees, fields, lakes and

Far ascending mountains.

In between a lonely river flows on!

This is a chilly winter dawn,

My train chugs on!

Looking ahead through falling rain sheets on the tracks

I inhale the sailing feelings of freezing winds.

Entering into an era that will lead me

To a destination I know not,

To meet my beloved where and when I know not.

But green and red signals gazing through rain

Make me sure someone monitoring my journey,

Like a river Life will flow on!

This is a chilly winter dawn,

My train chugs on!

Me to serve, love

And make happy my journey mates

My life is being taken care of!

Thunderous lightening of the rumbling clouds

Descends and melts into

My soul and makes

Eternal illumination on!

This is a chilly winter dawn

White fragrance of a nascent day

Imbibing nocturnal dark,

Drizzling water pearls falling on the wet tracks

My train chugs on!

Q: Your favouraite authors? Thinkers? Outstanding persons that have stayed on for years, some place, in heart and mind? For example, Rumi talks to western mind often. How does it happen, the enduring appeal of such mesmerizing messages?

A. Spiritual Hymns of Baba Nanak are Divine and all about love. Everyone gets Eternal Peace reciting them. The Gita teaches us the principles of living life so as to get eternal peace. Sant Kabir’s Vani teaches us love and service.

In literature Keats, Chekhov, Sumitranandan Pant, Maithilisharan Gupt, Amrita Pritam, Gulzar, Shivani and many greats I admire.

Q: What were the shaping circumstances of early life? Motivations? Influences?
A: My father illness in my childhood and his going to the Heaven have changed my life. His illness brought me motivation for serving humanity and his going made me a person with a feeling of detachment from earthly gains .I enjoy these but remain detached.

I live life now with a feeling of detachment. Now I live life to fulfil my duties towards family and society.

Q: Any uncanny incident? Mystic experience?

A: Many times during moments of happiness and distress, I feel a mystic energy inside me. I may say an inner voice always conversing with me. Many times, I am able to sense the presence of the Divine. I think everyone does feel the same.

Q: The role of a doctor-wife in your career as a poet? How does she inspire you? Married to a poet has got its challenges but she seems to be a constant fan. Define her presence for you, please?

A: Dipika Ramesh, my wife, is my soul mate too. She is a successful Gynaecologist

She is with me in operations. She sees to it that I get time for writing.

Anywhere I stop my car and observe and click something, she cooperates.

Dipika and I have a son, Priyank Singh, in whom we have instilled humanity and desire to serve. He is emotional like us. He is at present software engineer in Google, USA. He is highly talented and passionate in his job.

Dipika and I always wanted a daughter. Now beautiful and intellectual Nishtha, our bahu, has come in our life fulfilling our desire. She is also software engineer in Google, USA with Priyank.

Q: What about other members of your family? What do they do? How do they view your poetic contribution?

A: I am highly thankful to you for this question because I am a family man. I love to remember those who have made me.

We live in Meerut, India with my mother Biji Pritam Kaur. We are fortunate that she is with us, giving us opportunity to serve her.

My Mother-in-law Smt Savita Ralhan lives in New Delhi. My late father-in-law Shree Kuldip Ralhan guided Dipika so much.

I am the only son. I have two sisters. Elder sister Jasbur Kaur and Jijaji Paramjeet Attli, along with our bhanji Grishma Singh, live in Chandigarh. Younger sister Manjeet Kaur and Jijaji Avtar Attli along with our bhanja Taruraj Attli live in Nashik.

They have been continuously following my achievements in Surgery and Poetry. They are amongst the first ones congratulating me after every successful surgery and beautiful poems.

They are all enthusiastic regarding my new passion, singing.

Q: Your views on human suffering? As a doctor and poet? Is it inevitable or man-made, this state of health, mental and physical? How can you overcome suffering and pain?

A: Human suffering is agonising for the individual, her/his family and the society. An ailing body needs physical, mental and monetary support.

Life changes its track suddenly, when you get ill or suffer for any reason. I feel it is destiny. Sufferings are destined to happen. Its occurrence, duration and course are determined by God. What I do as a doctor is guided by Him.

Almighty guides us towards recovery. He provides hands in the form of relatives, friends, and doctors or in any form. True and honest prayers are listened and fulfilled by God.

If prayer is not listened, it is His will. We should accept it with humility..

I as a doctor do my best. Almighty cures. Great God trusts me when He sends me a distressed human being for treatment.

Now here comes a point regarding man made suffering. A chronic smoker is inviting Lung cancer and chronic tobacco chewer may get mouth and throat cancer. Life styles decide hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. If the person quits smoking, another one quits tobacco chewing, another changes his/her life style and starts Yoga and meditation then their chances of getting disease are less. She/he will lead healthy life. These are manmade diseases, sure. But still it is Destiny that decides who does what.

Who smokes, who doesn’t?

Who chews tobacco, who doesn’t?

Who quits smoking, who doesn’t?

Who quits chewing, who doesn’t?

Who changes his life style, who doesn’t?

There are two sons of a father, one is chronic alcoholic, and other is not.

Alcoholic son lands into Liver failure.

It was Destiny though we may think that the alcoholism brought that.

So human suffering and cure are destined.

God has provided me to do my best to get them cured. He decides the outcome.

We pray. He may listen. He may not.

During my medical life I have seen many prayers were listened, many were not.

But one thing is sure. He loves all of us. His decision is Divine and should be accepted with humility.

Flame of God is same in everyone. I pray daily for distressed souls to come out of their distress. I also pray daily for all departed souls. We are all one flame inside.

I tell you about Destiny by my own family example.

I prayed for my father, when he was critically ill. I was in 11 standard then. Prayer was listened. He remained with us for many more years. He could make me a doctor which was his ambition. So it was Destiny. Next time when he got ill, I myself a doctor with team of doctors and prayers on our lips, I could do nothing. He suffered a lot through multiple dialysis procedures, pricks and tubes. He left and I wept. Destiny again. His doctor son could not save him.

I present humbly my poem written on a cancer patient:

Adieu!

As dawn starts breathing cool winds,

As afresh as an embryo breathes

In the womb through maternal feeds,

Standing by the tracks

In a lonely forest,

I see

Your train whistling away,

Disappearing further and further

Away from me,

Gradually merging

Into the dense fog!

It is a journey

Of no comeback

You do not know this

As you were not told

About your incurable disease,

Even sky and birds above

Sea and trees below

Know this!

Many times I pray

Save her, kind God!

Though in great pain

Dreams you still weaved every moment

Whistle of happiness

You still blew,

Desires you still nourished

As you were unaware of fatal outcome!

Looking through

Window

You waive your

Silky hands

Leaving me here

In unbearable agony of

Dreadful dreams,

Debilitated desires!

Now

As your train

Finally disappears

And dissolves

Into mystery zone

Of ultimate

Calmness and serenity,

I with

Soulful wet eyes and

Tearfully crying heart say

Adieu!

Q: Your ambition? Any further goals?

A: As I said no ambition on physical ground.

I feel a familiar voice calling, taking me from I Don't Know Where.

To know and find this ‘where' I walk on.

I walk on muddy village trails. In rains and trains my journey goes on.

I search for I don’t know what.

I humbly present my poem here.

Deep moments of

This blissful night,

My eyes are moist,

Soul seems searching

Don’t know what!

Q: You sing as well. What do singing and music mean for you? Role of words and sounds?

A: This I have just started. As I do all my work with perfection and passion, so am I doing with singing, photography or anything I do. My idol is Sunil Gavaskar in cricket because he was an opener and perfectionist. Humbly I am an opener in cricket. I always like to face the opening attack.

Q: Would you be writing a novel soon? A longer prose narrative? Does the novel appeal to you?
A: As I said I incline to write my experiences as Surgeon and Poet so as to share with all of you that may bring happiness in your lives. I have so much to share regarding pain, suffering, feelings, Nature and Love. Naturally it will be a long version. My interview is a humble glimpse of my future sharing.

Q: Any message for poets and writers, especially, the younger generation?

A: Be a lovely human being.

Believe in God. Serve and love humanity.

Yes, you are supposed to earn for your family.

Earn honestly and attain heights.

Do your work with honesty and passion.

If you are honest, simple and natural you will be wonderful.

Q: The function of empathy, love and compassion in life?

A: Empathy, love and compassion would make us a loveable human being. Just empathize with the person you are with, Love will itself evolve and you become compassionate

I think we modern doctors are so much tuned to see reports and investigations, there by losing the art of simple and delicate holding of hands which has tremendous power of healing. Mechanically scanning their reports scares them. Try putting your healing hand on them and it will do wonders. Either lightly place your palm on their forehead or simply count their pulse rate or affectionately tap on their shoulders or simply listen through the stethoscope. It will help in healing by the surgery you are going to perform, sooner than you expect. It assures them they are not alone and they are cared and loved.

Help them come out of scary feelings they undergo when we go through their reports.

The fact is that most of us doctors care and love their patients.

Q: Thanks for your precious time and insights.

A: Humble thanks, Sunil ji, Anuragji and the Setu family for giving me love.

With your permission I want to remember my Tayaji Jasmail Singh and Mausiji Malkit Kaur.

My teachers Shree L.C.Gupta, Dr Mahajan, Dr Dhaliwal and Dr V.B. Bhavnagar I remember.

.I prefer to say,

Meet you again.

Before I say that I present two love poems for you:

हम तपते भी रहे लौ की आंच में,भीगते भी रहे बरसती आँखों में!

मोम सी

मौन

तुम जलती रही

कल रात

मेरे

मन की मुंडेर पर!

मेरी ऑंखें

तपती रही

तुम्हारी

नरम आंच से ,

तुम जलती रही

मैं तपता रहा!

फिर ओस

गिरने लगी

तुम सहमी

और

मेरे मन के कमरे में

दुबक गयी!

बरखा बूंदे

झिलमला गयी,

मेरी ऑंखें

मेघ बन गई!

झींगुर तो जैसे

हर प्रणय के साक्षी रहते है!

दूर बहती नदी का पानी

सब को चुप करा

हमारे तपते भीगते

अहसासों की नाव को

अपने बहते पानी में

बहा ले चला!

हर लम्हा पिरोना चाहती,

ठहरी ठहरी सी

जाती हुई रात

कब ख़त्म होना चाहती थी !

हम तपते भी रहे

लौ की आंच में,

भीगते भी रहे

बरसती आँखों में!

Ocean of Love

My Fire O Love,

Ablaze our bodies

To be an inferno,

You and me!

My Passion O Love,

Stoke our desires,

Engulf our souls

Into eternity,

A raging furnace,

You and me!

My Water O Love,

Wet ourselves thoroughly

Body and soul,

Quenching flames,

To be a swirling river

Flowing into the ocean,

You and me!

I am a human being, having success and failure both during my life journey. These are my opinions presented with honesty. You may have different opinion. Please forgive me if I have hurt you.

I love you all!

Meet you again!

Humbly and truly yours

Rameshwer Singh

Life In Pictures: