RIDING THE FLYING HORSE

Jyotsna Lal

RIDING THE FLYING HORSE

ISBN: 9781370084333 Publisher: Smashwords, Inc.
 CONTENTS
Chapter 1 The Color Red
Chapter 2 My Sunday School Teacher
Chapter 3 The Great Wall of China
Chapter 4 Bangkok My brush with Death
Chapter 5 England
Chapter 6 Houston Texas
Chapter 7 San Antonio
Chapter 8 San Francisco
Chapter 9 Flying to New York
Chapter 10 Our Mission Fathers
Chapter 11 Portugal in India
Chapter 12 Dubai
Chapter 13 Holy Land
 Chapter 1

THE COLOR RED

I was born on a puranmasi or full moon day in the month of march.The month of march
is dedicated to the fiery roman god Mars,who hails the coming of spring with his hammer
by sending thunder storms. According to the Hindu calender ,the festival “ HOLI” falls
on a full moon in the month of march . In India this festival marks the end of winter ,the
air loses its nip The mists fade and the sky is beautifully blue again. As a sanskrit poet
says ,the days that lay curled up , now stretch their limbs bit by bit .
It is a time for all fun lovers , it’s an invitation to friend and strangers alike to enjoy
themselves. Red or gulal is the base color,but the pinks ,blues and yellow are great
hits.On this day,young and old play with colors ,squirting it on each other ,rubbing it on
their faces ,amidst much laughter and protest.
Faces take on the look of a multicolored canvas ,clothes look as though dyed in a
dozen colors. Added to this air of gaiety ,a constant stream of jokes ,pranks , donkey
rides and Moorkha Sammelans: a gathering where a group of poets read out their
funnypoems and satire in front of an audience.Many stories are told tongue in cheek
,jokes are cracked at the expence of the audience.
I was born amidst such color and gaiety .I often attribute the artistic streak in
me to the colors that surround the hour of my birth According to the pundits or hindu
scribes, it is a very auspicious day ,the gods smile on the child born on this day.
My name “ JYOTSNA” ( pronounced - Jo-t’-s-na) a sanskrit word meaning full
moon or bathed with moonlight ,proved to be a happy coincidence .The name was given
by maternal grand-mother Mrs E.P .Richards simply because she thought it was a
beautiful name.
My father’s name is Austin Lal ,Mr Lal is as common in India as Mr Green or Brown in
england.The word “ lal” in hindi means red or the base color gulal . It is by rather
strange co-incidence that my name Jyotsna-full moon, Lal-red or gulal, agree to my
hour of birth.
Red is the color of blood which flows down from the cross , the precious blood of our
saviour Jesus Christ , O’ precious is the Flow ,That makes us white as snow.
the blood of Jesus cancels out our sin debt and assigns us a new creation identity—the
righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21). This act of bloodshed will be
celebrated throughout all eternity. The song of heaven is the song of the Lamb (Rev.
5:11-13). He will emerge as the conquering King and prevailing Lion of Judah (Rev. 5:5).
Jesus eternally wears the victor’s crown.
I will begin my diary is with this story . My great grand father Reverend George
Martin Richards was a colleaque Reverend Parker an American stationed in north India.
Together they use to preach the gospel in the villages Sometimes on horseback ,cycles
later go by jeeps ,pitching their tent in the fields near the villages One night they saw a
man hiding in the shadows of the tent
“Come out or we will shoot you “ Rev Richards warned A tall ,handsome young man
came out of the darknes and fell at their feet ,begging for protection
“Who are you?”asked Rev Parker .
“I’m Phul Singh the Daciot I want to become a Christian and surrender my life .Please
convert me “
‘If you are telling lies ! you’ll be sentenced to death ,as there is a ransom on your head
“ warned Rev Parker
“ No ! I’m telling the truth , I have heard the gospel I want to change my life”
Both the missionaries took the dacoit with them Rev Parker helped to get him
pardoned from the British Government . Phul Singh [phulwa] became the shadow of Rev
Parker ,staying in his house cooking for him in Etah . His son was Rev Chote Phul
Singh a pastor
of Mcgraw Memorial Church where my parents got married later his grandson Rev R.P
.Singh followed in his footsteps .
Rev Robert Alter another american presybterian missionary whose mission field was
Fatehgarh and Etah was a colleague of my grandparents . later he became the
headmaster of Woodstock school ,Mussoorie now Uttrakhand, his son is the writer
Stephen Alter who has mentioned about Etah in his book ‘All the way to Heaven’.
The famous bollywood actor Tom Alter is the son of the elder Rev Alter also american
presybterian missionary who lives In Landour near Mussoorie.

In the year 1964 My parents got married while grandmother Mrs Beaumont
Richards was the medical nurse in Christian boys Agriculture college Etah,North India
of course my Grandfather was working as a Teacher and warden there . he was lovingly
called Papaji the house father while my granny was ‘mamaji’ ,she was a rather
enterprising lady and kept poultry in the backyard
One summer night around 10 o’clock there was some commotion in the henhouse ,the
hens were cackling with a peculiar note of fear, nervousness and panic .My granny
hurried to the henhouse and opened the door something was sitting right near the and
bit on her left hand .She went in the bedroom and told my grandfather ,he said it must be
a rat ,put some tincture iodine on it.Suddenly she lost balance and fell down .My
grandpa panicked and rushed out to the hostel where senior boys sitting in the study.
Immediately the boys rushed to the house, some of them ran to the principal Mr
Watford’s house ,a group of boys ran to search the backyard and the hen house
One of my uncles father’s cousin was among the students studing at that hour .He
recounts the moment they opened the door , saw a huge cobra sitting with its hood
spread out ,waiting and hissing loudly .
A cornered cobra is as dangerous as a caged tiger lunging out at them ,it did not slink
away but attacking them . The boys initially got scared and climbed on the wall to avoid
it. Then some plucky ones clubbed it to death with their hockey sticks. [The cobra was
preserved and kept in the biology lab I saw the Cobra when I had gone for christmas
vacation]
Meanwhile my granny was rushed to the hospital with a tourniquet arm and she was
lucky as serum was available She survived and lived to an august of age of 90 years,
died on 14 Nov 2001, 36 years later.

***
The locomotive has the history of the industrial revolution We regularly traveled by train
,it has an unusual charm the choo choo !chug chug! and smoke spewing out of the
chimney of the engine and sing song of the wheels on railtracks ‘one penny two penny
,one penny two penny’, the railways came with the british who created the railway
network in India so that they could rule India better and transport the troops ,goods from
port to inland.We were going to Fatehgarh ,my uncle was the locomotive engine driver .
The six hour journey by passenger train was always boring stopping at every station
,slowing puffing through the green fields and mango grooves .The villages with women
in their colorful saries the train had stopped at one the small station ,a express train
was passing since there was only one track they had stopped the passenger train.
Inspite of being a girl I have always been nosy .I wanted to peek in the locomotive
engine ,my uncle allowed me to get in the engine . to see the boiler where the coal was
put in by the trowel . I was looking at the various nobs and sticks .suddenly the guard got
the signal of line clear the signal was up and the my uncle engine driver had started
the engine, since the steps are very high and the engine was parked outside the
platform so there was no time to jump out of engine and run to my compartment .I
would say it was my luck that day I got a ride in the engine my uncle began stoking
the fire and the engine moved forward. I enjoyed sitting on the wooden box inside
watched the villages slipping past .my uncle asked me to pull a string wonders of
wonders it was the whistle.I blew the whistle many times.
It was great fun and something I will never ever forget The next station came and the
train stopped I got down and went to sit in my seat in the compartment.
We often traveled to Etah by train by changing at Tundla junction.taking the loopline.
I spent all my Christmas holidays with grandparents in Etah , their use to be a garden
swing inside the compound , I use to ride the bicycle and go visiting all the faculty
members of college . Those days people use to go deer hunting as sport there use to
be many kinds of deer [black buck] and antelopes [ blue bull] ravaging the crops and
had to be eliminated by the farmers.
**
In the land of Lycia , Chimera was a fire-breathing animal with a lion's head, a goat's
body,and a tail in the form of a snake; hence any apparent hybrid of two or more
creatures. The Chimera was killed by the hero Bellerophon on the winged horse
Pegasus. Bellerophon a victim of slander who was sent against the monstrous chimera,
which he killed with the help of his winged horse Pegasus. After further trials, he ended
his life as a beggar.
When I read this Greek story as child I went to my Daddy and asked for the winged
horse. My daddy said “Your education is your dowry , my daughter and your career
Pegasus the winged horse which will take you places.’’ He had taken me to the Indian
Institute of Technology airfield which had a flying club . He had shown me the small
two sitter planes and gliders called them the modern flying horse, I would watch them
from our terrace and wished I could fly around .
One winter day a MIG landed on the IIT airfield , may be it had visited the aeronautical
department ,it was my holiday and I was reading on the terrace , it took off and did
several somersaults ,dives and then flew off in the distant sky.
***
Another incident , I was only 3 years when my parents came to work in the industrial
town of Cawnpore they were newly and with little experience of life in a city with a
toddler they faced many hardships one of them the difficulty in finding a suitable place to
live It was almost like a miracle when they heard through some one about a gentleman
by the name of Mr Yogi who wished to sublet his flat,they went to see it and liked it The
flat was on the first floor of a three storied building ,the rent and other formalities were
duly completed They shifted into the flat.
My parents became busy with their daily routine they went to work early in the morning
,leave me at the kindergarden and come back late in the afternoon.Evenings were
usually spent out and night would bring sweet slumber to the tired little family
Every morning the kitchen articles would be found strewn on the floor but were
unnoticed by the unsuspecting occupants,who thought it to be the mischief of rats.
My parents found living in the flat according to their liking The neighbourhood was
good and Mr Yogi rarely stayed home at night and would also spent his spare time
away from the flat
One Saturday afternoon ,our next door neighbour Mrs Yusuf dropped in for a chat
mom offered her tea, as they sat talking over their teacups Mrs Yusuf expressed her
surprise that my parents had rented this flat .
Mr yogi’s wife had committed suicide in the room we had rented A discord had arisen
between thehusband and his wife The wife had poured kerosene oil over herself and put
a match to it .She had wanted to prove that her husband had tried to kill her but she died
in process .The incident had occurred some 6 months ago ,
now the flat was haunted by the spirite of the dead woman.
Both my parents declared that they did not believe in ghosts or haunted houses [it was
the only sensible way out when you are new in town and apartments are difficult to
find]Now that the story was out ,the forces of evil became stronger .The nights were
often filled with sounds of footsteps , things falling and newspaper being torn. Yet they
were not frightened ,they would simply getup and switch on the lights believing such
forces fear light and would able to sleep peacefully the whole night.
They were always surprised to see in the morning that things that were breakable never
thrown down ,only articles like teacosy ,saucepan and coverlets were strewn on the floor
,and the newspaper would be torn in equal strips.
Soon they became used to the whole affair ,but family suffered on account of the
unclean presence ,one of the three would always be sick .
One day they happened to talk about it to their church pastor ,he was surprised to hear
about this and promised to pray for them The week he dropped in at our flat to pray and
held a small prayer meeting where all present prayed to clean our home of the evil
presence .And from that day onwards ,never again the ghost of Mrs Yogi came to
disturb us .Ofcourse she continued to prowl in Mr Yogi’s portion of the flat.
My mother tells me that her restless soul was in the apartment but it seemed an invisible
wall of fire had been built around our rooms Earlier the poor ghost nevered harmed us
or damaged anything After some time Mr Yogi decided to marry again And my father
started looking for another flat.
We were still living in the flat when Mr Yogi got married Hindu marriages take place in
the night only the men go in the bridgegrooms marriage party ,my father accompanied
Mr Yogi My mother was alone in the flat she recalls the sounds of boxes being
thrown around ,crockery being broken , banging on the walls could be distinctly
heard from Mr Yogi's side. The racket got worse around 1a.m the time coincided with
the marriage ceremony. Soon after the wedding we moved to another flat.
***

Chapter2
MY SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER

My sunday school teacher Mrs Esther Fiol ,wife of .Rev Frank Fiol american
presybterian missionary to Kanpur I was very regular to Sunday school she loved me
as I was only seven years old and fluent in English always chatting comfortably with
her. The Fiols spent their entire life in India ,Woodstock school Mussorie,Faith academy
in Delhi and bible seminary in Dehradun were under their administration.
In the 1970-80 era , My parents were both teachers ,we were poor but well
respected.In the Indian society teachers are highly respected as they considered role
model for the society , the torch bearers and fountain of knowledge.
I’m the only child which is highly unusual for hindu and muslim both give more
importance to sons ,daughters are generally a burden because they have to be married
off and a dowry has to be arranged for them. Hindu parents give birth as many as
six daughters in their hope of a son who will give them moksha[salvation] after
their death because he will set fire to their funeral byre. Inspite of that my parents
have only one child “me’,they were my first and best teachers.I was fluent in English as
they use to talk to me only in English and they would bring English storybooks from their
school libraries for me to read, as time progressed I became a bookworm ,almost setting
the house on fire one day since I was so engrossed in reading a storybook. Hindu
mythology always confused me , my class three hindi teacher Mrs Maya Ariel wife of
Pastor Ariel read out my hindi essay , I written on the bonfire of Holi festival, Holika the
demoness sat with baby God Krishna in her lap . It was Prahlad another god, so many
Gods so much confusion.
Early in life , I became aware of the meaning of rich and poor , I was studing in St
Mary’s convent a expensive private school where only the rich people sent their
children. The teachers often played favourite whereas Aunty Esther Fiol loved me for my
talents.
At an early age , my parents discovered my drawng and painting talent. I won the first
prize in an art competition , but my principal Sister Eugenia did not announce it in the
morning assembly as the common practice , she simply said she forgot.
Realizing I’m a girl child but I decided I will step forward and do what is best for my
family.I decided to become the bread earner and support my parents in their old age
like a son , I honour and salute my parents who are simple teachers.
Aunty Esther Fiol died at the grand age of hundred in USA, I had a proud moment
when I spoke about my relationship with her during her memorial service in August 2013
in the presence of her son Dr David Fiol.
Another incident which I can never forget , my roll number was 10 when I was in senior
school [class XII], every morning ,one of my classfellows would write ten with chalk on
my desk ,sometimes there would be a sticker of numer of ten.I was nicknamed ‘Dus
numberi” means number ten in hindi alias naughty fellow.
I was an avid reader of Horoscopes based on numerology. The sum of ten is
1+0=1 . I was actually number one and in my heart I had decided to become number
one.
I learnt to ride a bicycle when I was only ten years old ,along with the little boys of my
neighbourhood. I was regular tomboy , clmbing trees and walls ,hanging on the monkey
ladder.
One thing I’m mortally afraid of is drivng a two wheeler even though I drive my car in
the fast lane. As a teenager somehow driving a scooter never appealed to me. In the
ninties ,India had yet to see the economic boom , cars were still a rare commodity.
Whenever someone would suggest that I should learn to drive Dad’s scooter I
would loftly proclaim that I will drive a four wheeler nothing less . I never missed the
sarcastic smiles and looks, which goaded me on to become a high achiever.
***
As a child I use to see a peacock sitting on a tree outside my window.It is not an
uncommon sight , they were as numerous ,as the trees here on the campus.Yet when
I saw one , I paused in what ever I was doing whether rushing to catch a bus or
simply taking a walk .The rich display of colours in its plumage brought out the artist in
me .I always gazed asounded at the handiwork of god the mighty and awesome artist
.The combination of colours , how they complement each other .The gorgeous blues and
greens on the male peacock’s back seem to be determined to out do each-other in their
brilliant hues .The peacock has the elegant neck of a swan , on th top of its head is a
tiara giving it an regal air.It is undoubtly the prince of the indian fields and forest glades
. On the campus , it still roams like a proud lord in his domains. John Ruskin wrote
,Remember that the most beautiful things in the are most useless ; Peacocks and Lilies
for example .If it were not for flowers and birds, the world would have been a deary
place and hungry one too.From the flowers come fruits and seeds .Birds play a play an
important role in this process of pollination .Well everyone is entitled to his opinion
even John Ruskin ,but in response to his words ,I would quote another writer Edward
Gibbon who says ,Beauty is an outward gift seldom despised ,except by those to whom
it has been refused .On the other side of our flat was a groove of sheesham trees , a
favourite haunt of several male peacocks and their peahens .The male peacock has
a brilliant plumage and its call is both raucous and sweet while the peahens colours
are drab and its voice makes one often wonder how can a sound so ugly come out of
so slender a throat . A male peacock in dance looks like a blooming daisy ,with its
tail opening out like a circular fan around it,when the peacock shakes its tail the
swinshing sound to me like tiny bells .A dancing peacock is a common sight on a
summer evening yet he always gets a second glance maybe that makes him vain .Many
a times ,two males can be seen dancing opposite one another .Haughty competitors for
the appulause. A full grown peacock frequently danced on our terrace ,he was
quite happy to dance alone.A peacock doe not need the presence of a peahen to incite
him to dance .I saw some young males not yet full grown about the sight of a large
rooster following the suit of their senior.This promted me to think ,that like all
accomplished dancers peacocks also needed to practice their steps in private .They
stopped dancing ,when I went on the terrace and waited for me to move off before they
started practicing again. For me it was a common sight on summer evenings. The male
peacock who has inspired me to write about its beauty would fly down from the tree to sit
on the terace of the our flat. Its plummage glinting in the setting,the greens and mauves
catching the rays more vividly .The blue feathers of the neck have taken a darker hue
unlike when seen in full Sunlight. The peacock was beautiful as well as friendly ,he
gracefully pecked at the bread crumbs ,biscuits and Cake left overs offered by me. He
waited for me each evening on the terrace on the way to his night Perch the sheesham
groove .I think ,I would love to paint a peacock’s plummage in its varying shades and
colours ,the brilliance of blues and greens.Where can I find a peacock patient enough to
poise for its portrait . Incidently the peacock is Indian national bird.All those
who are voracious readers have always aspired to follow and imitate their favourite
authors ,sometime in their lives have also nutured secret ambitions to become writers .I
guess it is a important part of growing up to pen ones thoughts ; with it comes the
realization that what cannot be put on paper and what cannot be read and shared with
others is often worthless and immature . On a visit down the memory lane ,when one
turns the leaves of tattered diaries ,reads faded ,old scrilblings ,often pave the path to
healthy and mature thinking. Yet the longing of seeing ones’s name in print never
lessens with age . My joy knew no bounds when I saw my published research papers
,These were papers were based on the work I done for my Ph.D thesis.Creativity is
god’s gift to man and places him apart from other living creatures . It is a way of praising
the master in encouraging the creative instinct in the younger generation.I went to youth
camp held in Stanley Jones Ashram in the pictureque Sathtal of Kumaon foothills of
Himalayas .

I enjoyed immensely ,working and reading ,hiking and exploring the surrounding hills
sometimes getting involved in group activities like collecting wood for campfire . We had
a few competitions too I won a prize for for best essay topic was ‘Hoping against
Hope’
Sheila was inside what used to be the public library before war ,now it was another
bomb shattered building in town,She was in the part where the roof had fallen in shifting
the damp newspaper files. Her name was Sheila but he called her Sheeba his queen,
she worked as a mannequin in a fashion store . She was among the many in the
crowd, who had kissed love goodbye and watched him get into the army truck and drive
away in a cloud of dust.
War spread over the seven seas ,coloring their waters red ,filling the skies with aircrat
and bullets Newspapers were full of war talk ,so terrifying Soon news of severe defeats
began to come ,the lists of those killed in action began to trickle in ,his name was not in
them lt was a small consolation ,filling the heart with apprehension
War took a new turn , newspaper were now full of victorious battle and crushing
defeats.On the enemy forces .And then suddenly they won the war .The streets were
filled with rejoicing people .
War heroes began coming home The war office began publishing lists of those missing
in action. His names was not among them either She wrote repeatedly to the war
ministry,but they could not trace him.
Today ,she sat searching the lists of men killed or lost in action in the old newspapers
,reading accounts of the war . Frantically looking for his name .He was nowhere .He was
lost !just lost !
The light had lessened ,she got up and flexed the muscles of her neck and the back
,quietly collected her things and walked out of the door
Dusk was falling she walked down the street towards the railway station ,joined the
crowd on the platform ,to wait for the troops train coming from the border.
She will be brave and wait for him like the ancient queen Sheba Surrounded by
deserts ,ancient Egypt was the world's first nation state.
______________________________________________________________________
________

When I was Ph.D student [ 1990] , I knew that a window was a square hole in a
room ...an application was something written on a paper...a mouse was an animal
...the keyboard was a piano....File was a important office folder ...hard drive was a
uncomfortable road trip...cut was done with a knife and paste was done with glue...web
was a spider's home...virus was flu....apple and blackberry were just fruits.Then I took a
Computer Diploma course and discovered that a mouse was not a mouse. Let me tell
you an anecdote

The Windows operating system arrived had just arrived .

Bill Gates : Namaskar! you must have heard of Windows.

Student : Oh yes! most Govt. offices we have the single window clearance concept.

Bill Gates : Have you installed Windows at home?

Student : I have removed all windows due to increased burgalaries in our house.

Bill Gates(Confused): Then what is the system you operate on ?

Student : OPERATION ? Yes, I had a Hernia operation last month.

Bill Gates(Sweating) : Hope the internet is being used a lot in India.

Student: Oh Yes! Due to increased mosquito problems many people are sleeping under
the net.

Bill Gates: By the year 2002 India should export computer chips.

Student : We are already exporting Uncle Chips [ potato chips].

Bill Gates :(Feeling very Uneasy): Do you regularly use LapTops?

Student: My brother’s child sleeps on the top of my lap.

Bill Gates(Sweating Heavily): The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh knows a lot about
RAM and ROM.

Student : RUM? Prohibition is being lifted and it will be shortly available in A.P.

Bill Gates(Feeling Dizzy): I would like to take your leave before my system crashes.

Student: I have exhausted all my leave.

Bill Gates: I have no energy left, let us go out and have a bite.

Student: BITE? I believe in non-violence. I will not bite.

Bill Gates: (System Crashes and Found Missing). "Windows is

restarting.Please wait............."

Chapter 3
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

To Jyotsna , A Poem On Your Birthday ,

As ,
Your name brings to mind
A beauteous sight
The tranquil radiance
Of a moon-lit night
So ,
Your sweet nature
Will fill and surround
Bringing happiness and joy
In the lives of all around
Written By Dr. Swapan Dutta ,Professor in Deptt of Nuclear Physics
Indian.Institute of.Technology . Delhi ,India 11 March 1995

The first journey on the the flying horse is unforgettable . My dear daddy was no
longer with me, Mummy agreed to accompany me on this trip.
Many friends advised us not to go to China ,but I was invited to present to two
research papers in the 4 th PBAST Pacific Basin conference on Adsorption Science
and Technology in Tianjin. I went to faculty members of IIT Kanpur for advice. A
lady professor had been to China ,she advised us to carry rice and cook in the
microwave Another Leather exporter , said he carried packets of biryani with him
and warmed it in the microwave.We decided to carry dry things biscuits and chips .
Chinese cuisine will not suit our stomachs.
We were booked on AirIndia Boeing from Delhi to Tianjin China was a enigma to me .
I was going to Peyang university in Tianjin to present research papers in 4 th PBAST
Pacific Basin conference on Adsorption Science and Technology. I had read most of the
novels of Pearl .S. Buck and seen the movie ‘The last emperor “ so I had expected to
see small women in trailing robes ,with bound feet Men smoking opium pipes wearing
round caps and headgears .Pearl was the daughter of Southern Presbyterian
missionaries to China . Pearl Buck's former residence at Nanjing University is now the
Sai Zhenzhu Memorial House along the West Wall of the university's north campus.

Jacky Chang is a popular hollywood star his movie Shanghai noon is an all time
favourite, I had seen many action movies based in HongKong , one of my favourites
was the ‘Hidden Dragon and the Crouching Tiger’I was eager to see the China portrayed
in these movies. I was pleasantly surprised when I reached China.

Shanghai is a renowned international metropolis situated on the Yangtze river As usual

AirIndia flight was late in Delhi , we started our journey on the wrong foot . We reached
Shanghai pudong airport late and the next flight by Air China was in the morning ,
some miscalculation on the part of our agent We had to catch this connecting flight
from the Hongqiao domestic airport. One interesting feature was that all the airport
officials were young boys and girls in early twenties.

I was impressed to see modern China,the beautiful well planned city of Shanghai

There were two pretty girls at the taxi counter who spoke accented English and booked
a huge land cruiser for two. Skyline comprised of the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Bund
a dam on the Hwanpu river on the way to Hongqiao airport .

Since it was already past 10 o’clock in the night ,the girls asked for lift . I agreed since I
thought it would be safer , the driver dropped the girls at their hostel and reached us at
the domestic airport which was deserted .China follows the rule no airtraffic in the night.
Shanghai ,Bejing ,Tianjin The western attire and fashionable women was visible
everywhere . Mao Zedong would inspire Chinese fashion with his own variant of the
Zhongshan suit, which would be known to the west as Mao suit. Meanwhile, Sun
Yat-sen's widow, Soong Ching-ling, popularised the cheongsam or qipao which is
long sleeveless shirt with a mandarin collar as the standard female dress these
clothes are tailormade so expensive poor people where a samfu which ia a top and
trousers . Students prefer tea shirts and jeans. At the same time, old practices such
as footbinding, which had been viewed as backwards and unmodern by both the
Chinese as well as Westerners, is forbidden. Something we Indians have to learn that
clothes should be for comfort not a social bondage. We sat in the passengers lounge the
entire night ,one Malaysian student was there with us. He chatted with me , another
fan of Indian food and bollywood actors.

The satan was doing his best in breaking my spirite .After a boring and stressful
night ,at the security checkpoint , our hand luggage was opened ,inside
everything was covered in white powder , the lady who was checking our baggage
,mistook took it for some kind of drug. I was stumped and looked at my
mummy and asked what it was she shook her head . I was asked to taste it , well
it was salt , the packet had burst open due to air pressure .One thing I noticed the
lady looked more relieved than the two of us . We boarded the Airchina flight it was
a small aircraft each row consisted of only five seats we were seated with a
Malaysia businessman and had just returned from Mumbai when airhostess served
Chinese noodles with boiled pork ,we didnot eat it.He grinned and began extolling the
virtues of Indian cusine ,naturally we were laughing but feeling very hungry for home
cooking.

Three hour later the flight landed with light rain at Tianjin , I went to the help desk for
directions , the young people there spoke broken english but arranged a taxi for me,
they were accepting yuan only. Our taxi driver was very kind , he took quickly to the
university gate.

The university gate we were stopped by the security guard , he just said , No in
Chinese to everything .I had asked my fellow passengers to write in chinese that
have to attend conference and to stay in the guesthouse showed him that
chinese note actually since I was a foreigner so everything was negative.

I was stumped then I began asking the students walking in and out of the gate for help ,
some just smiled since they did not know english suddenly two pretty girls popped up
actually angels in disquise ,one of them carried a bright pink mobile phone . she
called up the coordinator who was luckily at his residence. She gave the handset to me
I informed him about my arrival. He instructed the gateman to allow my taxi to enter.

Well the second satanic attack had just been overcome.

Tianjin university has a huge sprawling campus, as you enter there is a huge fountain
facing the gate near it a large statute of girl reading a book which at banks of a
huge artificial lake with a pagoda style pavilion , right opposite to the statute is the
Vice Chancellor’s office on an elevated platform which you can enter on climbing a
series of stairs.At the door are two huge porcelain vases about 9 ft with
chinese motifs and design the architecture is Chinese pagoda style.

We reached the guest house finaly , the coordinator Dr Zhou Li welcomed us .the
room had two separate beds with a large television a refrigerator and microwave
,doorkey was digital.

I was not aware that China was so ahead in technology , Japanese electronic items are
exported more around the world.I became a stauch fan after spending fifteen days in
Tianjin.

Well that day we rested since flight schedule had worn us out. My mom was feeling
depressed due to the course of events. I switched on the tv and surfed the
channels , suddenly familiar face Sharukh Khan the bollywood superstar was there
speaking in Chinese , the subtitle ‘ I’m here always’ my mother started laughing .
Indeed God has unique ways of reminding us that he is there with us among
strangers.

That night satan really tried to break my spirite , I slept fitfully ,in my dream someone
kept saying you have brought a Bible to China ,the secret police will come and arrest
you.

I kept yelling in my dream that I’m a professor . The next morning I wokeup early drank
tea we had brought,breakfast was a diasaster ,the colorful food cooked in pork lard
smelled and there were boiled goose eggs with soyabean powder milk to drink. I
tried to drink it but it tasted horrible .

Somehow we gobled up some eggs and the famous Chinese tea was missing , then
we both went back to our room m mom took out the tea bags and milk pouches ,
biscuits and we missed the rice which the Indian lady had told us bring to China.

I decided go and interact with the students after all I was on an university visit. Behind
the guesthouse I saw some students playing badminton ,so I made straight beeline for
the building ,walked in through the door to find a reception desk with a lady there.

I smiled and introduced myself and said ,’I’m visiting from India . ‘

She smiled and waved towards a door and took me there ,another lady was there
suddenly there was crowd of smiling people obviously no one knew english .

Then two African young men arrived on the scene ,who knew english . I had actually
entered the foreign students hostel.

Anway one of them Dr Omer who then was pursuing a Ph.D in environmental science ,
he was Christian student from Bene .He spoke good english , he took me around the
campus on scooter .He came up to my room and met mom , ate some biscuits and
drank indian tea .He realized our problem ,in the evening he went with to a American
food outlet , which served some concotion of potatoes and tomatoes ,at least we
knew what we were eating.

Dr Omer had a very nice room complete with a personal telephone and piano

I had bought a calling card ,through his telephone we called India and chatted with
Parvinder ,a turbaned sikh my schoolmate who was like a brother. Parvinder was
happy to know we were safe. We visited the St Joseph cathedral an historical
monument in hepping commercial area, attended service in Tianjin Christian fellowship
where you have to show your passport to prove foreign citizenship to Tianjin
international fellowship.

In the evening I walked around the campus ,our guesthouse was facing the lake, the
vice chabellors office and the gate was at the other end of the lake .

Many students came and sat there , everywhere students were going on bicyles

I went started talking with some girls , soon I was surrounded with girls and boys many
couldnot speak English but wanted to learn . At the end I managed to make friends
with some chinese girls. On the last day I made friends with Linfeng Yang who doing
MBA well we stayed in touch by emails till she got married .
The next four days we ate goose eggs at breakfast and the potatoe dish I frequented
the food outlet on the campus and managed to buy some buns. We had brought
biscuits and chips from India .

Before 4 th PBAST Pacific Basin conference on Adsorption science and

Technology.began , we shifted to the venue Tianju hotel and business centre . Hotel
was majestic with a revolving door and uniformed bellhop . Food had been imported
from Australia . My room was beautiful with porcelain toiletries .

The conference started with a bang.The keynote lecture was delivered by Dr Sanjay
Bhatia , as the common practice after each lecture is teabreak so all the delegates were
gathered outside the hall.

I simply walked upto Dr Bhatia and introduced myself. I told him, since he was the only
Indian delegate apart from me ,I thought I should get aquainted. He smiled and asked
me from which place in India .I said ,’Kanpur , I teach chemistry in Christ Church college
.’ He laughed and said,‘I’m also from Kanpur , I studied in Methodist High School , one
month in Christ church college ,later I joined Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur for
B.Tech.1972 .His father was an official of telecommunications [ telephone] , those
days his office was in Wescott building which is a part of my college campus.

I told him that lived twentyfive years on IIT Kanpur campus because my mother worked
there. Soon we went back in for another lecture after that we went for lunch, I brought
mom down from the room and introduced her to Dr Bhatia. . Both together chatted about
good old days in Kanpur. Dr Bhatia was representing Australia

Once again I realized that God plans are different, he wants the human race to
intermingle and grow together . He has taken Indian scientists to all parts of the
globe.

The great wall of China extends 5000 km , wriggling like a gigantic dragon across north
China it is a wonder in the history of architecture acomprehensive defence work It took
200 years to complete a symbol of the progressive nature of the Chinese people The
wall is 5660 km long starting from Shngia pass to Jiaju pass to Bejjing ,Shanxi ,inner
Mongolia Ningxia .

Tianjin is situated close to the wall , a sightseeing tour was arranged by the
coordinator and we went to see it after the fourth session. We were able to see the
wonder with our eyes

There was closing ceremony at a banquet in a fabulous restuarent ,we were

taken in bus coaches to this place . Huge golden dragons adorned the doors ,red
latterns were hanging from foyer and at the entrance everywhere. Fast moving elevators
took us to the upper storey.The waitresses were dressed in red Chinese dress looked
like kimono without sleeves.There was a violin recital by students and the conference
was declared closed .

Bejjing duck was on the menu , the cutting and serving is a ceremony The hot roast
duck will be brought to the dining table by the chef where he will slice it into more than
100 thin flakes, each having its piece of crispy skin. The way to really enjoy the
succulent meat is as follows: first take one of the small, thin pancakes provided and
spread it with plum sauce, small slices of spring onions and then add some pieces of
duck. Finally roll up the pancake and take a bite. You will be surprised by the terrific
taste!

[First, a suitable White Beijing Duck was plucked, air was pumped between its skin
and flesh. A small incision was made for the removal of the entrails. once the bird had
been thoroughly cleaned, a wooden skewer was inserted through it to facilitate its
hanging and ultimate heating; the body cavity was filled with water and the incision that
had been made was closed. Then skin of the duck was air dried and brushed with a
layer of sugar.Fourthly, the duck was then put into a large oven, using a smokeless
hardwood fuel and heating to about 270 degrees Centigrade for 30 to 40 minutes. The
duck was turned frequently during the roasting process to ensure even cooking.Then
the delicious dish was ready, a shining date-red in color and unique in flavor; It is
characterized by its crispy skin and tender texture.]

.A toast was raised for the coordinator . One of the dish was fish , a large fish boiled
was placed on a platter was served ,you had to eat it with chopsticks , all the six people
at the table from one fish. Anyway we never ate it since there were no forks. Still we
enjoyed the banquet . The delegates were presented with a porcelain coffee mug
with.logo.
One thing we missed was the Jin tower of Tianjin , situated in Hepping commercial
area is one of the world’s tallest skyscraper ,78 floors, its inception began in 2006 and
was inaugurated in 2010, global finance centre.
 Chapter 4

BANGKOK - MY BRUSH WITH DEATH

.
There was tour to Beijing to see the Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in
the Forbidden city and the next day we took return flight to Shanghai .When we
reached Shanghai sometime in the evening , there was shuttle bus which took us
straight to the international port.
The bus stopped right in front of the checkin counter , again bad luck ,the incoming Air
India flight was late,we had to wait four hours. The flight took off at 12 O’ clock night for
Bangkok , both of us were hungry we ate whatever was served and went off to sleep.
Early hours of the morning the aircraft landed.All the passengers were sleeping , many
passengers got down . Fifteen days ago we had taken the same flight from Delhi ,last
time maintanence crew had come on to clean the interior. This time it was all quiet , we
kept sleeping. At five o’clock ,all the passengers were asked to deplane.
On return flight to India from Shanghai[2006], the Air India Boeing stops at Bangkok
early 3 a.m for refuel while landing one of its tires burst almost capsizing the giant
kite. but the Boeing landed safely and we were deplaned in Bangkok .A miracle had
happened, air crash averted, the 336 passengers were saved.
We held each others hand tightly as we walked out of Bangkok Don Muang airport . Air
India put all the India bound passengers in hotel Amari right opposite to Bangkok
airport.there is a airconditioned bridge or flyover which connects it to the hotel. All the
passengers were instructed to walk through this bridge.
.
Until we got a connecting flight We were put in a beautiful and luxurious room of Hotel
Watergate Amari The foyer and lobby was unique there were indoor pools with lotus
and water lily growing in them. In one of the halls , the interview of a some airline was
in progress. About fifty young men and women were waiting in the lobby. Most of them
wore business suits that’s the day I began appreciating western attire, they all looked
very chic and smart . We were served a sumptuous breakfast in the dinning hall
which had a vertical garden of tropical plants better known as a green wall.
Bangkok is a mixture of eastern mystique and western modernism . the pagoda stye
architecture of the temples , the beautiful Thai girls dressed in sarongs and dresses .
The gala sales in the shopping malls and the orchids displayed everywhere .Who can
forget the floating market boats filled with fruits . Bangkok has many canals ,a part of old
Siam I took visa after paying 500 baht so managed to do some sightseeing Siam ,
Wat Traimit temple of the golden Buddha statute origin is 13-14 th century when
being moved to the present modern temple 1954 , a golden statue discovered under the
plaster, which is the world’s largest gold figurine. We visited the Wat Pho the temple of
the reclining Buddha which is 15m high ,this is the school of the famous thai massage
and medicine We returned to Delhi by Thai airways since Airindia flight was
cancelled. We enjoyed the flight ,the airhostess presented us orchids ,unfortunately I
coulnot preserve the orchids as it was the month of may Delhi was very hot .
Straight from Indira Gandhi airport we went to the railway station and boarded the
shatabdhi express for Kanpur.

26 JUNE 1984 PIZZA IN KATHMANDU

I first tasted pizza in Kathmandu Nepal ofcourse didnot like it those days I was a
college student I loved bananas and mango fruit. We took a night bus across the
Indian border from Bhirganj and reached Kathmandu early morning .It had been a hot
summer night so our clothes were rumpled and travelworn We three stood for almost
an hour waiting for our relatives to come and collect us, the telegram never
reached and our letters were delivered one month late ,those days the nepali
postal service was rather slow. The taxi drivers looked disbelievingly when asked to
go to Annapurna Hotel a place for ultra rich and famous .they were gesturing to each
other ,‘They ! will go to Annapurna !’ the sarcasm was lost on three of us. Hotel meant
just any hotel. We took a rickshaw to a near hotel and checked it .Later we searching
for it Annapurna super deluxe luxury Hotel situated diagonally to the Narayanity
royal palace on Raj path [ royal road] my dad’s cousin was working there, We did stay
there in his flat inside the hotel , he was the manager of the Nirula’s icecream factory
and was an employee of the hotel.
Kathmandu is beautiful with shopping malls and casinos,we were on a summer
vacation I always was very eager to visit this mountain country ,because I had seen the
popular hindi movie based on drug addiction and Hippie culture made by the filmstar
DevaNand Nepal was a hindu country, churches and mosques cannot be
constructed there. In Nepal Janakpur town .is the birthplace of Queen Sita ,the
heroine of the epic Ramayan .

The city is directly bounded by several other municipalities of the Kathmandu valley:
south of the Bagmati by Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City (Patan) with which it today forms
one urban area surrounded by a ring road, to the southwest by Kirtipur Municipality and
to the east by Madyapur Thimi Municipality.

The southern Terai region is fertile and humid. Lumbini, the birthplace of God Gautama
Buddha, is located in this region. Lumbini is one of the holiest places of the Buddhist
religion; it contains important evidence about the nature of Buddhist pilgrimages dating
from as early as the 3rd century

Swayambhunath ,an ancient Buddhist complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley,
west of Kathmandu city. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy
monkeys living in the north-west parts of the temple. The stupa has a vast, round, white
dome of the stupa, like a full solid skirt,with Buddha's eyes and eyebrows painted onit.
Between them, the number one (in Devanagari script) is painted in the fashion of a nose.
There are also shops, restaurants and hostels., we had to climb a straight stretch of
365 steps to reach the top of Swayambhunath hillWe were breathless and sweating as
we stumbled up the last steep steps and practically fell upon the biggest vajra
(thunder-bolt scepter) that I have ever seen. The vajra was in the courtyard at the top
. we three climbed all the wayup , you can see entire Kathmandu city from there.

Hanuman Dhoka is a complex of structures with the Royal Palace of the Malla kings and
also of the Shah dynasty in the Durbar Square of central Kathmandu, Nepal. It is spread
over five acres. The Hanuman Dhoka Palace (Hanuman Dhoka Durbar in Nepali) gets
its name from the stone image of Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god, that sits near the
main entryway. 'Dhoka' means door in Nepali.Hanuman Dokha the old palace of the
royal family now open to tourists Bhaktapur and Shaktipur is full of beautiful temples ,old
palaces Golden gate and the pagoda architecture combines Chinese and tibetian
style There is a beautiful statue of Garud the eagle the mount of the gods in Patan
city the Khukhri a symbol of the Gurkha an nepalese clan which has place in the Indian
army as Gurkha regiment.it is a sharp edged dagger comes with highly intricate
ornamentations on its handle and scabbard The Kathmandu valley is an open air
museum where you can buy Thankas superb scroll paintings with religious motifs,
bronze images of Budhha ,ivory Chinese figurines ,copper prayer wheels and papier
mache masks

Who would have thought that new Narayanity royal palace with huge garden
around it ,where I use to walk everyday from Anapurna Hotel ,around the corner was
the SARC office with a beautiful garden , would be the site of the terrible massacre .
Mystery surrounds the episode

We visited the only church in Wotu Tole in Kathmandu’ Church of Assumption’ Here I
would like to add a bit of history here. After monarch Prithvi Narayan Shah's conquest
in 1769, the Capuchin fathers and 57 newly converted Newar Christians were exiled to
Bettiah, India. Then till 1950, missionaries were disallowed in Nepal.In November 1950,
during a political plot, the reigning King Tribhuvan, along with other royals, fled to
India, leaving the young Prince Gyanendra present monarch as the only male
member of the royal family in Nepal. He was brought back to the capital Kathmandu by
the Prime Minister Mohan Shamsher, who had him declared King on 7 November 1950.
Gyanendra was not only crowned but coins were issued in his name. The Rana Prime
Minister provided a three hundred thousand rupee annual budget as expenditure for the
KingAfter opposition to the hereditary rule of the Rana Prime Ministers from India, a deal
was reached in January 1951, and his grandfather King Tribhuvan returned to Nepal
and resumed the throne The actions of the Rana regime to depose his grandfather and
place Gyanendra on the throne was not internationally recognized.King Gyanendra
studied with his elder brother King Birendra in St. Joseph's College, Darjeeling, India;

In 2001 According to a Palace inner member, Gyanendra killed King Birendra for the
throne . prince Dipendra was angry with his parents and there was family disagreement
regarding his marriage. One hour later, Dipendra returned to the party armed with an
H&K MP5, a Franchi SPAS-12 and an M16 and fired a single shot into the ceiling before
turning the gun on his father, The King Birendra who died including Queen mother
Aishwaraya ,No one survived this disaster later the King’s younger brother was
crowned. Seconds later, Dipendra shot one of his aunts. He then shot his uncle
Dhirendra in the chest at point-blank range when he tried to stop Dipendra.During the
shooting, Prince Paras suffered slight injuries and managed to save at least three royals,
including two children, by pulling a sofa over them During the attack, Dipendra darted in
and out of the room firing shots each time. and all the royal family and Later prince
Dipendra committed suicide , by shooting himself . though he succumbed to his injuries
after three days . King Gyanendra became king after the death of King Dipendra and
King Birendra. A international press called the murder of nepali royalty a mystery
About ten years later in a sensational move that added a new chapter to the
stunning massacre of the royal family of Nepal in 2001, Nepal police on Thursday night
arrested the man who had claimed 24 hours earlier that he was the mastermind. Tul
Prasad Sherchan, a 59-year-old former student of the St Xavier's School in Godavari,
had claimed he was the head of the Royal Bureau of Intelligence manning covert
operations. Sherchan claimed he had planned the elimination of King Birendra and his
entire family in 1975 after the royal family did not heed his warning not to siphon off the
funds that came from foreign donors. The placid Sherchan claimed he was in prison
when the massacre took place and had told everyone in the jail on June 1, 2001 that the
royal family would be wiped out by night. "Neither King Gyanendra nor India nor the CIA
had a hand in the massacre," he said. "I designed it and have video tapes to prove it."
Sherchan told TNN that he had warned Prince Dhirendra, Birendra's youngest brother,
in London in 1973. However, the royal family ignored it was the ramblings of the mad
man and he was compelled to do the deed to save the country. Sherchan created a
furore when he announced his culpability at a media club. He was stopped by police in
the Sundhara area of the capital and arrested, when he was returning home near
midnight after an exclusive interview to TNN,

The Nepal Defence Army is a mainly ethnic Terai armed pro-Hindu group in Nepal. They
were responsible for a bombing of a church in Kathmandu in 2009, and also attempted
another triple bombing in 2012. They call for the return of the Nepalese Hindu Monarchy
1993 DARJEELING, LAND OF TEA GARDENS

Darjeeling is different from other hillstations of India , the beautiful town famous for the
tea gardens ,here the residents speak bengali,assami,nepali, butanese and english
since there is a influx of tourists all the time.
There beautiful teagardens surround you as you driveup from Tigerhill, Ghoom there
are Buddhist monastries everywhere .In Darjeeling ,there are lots of Christian schools
Mount Hermon School, St Pauls School , St Joseph’s College and St Mary’s Convent
.My search for a job took me places After completing my Ph.D in chemistry I was
under no illusion that I will get a job according to my academic qualifications.I had
applied for the post of chemistry teacher in all schools in the hillstations of India
.Mount Hermon is one the top of a hill at North point near Mountineering institute
.Those were one of the happiest two months of my life as a teacher I enjoyed interacting
with children who were from Bhutan , Nepal and Sikkim another beautiful mountain
country is Tibet which is a part of China .On a clear cloudless day you can see the
Mount Kanjanjunga and the entire grand Himalayas from the school playground.
Richard Gere the hollywood actor who paired with Julia Roberts “ Pretty woman’” is
now a buddhist and follower of The Dalai Lama lives in Leh Ladaakh of India we
visited the tibetian rehablihation center near the school .
Initially I went there as I was in depression and thought I will never get a job.
They school principal Mr Mathew gave me a room in the science block ,next to
chemistry lab facing the Himalayas.We use to eat downstairs with boarders .Every day
after breakfast Dad would walk down to North point holding a umbrella, he loved
walking around the town.
My parents went to Gantok , Sikkim , I did not accompany them as I was teaching class
.There was school break in june, we decided to visit Thimpu the capital of Bhutan .

Better known as the land of the sleeping dragon ,this mountain kingdom can be reached
only from siliguri ,the traveling to Phunsholing the border town ,obtaining a visa from
the India house then proceeding to Thimpu . Luckily a bhutanese couple had come to
collect their son , I requested them for a lift to Phuntsholing ,they graciously agreed.
Phuentsholing, is a border town in southern Bhutan, and is the administrative seat
(dzongkhag thromde) of Chukha District The town occupies parts of both Phuentsholing
Gewog and Sampheling Gewog.. Phuentsholing lies opposite the Indian town of
Jaigaon, and cross-border trade. From almost anywhere in the city, one can see the
road to Thimphu snaking up the hillside, and in the evening it is easy to see the
headlights of distant vehicles heading towards the capital.

One of the staff members gave me some addresses of Pastors in Thimpu and hotel
owned by Christians. Mr Shering Dhorjee was a very good driver ,dad sat next to him in
the front we three women in the second row and the wo little boys at the
back,reached by late night and checked in a hotel. Shering Dhorjee was going to
Thimpu the next day, he invited us to come with him in his car. Dad accepted his
invitation and we joined him after obtaining a visa from the India house . Road to
Thimpu is through dense forest and high winding road , deep down you can see
treacherous ravines .Electricity obtained by harnessing the river at Chukka power plant.
The car drive was scenic , Shering Dhorjee showed us the palace where his car had
fallen down, his life was saved because it had got entangled in trailing vines of creepers
. We reached Thimpu late afternoon with Shering Dhorjee ,located Mr Dava
Samdrup’s house . He and his family welcomed us with open arms, the flat next door
was the church where we stayed for a week. This was a Penticostal house church .
During that week we walked around and interacted with people who were friendly.
Thimpu is in a valley those days was a small town , where citizens had to wear the
national dress ,houses were constructed and painted with similar motifs and dragons.
The traditional dress for Bhutanese men is the gho which is a knee - length robe tied at
the waist by a fabric belt known as the keyra . Women wear an ankle-length dress
known as the kira, secured by a woven keyra around the waist, and fastened at the
shoulders with silver brooches called koma. A long-sleeved blouse, wonju is worn
underneath the kira and a jacket called tego, won on the outside.Tshoglam or the
traditional footwear for both men and women is boots with leather soles, but. On formal
visits to a Dzong or an office, Bhutanese men wear a scarf identifies the rank of a
person.

High up in the hills you could see the Dzong which is a distictive type of fortress
structure found in buddhist kingdoms of the himalayas, it’s massive with towering walls
surrounding a complex of courtyards ,temples, offices and monks quarters having
chinese style flared roofs with massive entry doors made of wood and iron.

Tsechu festival where you can see buddhist theme art motifs, masks known lena
Wang Chu Rue are used in mask dance or the charm dance. We can never forget the
fellowship and hospitality of Mr Dava Samdrup an officer in telecommunications. He
also the pastor the church , a brave christian in a buddhist country.

Let me tell you about William Joseph Mackey ,a Canadian Jesuit priest who was
responsible for establishing the modern education system in Bhutan, including its first
high school (which is now its first accredited university, Sherubtse College. Mackey
joined the Jesuits in 1932, and was ordained priest in 1945. In 1946, he left Canada for
the Jesuit mission in Darjeeling district of India. He served there for 17 years, during
which time he participated in many education programs and was headmaster of two high
schools. However, he also became unpopular with local authorities, and in 1963 he was
ordered to leave the country.When the King of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, learned
of Mackey's imminent expulsion from India, he invited Mackey to become an educator in
Bhutan, as part of that country's ongoing modernization efforts. Mackey accepted the
invitation when Mackey arrived in Bhutan in October 1963, the Jesuits became the first
Roman Catholic religious order allowed in the officially-Buddhist nation. During the three
decades that followed, Mackey performed no conversions of Bhutanese citizens, as that
was forbidden under Bhutanese law.In 1973, Mackey was awarded the royal Druk
Thuksey medal for his services to education in Bhutan. In 1985, he was granted
honorary Bhutanese citizenship, and in 1988, when the Jesuits had to leave the country,
their schools being taken over by the Government of Bhutan, he was allowed to remain.
(1915 in Montreal, Canada - October 18, 1995 in Thimphu, Bhutan)

This time we returned to Phuntsholing by bus , the people in the villages eat traditional
food , a man was carried the huge leg of a cow that is dried beef on his shoulder wraped
in newspaper , he got down somewhere near chukka. Interesting feature that bhutanese
buddhists eat beef and all non vegetarian food available in the himalayas.

We reached Phuntsholing by evening ,checked in the same hotel , I will never forget the
lizards , the mating sound was like an office table bell , intially I thought that someone
was at the door,later I realised it was the lizard.like most of the indians I’m also scared
of lizards, so you can imagine what happened . I did not sleep that night.The next
morning we returned to Darjeeling taking the two sons of Shering Dorjee with us.

We have the experience of visiting three budhhist countries , where they eat meat
mutton , beef and pork with every kind of fish unlike the Buddhist of India who are
vegans .
Himalayas are the most magnificient mountains towering over us ,our senitels , no
airplane can fly over them so we fly around them.
 Chapter 4

ENGLAND

We landed in Delhi after an eventful trip to China and Thailand on 29 th may

Without any fear of flying mother and daughter boarded Jet Airways 2 june for
Heathrow London. Not once did the thought arise , that we may die in a plane crash .
The flight time was short just seven hours , the funny part is that the plane
landed on Heathrow airport with me sitting on the throne in the toilet with the
stewardess knocking at the door and asking me to return to my seat .Some landing
indeed . Friendship between people is a strange thing , it crosses oceans and joins
continents Such is my mother’s friendship with Sandy Bagnall ,who lives in England .
Lets start from the beginning The American Presbytarian Church of USA had sent Arthur
E. Slater as a missionary to India ,he was stationed in Boys Agriculture college Etah in
north India where my grandfather Mr Edwin Richards was also working. I 1913
where his "missionaries in feathers" were introduced,demonstration poultry farm in Etah,
in the United Provinces now called Uttar Pradesh
Mr Mrs Slater had a daughter Marion who is Sandy’s mother .Mrs Sandy Bagnall has
two grown children, she settled in Old Harlow town England after her marriage. Mrs
Sandy Bagnall is a tall and elegant psychiatrist , a pretty lady with a adventurous streak,
she took a journey round the globe from USA to India to visit Etah Delhi Agra and
Kanpur curious about the country where her grandparents had served
My mother had five sisters and one brother ,it was a tradition at Christmas my
grandfather use to sent as a gift a goose or turkey to the Slaters which had been the
duty of my mother and her brother to deliver. She never forgets how the goose or
gander use to peck them.
My mother as young schoolgirl was sitting with Mrs Slater [american missionary
who was sandy’s grandmother ] my grandmother Beaumont Richards was a nurse also
an active church leader of W.F.C.S in Etah.
“ Don’t forget your sisters ,she advised they’ll be more important as you get older .No
matter how much you love your husband and care for your children .How much your
in-laws care for you Still you are going to need sisters. Remember to go places with
them now and then Do things with them ,Sisters are there ,no matter how much time and
how many km are between.A sister is never farther away when you have to walk that
lonesome valley by yourself ,cheering you on, praying for you intervening on your behalf
and waiting with open arms when needing her ,sometimes breaking rules to walk beside
you.
Mrs Slater meant all women are “Sisters” the girl friends , female colleagues,
female relatives nieces ,aunts , daughters as well as daughter in laws, mother inlaws
grandmothers ,cousins . You‘ll always need other women ,women always do There’s a
special kind of freedom sisters enjoy ,they are able to share their innermost thoughts ,to
ask a favour show their true feelings a real extended family.The world would n’t be same
without women . Long live sisterhood
Today my mother old ,retired from her teaching job says that she followed her advice
seriously she kept in contact with her two sisters living in USA and two living in India ,
she made friends of her colleagues in school where she taught , wrote to her college
friends now married and settled all over India managed to visit them too My mother
even wrote to her penpal and after retirement visited her in England Later at 65 she
managed to travel to California USA to meet her sisters after 40 years
As the years tumbled by one after another , Mercy my mother gradually came to
understand what Mrs Slater had been talking about. As time and nature work their
changes and their mysteries upon a woman, sisters are the mainstays of her life Time
passes things happens ,distances separates ,children grow up jobs come and go. Love?
It waxes and wanes Hearts break Wives outlive Husbands
Parents die ,colleagues forget favours and careers end .Sisters are there ,no matter how
much time and how many miles are between them . As I grew up My mother made me
her sister . Today we do things together We both traveled to many countries ,where I
attended conferences and workshops . She became my proud elder sister .
Over heads of fellow travellers
I peer at the sliver in the east of faint scimitar pale old moon
as the sky lightens, knowing ,we'll soon be landing at Heathrow.

Out there cold as snake skin alien in thick shrouds

of scudding skimming clouds, moist with clammy trails,
lifts cradles us all in controlled descent, the wing
in tight chest suspension over Heathrow.
Opens, between wing and cloud,a sudden window, my first view
of the soft, the green and ancient countryside of England,
meadows vague and soft, lanes between horse guards hedgerows,
as we touch down at Heathrow.

Now in full view of crowded Terminal floods of sudden emotion

arrive unannounced tears to my eyes and I’m , a girl again
relive with Mills & Boons ,all the vicarious pleasures of youth
at last as we land at Heathrow.
Mrs Sandy Bagnall met us at the airport ,Jet airways had started a new flight to London
which reached almost half hour before time.
Drive from Heathrow to Harlow village is very scenic everywhere there were roses and
houses were with grey tiles and creepers climbing on the roof, English summer was at
its peak.

Old Harlow is the historic part of the new town and district of Harlow, Essex in
England.and is situated in the north-east area.There is a High Street has two Indian
restaurants, a Chinese restaurant, a chip and kebab shop and a daytime cafe.Opposite
High Street runs Fore Street and Market Street, where there are three of the Old Town
pubs, the Chequers, the Marquis of Granby and the Crown The Crown has a wall of
medieval painting, dating back to the 17th century.At the other end of High Street a short
walk takes you to the Green Man Hotel The town is served by St Mary's Church.

David Beckham the English soccer star lives ,right behind a pub called 'The Straw Hat
'in new Harlow town.The pubs in England are more than 100 years old names ranging
from Red lion , Blue Stag , Three ledged calf , The Stallion .
Some of the beautiful houses have been designed by Mr Bagnall in old Harlow town in
England.The house which Mrs Bagnall lived was almost two hundred years old with
a attic and basement. I loved roaming in her garden in the morning she had wild
strawberries and plums . The garden had been decorated with artificial butterflies and
birds. There were bird feeders for the wild birds. She was sweet put up a hammock for
me ,while she mowed the grass , there were two pet cats who hated the sound of the
mower.Every morning they would be sitting on our beds.
Sandy was very good driver ,she was planning to write a book about her grandparents
mission work in India , she was making a family tree tracing their origins in England .
She took us to a village called 'Sandy' where Rev Slater had served some 200 years
ago before his kin migrated to USA.

After spending two days with Mrs Bagnall in Harlow ,We took the underground to
London then we came out of Victoria station , then walked Victoria coach station from
there we took a bus for Oxford
The Thames flows through the British isles and crossing it , symbolized for me
freedom and the meeting of minds as I wander the face of this earth attending
various conferences and delivering lectures . India lives under the ghost of the
Bristish Raj ,even though it is long gone but it is there in the Indian subconscious
London spreads along and around the Thames , similarly in Oxford , where it
wanders around the meadows . You can see the barges and the students in
their canoes
Town of Oxford is special for me because Christ Church college, Sheldion theatre
and street ,bridge of sighs and All soul’s church is here and even if the indian
Christ Church college Kanpur is nothing compared to this one , still it one of the
first school opened by the British East India company in 1840.
In Oxford I was jogging along the banks of the thames and feeding the swans ,
water is life as long as the rivers flow so do they sustain life and freedom It
was a pleasant surprise to discover that Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles
Ludwig Dodgson a mathematician and lecturer [1855-81] in Christ Church college “Alice
in wonderland” was written by him to amuse Alice Liddell , the daughter of the Dean
of Christ Church college in Oxford .Queen Victoria was so pleased by his best selling
story book that she asked for his other books and he immediately sent his books on
algebra . Most of his writings and notes are on display in the museum

Charles Darwin and his “ Origin of Species' related collections and specimens can be
seen Of course replicas of skeletons of dinosaurs are indeed a journey in the
wonderland that is the science of discovery and achievements of various chemists
,biologists and physicts We visited the church which had sent Wesley as missionary to
India .Another author is connected with Oxford ''C.S.Lewis " who created the Magical
land of Narnia taught in Magdalene College.Edmonton an important character in the
Narnia Book series is Sikander Keynes , the grandson of Charles Darwin.

I spoke in Oxford youth centre on the topic ,’Dare To Be A Daniel ‘

Danniel , Hananiah ,Mishael, and Azariah were among the chosen young men.The
King had ordered that they shall be fed from the king’s table and shall drink the
wine that he drank .They shall receive food and education for three years
Daniel requested the captain of eunuchs to give the four of them only pulses to
eat and plain water to drink , The captain was afraid to do because of the
Kings order , but was surprised to see that the four young men became
stronger and more skilled in knowledge and wisdom than the other jewish men
When they abstained from King’s food and wine .[Daniel 1:1-15]
Daniel’s great heroism lies in his abstinence from wine and not in the lions
den where the angel closed the lion’s mouth . He found favour in God’s
sight and he was blessed with great wisdom that was practical . Daniel’s
wisdom gave him the career of a King’s wise man and saved the jewish
people in the end . Young Men dare to be a Daniel , abstain from smoking
cigarettes and drinking liquor .It is indeed King’s food the joy of holding a
cigarette between your lips the flavour of nicotine staining your teeth ,the luxury
of rolling a cigarette between your fingers . Ofcourse it is considered a style
to be smoking foreign cigars . To be accepted among their friends , young
men often indulge in smoking and drinking liquor . Later this becomes a
habit when they start a their careers and enter a new life . It considered a
sign of maturity a show of their new found independence by the new
generation , to be able to smoke and drink freely
King Neb-u-chad-nezzar of Babylon built a gold statue and placed it in the market
place and commanded that at the sound of the bugle everyone should fall
down and worship the golden statue .All the wise men and subjects bowed
and worshiped the statue except Hananiah ,Mishael, and Azariah who had
been appointed governors of Babylon Since they refused to do so they were
cast in the furnace and were saved by the Angel of God [Daniel 3:1-13]
Young men and women beware of cult following , dare to stand alone. In
a constant attempt to be different , teenagers copy cinema stars ,their favourite
sportsmen ,pop singers or religious leaders .
For the fear of ridicule the young people do as their friends ,to be accepted
in the more popular circles . 18-24 years is the most impressional age when
young people are easily influenced and manipulated by devious men .
They are often brain washed by so called teachers about great missions
on earth . Many terrorist groups recruit poor teenagers and train them in their
camps .Send these young men and women as suicidal killers .As we know that
the Chaldean people bowed to the golden statue out of Fear , they praised
their King by their tongues and not from their hearts .

A DAY WITH GUSHAN ESTHER

I was staying in the house of Catharine and Lawrence Shama , I came to know that
Gulshan Esther was their family. I requested to meet her, Cathy’s aunty Ruth who was
her friend and caretaker came took us to her home. I heard the story of her miraculous
life from her lips. We ate lunch with her , aunty ruth took me the shopping centre
This is the story of sister Gulshan Esther, a Pakistani national living in political asylum
in UK .A truly enlightened being ,someone whose life is indeed a miracle . India
,Pakistan and Bangladesh are originally parts of undivided Indian subcontinent before
1947 .
At the age of three ,she fell ill and was struck by palsy losing control of her lower limbs
she was the youngest daughter of a rich Pakistani Jamindar [ of royal lineage ] a pious
muslim who prayed 5 times daily .Till sixteen years after the death of her mother she
stayed in the house cared by maids ,always sitting in a wheelchair
One day some one adviced her father to take her to London immediately her father
arranged a visa and took her along with her maid to London .The father and daughter
landed at Heathrow and were taken directly to an English orthodopedic .Unfortunately
he pronounced that only prayers can heal after examining her legs.
The poor father took his words as a command and flew directly to Jeddha for a
pilgrimage to Mecca. Where his close friend an arab sheikh arranged their stay
They had expected that on completing the pilgrimage she will be cured
The father was disappointed that the miracle did not occur .the three returned to
Pakistan ,were received at the airport with great fanfare Gulshan was called ” Haji “
[one who had completed the holy pilgrimage]
On her return she became more pious , daily 5 times doing the holy namaz , reading the
Koran Sharif always helped by her faithful maid
Both her sisters were married , her elder brothers with their families lived in Rawalpindi
.Gulshan and her father lived in Lahore in their ancestral Bunglow
One day while she was doing the namaz [prayer] she heard a voice commanding her
To read the “ Sure – Mariam “ in the Koran every time she did the namaz she heard the
command
The holy Koran Sharif is written in Arabic understood by only those who read arabic
Most of the muslims memorise the Koran Sharif and the namaz in Arabic
Gulshan sent her trusted maid to obtain all the available urdu translations of Koran
Sharif , now most of her time was spent in reading them.
After several weeks of study ,she came upon the portion where it is written that Jesus
son of Mariam has the power to heal
A change came over Gulshan daily 5 times she went for namaz but only said each
time
‘ O Jesus son of Mariam heal me”
Unfortunately her father fell ill and died ,her family came for the funeral after 40 days his
will was read Her father had left the to her and instructed her brothers to care for her .
Her brothers wanted to take her with them ,but respected her desire to stay in Lahore .
In the end her elder brother who loved her very much decided to put her monthly
allowance in a bank giving her the freedom to use it as she wished and allowed to live
with her trusted maid in the bunglow.
Now Gulshan daily 5 times she went for namaz but only said each time
‘ O Jesus son of Mariam heal me
Six months later one night she was sleeping in her room she saw 13 figures standing
at the foot of her bed .and her room was filled with light.The person in the center called
her “ Rise and come “ Gulshan did not do as he commanded , 3 times he called
The fourth time he rebuked her “ Why do you not listen to me ! All the time you are
calling me ‘ O Jesus son of Mariam heal me”
immediately Gulshan got out of her bed and went to towards the central person and fell
at his feet and worshiped him .She cried for a long time at his feet
In the early hours of the morning she woke up to find herself in the bed , her dream still
fresh in her mind Decided to test her feet and got out the bed without any assistance
and completed her toilet on her own . She now believed in her dream and Vision of the
saviour she was excited and rang the bell to summon her maids
The whole house was upoar to see Gulshan Bibi standing without help or sitting in the
Wheelchair . Infact it was hard to believe her excited family came rushing to Lahore
.Every one was happy , but Gulshan bibi had other plans she began to go to church
.Started teaching in a girls school ,roaming freely in her father’s car .
The new found freedom she was enjoying was short lived She had adopted some
orphan Christian children and lived with them in her house
One evening ,she returned from a meeting and found it occupied by some unsavoury
elements who told her to stay out as now it was their home Gulshan protested and one
man who was branishing a pistol , fired some shots killing the 18 year old Christian girl
Gulshan bibi along with other children sat near the dead body crying all through the
night .Nobody not even the police came to help her to take the daughter to the hospital
In the morning her brother came from Rawalpindi and arranged the funeral of the dead
girl. Gulshan Bibi approached the british embassy for protection and they arranged her
departure to England .
I had the wonderful chance to meet Gulshan Bibi in person in her home in Oxford of
She has been invited all over the world , her biography ‘The Torn Veil’ has been
translated in 30 languages A living miracle .

LORD JESUS’S LIBERAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS WOMEN

In Oxford,we stayed in different home for three days we stayed in the house of Mr
Bally in Rosehill ,who took us with him in his car to a convention in Southhall the
venue was a middle school, lots of Punjabi Christians from Leeds, Birmingham and
London gathered . Southhall is a part of England where Delhi and its culture throbs, the
streets are lined by street stalls selling fruits ,vegetables. Small shops where salwar
kameez and mojri are displayed. There are Indian tailor shops and food products like
roti, chappati, papad and namkeens. The whole day was spent in fellowship, lunch was
served with volunteers helping. We returned with a Christian Pakistani doctor and his
wife, who have migrated to USA. In Oxford we visited the church of Charles Wesley
was an English leader of the Methodist movement, son of Anglican clergyman and poet
Samuel Wesley, the younger brother of Methodist founder John Wesley and Anglican
clergyman Samuel Wesley the Younger. It’s a beautiful simple church
I was asked by pastor Masih to conduct a evening session of bible study in the
church.This is a summary of my talk .
The Women of the middle east are under shadow of the dreaded Taliban
which is in truth emerging as the antichrist . The rules of conduct for
women set by Taliban have horrified the modern world The mullahs have
declared that women have to cover themselves from head to foot , they
have no right to formal education they cannot be treated by a male doctor , cannot
buy anything from a male shopkeeper , the women have to stay in house and
can move out only with a male escort. If a woman is accused of
adultery , she will be stoned to death No woman can drive a vehicle ,
even a woman foreigner has to follow the same rules.
At this point one is compelled to make a journey 2000 years back Is this
a distorted form of Leviticus chapter 20 the jewish book of rules ? Our
Lord Jesus had started his ministry on earth and one is reminded how at
every step how the Scribes and Pharisees questioned his authority to
teach and do miracles Our lord Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their
hypocrisy [Luke 12:37- 52]
Jesus was compassionate and sympathetic towards women and upheld
them in various roles as mother , wife , sister , daughter and friend .
Pharisees had brought to Our lord a woman accused for adultery when
the woman was about to be stoned to death [ John 8:1-12 ] Lord
Jesus just bent down and began writing on the ground it is
intrepreted by scholars that the Lord wrote down Leviticus chapter 20
where it is stated in such a case both the man and woman shall be
stoned to death [ Deutronomy 17:5 ; 22:22 ] , at same time he wrotedown
how many times those men present had committed adultery both in mind
and body . All those accusers left quietly with revengeful hearts , afraid of
exposure . Lord Jesus did not rebuke the woman but forgave her
understanding her humiliation and repentance .
Lord Jesus had put down divorce and accused men of hardened hearts
he knew how women suffered on account of this law [Mathew 19 :1-11] ,
A man could divorce his wife but a woman could not do so [ Deutronomy
24 :1-4 ] A divorced woman had to suffer humiliation in the society and
could not remarry
The Jews never interacted with Samaritans , though he knew this Jesus
talked to the Samaritan woman at the well at noon [she was a
woman of poor reputation because she was drawing water alone in
the after noon when every one had gone away ] .The Samaritan woman
was repentant in her heart for her circumstances and she did not deny
when Jesus told about her life , that she had five husbands [John 4:
3-41] According to the social law widow was supposed to marry her
husband’s brother then he would support her and her children .Again we
can assume that Samaritan woman was forced to marry her husbands
relatives It can be possible that , they all had died or were unable to
support her . Through her most of the people in the village believed and
came to the Lord . Jesus called her in the same manner as he called
the fisher men . It was is not eye catching but she began spreading the
Gospel , she was brave and truthful she became a missonary of Christ
The villagers went to meet the Lord when she told them about the
Messiah . It is to be noted the entire villager believed , yet they gave no
importance to her simply because she was a woman . Lord Jesus knew
about the social customs , psychology of the common people It was
very difficult for the people to accept any change, one could not reform a
race overnight . A gradual change in thinking was possible. Jesus in a quiet
yet subtle manner began uplifting women from their status of secondary
citizens . Lord Jesus did not formally include women among the chosen
disciples but they were included in the great plan of God .The birth of
the Messiah from a virgin’s womb places women in an exalted position as
the prophets foretold . The Lord knew the women could not leave their
homes due to social taboos , they were the physically weaker sex and
insecure He brought them foreward in a different manner , by encouraging
them and recognizing their faith
The first miracle in canaan shows the Lords love and great respect for
the woman his mother In the wedding feast , mother Mary informs her
son that there is no wine left for the guests . Lord Jesus lovingly chides
his mother saying , “Woman what do you want of me ,my time has not
yet come .Unpertrubed mother Mary bids the servants to do as he
commands . And Lord Jesus obeys his mother and turns the water into
wine .As this miracle in canaan shows our lords great love and
respect for his mother . Again at the cross we see the same love
Lord Jesus talks his mother , and says ‘Woman look your son’
words full of meaning conveying his pain , Mother ! look at the tortured
and broken body of your son , who grew up in your arms , now the time
has come to complete the work of his heavenly father Our lord bade
his disciple John to take care of his mother. [John 19: 25-27 ]
Though Adam was equally at fault yet he blamed Eve, and Eve was
cursed by God [Genesis 3:16 ]Lord Jesus by his birth , blessed the
mother’s womb and was known for ever as Mary’s Son .
Jesus appreciated a widows offering in the Temple [.Luke 21: 1-4 ] He
understood her suffering yet faithful heart , rebuked the Pharisees for
their hypocrisy . He prayed yet he listened to prayers . He wept and
he dried our tears
Lord Jesus was in the town of Bethany , sitting in the house of Simon
and Mary washed his feet with her tears and hair , poured perfume over
his head [ Math 26: 6-11 ; Mark 14:3-9 ; John 12: 2-3 ] A jewish
woman was supposed to keep her head covered and not come in the
male quaters Mary entered in the room and annointed Jesus’s feet , he
did not rebuke her about her appearance nor actions but praised her in
presence of all. He encouraged her and rebuked the host for his hypocrisy
that no one present had washed his feet or welcomed him .
In the house of Lazurus [ Luke 10: 38-42 ] Martha went and complained
that her sister Mary was not helping her with the work . Martha is
chided for not listening to him and learning about the God’s word while
he was there .At the same time he does not admonish Mary to go in
the kitchen and not sit among men Once again without appearing to do
so he favoured the woman and encouraged her movement out of the
kitchen and her presence in the male quaters .
Jesus Lord experienced many kinds of relationships . Those that
exhausted his energy were perhaps the most common in our lords
earthly life for he spent much of his time giving He healed the sick ,
encouraged the downtrodden and taught the masses. We know that
sometimes he must have been worn out by these expriences . He often
went away to pray and renew Himself [Matt 4: 23 ;Luke 5:16] Some of his
relationship were probably just casual contacts , the replenishing ones
encouraged Jesus . They were the relationships with his mother , Martha ,
Mary and Lazarus ,Nicodemus whose love and presence uplifted him .
Jesus Christ carried his cross to Golgatha , and the women
followed crying and weeping for him [Luke 23:27-28 ] The crucifixion was
not the completion of his work on earth but his victory over death
His death would be vindicated as the resurrection and his enemies
would be overcome , the glory of divine justice was revealed by the
empty tomb on the third day . Mary Magadalene a woman is the first
witness to the resurrection of Lord Jesus and became the first
woman missionary by her faith [ John 20:11-18 ; Mark 16:9- 11 ; Mathew
28:9-10 ] Mary went to the tomb ,her devotion and love overcame her
fear of the Roman soldiers unlike the disciples who were frightened and
sitting huddled together . Mary met the risen Savior , her Rabboni on that
blessed dawn . The woman was now formally included among the
disciples . The eye witness to the resurrection has a paramount importance
in the great plan of salvation . Mary Magadalene has great faith
not once did she doubt unlike Thomas who knew about scriptures but
did not believe . We may not have a written account of the missionary
work done by Mary Magadalene yet it can be said with conviction
that she won many for the Lord through her faith and perseverance .
From ancient times men and women have been bought and sold like
animals , slavery was a common practice Christ taught his people , love
their neighbour as themself love also their brothers as themself . He
himself was sold for thirty pieces of silver by his chosen disciple yet
He redeems sinners His disciples as they matured in God’s wisdom
understood what he meant by freedom . In Paul in his letter to
Philemon ,he writes on behalf of Onesimus a run-away slave owned by
Philemon a wealthy man .The ironically the supposedly christian world has
never been trully christian . History tells us that the african people were
enslaved in the United states of America It is sad that black negro people
were bought and sold like animals , they were forced to wear collars and
beaten with stripes . The policies followed British people in India , has
made the entire nation of indian people anti christian . Appratheid the
segregation of black and white people was followed in the churches of
South Africa . Mahatama Gandhi was ill treated and thrown out by
whites in Johannesberg .
Many church denominations still donot ordain women as pastors , they are
strongly against women speaking in public places . They are still treating
women as secondary citizens . One should remember that lives are won
by actions not words . Modern world is under the influence of many
political and radical changes, each time a new movement , a new system
comes up it brings with it new ways to enslave women . One should
step carefully and not continue to repeat the mistakes made by our
founding fathers .
Lord Jesus came to change the old order the High Priest who came
intercede on our behalf without appearing so also began quietly
reforming the social system. Christianity is Christ himself .Hence , it does
not depend on physical establishments like church buildings or institutions
The christian gospel is a message of God’s love and forgiveness . It
brings newness of life to all those who sincerely accept it . The
message of Christ has liberated millions of people both men and
women of all castes , colour and creed around the world for past
two thousand years . Christians are called to follow the a Master who
willingly suffered and gave his life for liberating humanity from the
clutches of sin and slavery .

UNITED COLLEGE OF THE ASCENSION SELLY OAKS , BIRMINGHAM

I had come to know that the Church of North India offered a scholarship to study in
England to pastors and college lecturers and the application has to forwarded through
his excellency the Bishop. It includes the airticket and college fees Since I was already
going to UK ,I decided to write to the college and request for some study time. I did not
receive any reply to my disappointment. We were staying in Blackburn with a young
Indian doctor who I had taught in Jaipuria school his parents were doctors in
Kanpur. We had kept in touch through email He and his wife were busy at work the
whole day . I made friends with neighbours who were muslims from maharastra .They
would take us around in the car to the shopping mall.My student got a new job in the
Blackburn health centre ,he celebrated and took us for dinner in a pakistani restuarent .
In the foyer was a huge brass camel reminding us of Indian brass industry of
Moradabad
Blackburn has an high percentage of muslims looks and feels like Pakistan.
There was an community centre donated by the Pakistani criketer Imran Khan
where you could study and use the computer.I spent a week in Manchester and
later another in Blackburn I lookedup the website of Birmingham university and
called the office of United College of Ascension the Principal Dr Israel Selvarajan
talked to me The institution was breathing it last and will close down in july 2006 .God
gave me the opportunity to visit England, study in Birmingham . Dr Israel Selvarajan was
very kind and allowed me to use the library and attend some classes for one week.We
were given a nice room on the first floor .
The entire college walls were covered with handicrafts from all over the world. Over the
years many pastors and mission workers had studied here, their love and gratitude
was on display. There was beautiful chapel where we worshiped on Sunday morning. Dr
Israel Selvarajan taught me the true meaning of holy communion . He took the bread
from saver and passed to me and prayed , then I took the bread and passed to my
neighbour , we were sitting in a a semicircle . Similarly he took the wine and we all
passed to eachother Suddenly every Sunday ritual true meaning came to light that’s
Christian fellowship .
I met many people who had congregated in this esteemed college, Bishop from Japan
, delegation from Sweden I met a professor from Stockholm his baggage got lost on
the airport ,another pastor and his wife from Nigeria with a journalist from The Holy
land Israel .

Emily John an welsh missionary to Gambia She was very helpful , booked our tickets
for the return journey.I was moved by her bravery in traveling alone to
remote West Africa and acheiving her mission goal. Building a nursery for
children and raising funds to do it Something as a teacher I couldnot do single
handed . She showed photographs of Gambia . Maybe I lack the zeal or I’m
bogged down by the hurdles in India Bravo Hats off to Emily John
I attended two classes there. Students donot address teachers as sir or madam it is a
normal practice to take their first names. I participated in the discussion on tribals in
India. The professor had a written a theisis on tribals of India.
In Birmingham is the playwrite Shakespeares house a wonderful place to visit In
college library I did work research on nicotine [tobacco ] and its link to lung cancer
and heart disease and later presented a paper on this opic in USA
***
Manchestor visit was memorable so much history came flooding back .My childhood
dream had come true, visiting the mother town.
Princess Victoria was the only daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George
III. Her father died shortly after her birth and she became heir to the throne because the
three uncles who were ahead of her in succession - George IV, Frederick Duke of York,
and William IV - had no legitimate children who survived. On William IV's death in 1837,
she became Queen at the age of 18. Queen Victoria is associated with Britain's great
age of industrial expansion, economic progress and, especially, empire. At her death, it
was said, Britain had a worldwide empire on which the sun never set.. After the Indian
Mutiny of 1857, the government of India was transferred from the East India Company to
the Crown with the position of Governor General upgraded to Viceroy, and in 1877
Victoria became Empress of India under the Royal Titles Act passed by Disraeli's
government. During Victoria's long reign, direct political power moved away from the
sovereign. A series of Acts broadened the social and economic base of the electorate.
CAWNPORE Manchester of the East
Kanpur is situated on the bank of the Ganges River and has been an important place in
the history of modern India. Kanpur was one of the main centres of the industrial
revolution in India, known as "Manchester of the East". Towards the end of the 19th
century, Sir John Burney Allens established a group of companies such as Kanpur
Textiles, Cawnpore Woollen Mills (Lal-imli), Flex Shoes Company, Elgin Mills and North
Tannery under the banner of British India Corporation having headquarters at Kanpur. In
the beginning of the 20th century, Lala Kamlapat established a group of companies such
as; J.K. Cotton Mills and J.K. Iron etc. under the banner of J.K. During the same period
Sir J. P. Srivastava established New Victoria Mills.The Jaipuria family bought Swadeshi
Cotton Mills from the Horsman family and in 1928 Sardar Inder Singh founded India's
First steel re-rolling mill at Singh Engineering which later became one of India's biggest
steel rolling mills. British Government also established a number of factories like; Aircraft
Manufacturing Depot, Kanpur (Now HAL), Ordnance Factory, Kanpur (Manufactured the
Nirbheek Revolver) and Parachute Factory in 1886 to supplement their defence
requirements Today Kanpur comprises Ghari detergent, Red Tape Shoes, Goldie
spices, Duncans Industries, innumerous middle-scale industries, Hosiery business
(which is the second largest in North India and world-famous leather tanneries, which
are more than 350 in number. The well laid out Cantonment and the civil lines .Two
churchs were built in this period The All soul’s church in cantonment and the
Christ Church in the civil lines 1845 The first war for Indian independence was
fought in kanpur later called the sepoy mutiny some martys are buried in the
church yard which now the chemistry department of Christ church college .La touché
road named after the general Latouche similarly Meston road, Halsi road were british
officials I have done my masters in chemistry from this college 1988. Christ Church is
the oldest british church now 170 years old .
Christ Church College in Kanpur established in the year 1866 and has almost 150
years to its name It came into being when the first war of independence had just
started and has seen and passed through many strife and pain filled years it has
produced today’s many grandfathers and grandmothers
Pandit Motilal Nehru studied in this college because this was the only anglo-indian
college The allahabad university was not in existence The second president Dr
Radhakrishnan had visited the college and inaugurated its life science block.
It is very difficult for us to visualize one who daily step into its outstreched arms ,
through the huge iron gates ,the bygone days The past is lost to us ,as today it stands
in the heat of the grimy sooty city of kanpur with its hustling bustling occupants what
was the residential area of the white occupants ,the civil lines Today the city has
come on the the door steps of the college ,piercing its class rooms with car horns and
rumbling of the gigantic buses ,the college has become compact ,it has withdrawn
behind its walls as if protect its scholars from the crowd outside
Once stepping into the college campus ,gives you a feeling of another world which is not
even remotedly connected with the one outside .As the bell clangs marking the end of a
period ,the tiny yard is filled with colorful dresses and ,laughing voices and gangling
pants .All fades as quickly as it appears ,as another bell clangs for the next period
leaving behind the usual hangers in their permanent nooks and the total atmosphere
does not change ,their presence does not break the solemnity .

Here’s a glimse into the world of Christ Church College , a tribute to the original college
in Oxford .C 3 .Presented to you through The magic alphabet ‘C’
3
DEFINATIONS ,DESCRIPTIONS, DISTINCTIONS OF C =CxCxC
CHRIST.CHURCH.COLLEGE.
A collector went to the coast ,
But ,got confused
Couldn’t choose between
Cowries , cockles , corals
So, instead of ball and mallets
3
He compliled a congreunt Triangle of C =CxCxC
Credentials of the college campus :
Constellation , concoction , conspicuous
College Fashion : Conflagration , catalogue, controversy
College common room is a common cage of
Cooing cuckoos, Compliaisant cranes ,Croaking cormorants
College cultural festival ; Carnival, chorus,crescendo
College faculty ; Calm, conducive , convergent
College Chemistry Department ; Chef’s minus caps cooking casserole
College cupid cadet statement: To say that you can love one person all your Life Is
saying that one candle will continue burning As long as you live .
A legpuller from college clowns
A christian is a man who feels
Repentance on a sunday
For what he did on a saturday
And what he is going to do on monday
A call from Botany Deptt
The carbon dioxide congestion is so high that by Year 3001Mr Banyan Tree will be the
coordinator of the city corporation .
An exception from sociology group
Society is a wall of masonry as now it stands ,it may be sapped in course of thousand
years but stormed in a day no You dash your brains against it ,you scatter your breains
and you dislodge a stone ,Society smiles in scorn effaces the the stain and replaces the
stone [Bulwer]
A complaint from Physics Department
When he speaks and to whom he speaks neither of them ‘s what it means that is
Metaphysics [F. M. Voltaire]
Our college coopernicans are convinced only by correct and calculated matter not by
theories of being and knowing which is exactly what metaphysics is
When the classrooms and corridors are empty and you stroll in silence
you’re conscious of “today;s not yesterday we ourselves change How then can works
and thought if they can always to be the fittest continue always the same? Change
indeed is painful ,yet ever needful and if memory has its force so also has hope
and you wonder ,did you read it somewhere or are the old walls murmuring
A sharp tongued gossipy woman is called a cat by some and this little verse is
viciously quoted “ To some one very good and just who has worthy of her trust A cat
will sometimes condescend otherwise she contracts no friendship and has no
confidants
A bravo of fortune ,living on wits asking no favours and granting no quarter
But curiosity killed the cat
Beware ! say our zoologists ,the cat and the lion are cousins and together belong to the
cat family.
Hail ! Studious colleagues Hail !
One of our colleague’s replied when asked the reason of attending every lecture good
or bad.
Better with the learned dwell
Even though it be in hell [class]
Our supervisors opinion regarding an average college goer
Something in between a caterpillar and counterfeit
Color of a criket test matchWhen the ( C3 ) confraternity is distributed in the
various Stands of the Stadium
Cricket is to Cawnpore ,is what
Chutney is to cutlet
To carve the cutlet , cutlery comes in handy
The cricketer has none
So he cuts with his bat
And runs to collect
And catches the rest
Crowd claps and cries for more
The poor msn hits and runs ,
Runs ans hits
He’s a coca cola bottle fizzling and tickling
But to his chargin there are cat-calls and cackles
So he chases and is chased round the cob web
Clamour and clatter ,there is still more to come
Now clanking for chocolate custard for all
Some custard it sis when he goes into convulsions ,
puts a comma to commotion
and concludes with doubles to one [100 runs]
College motto :
Sum Lux Mundi [Latin] which means
cleave to complete whatever chore you have committed yourself to
show compassion to compatriots
compete without cheating
never say cannot to a challange
compose your career with caution
and cement it with courage
cherish cleanliness under all circumstances
cover your capabilities with a cloak of civility and cheerfulness

Comrades
As peeping is not cultured behavior and peeping together still worse I will drop the
curtain now .Pss’t incase you donot know latin our college motto in English is “Quit Ye
Like Men ‘
I’m telling you about our college on the request of college connoisseurs who have
discovered that “Christ church “is a town in the south island of New Zealand ,an
important sheep raising center .

.
In 1936 Edward VIII was the King of Britain and the sub continent of India .At this time
,the struggle for independent India was at its peak at the helm of it was
Mahatama Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose .Young Bhagat Singh had been
hanged while Chander Shekar Azad had been Martyed
King Edward wanted to marry the twice divorced Mrs Wallis Simpson an US socialite.
Unfortunately the royal family was opposed to this marriage ,leading to an
constitutional crisis .An divorcee as well as a commoner was not good choice for a
Queen .Edward popular for his Windsor knotted tie and sports tweed jackets and soft
shoes ,a man who changed british fashion was also stubborn. He abdicated the throne
and took voluntary exile to France Where he married Wallis Simpson, he was created
Duke of Windsor by his younger brother George VI who succeeded him whose
daughter is queen Elisabeth . A real life romance .
**
Our England visit was drawing to an end . we returned by bus to London then
took the tube to Harlow . The bus driver took a break at one of the motel , I nearly
missed the bus as I became engrossed in reading a magazine. I caught sight of
the clock went racing out . My mother along with the driver were standing ,waiting
for me. On the tube I saw a young man with five dogs on leash , the most well behaved
set of dogs walking calmly ,noone pulling at the leash ,they did not trip their master as
they got off the carriage, not the least bothered about other passengers no barking at all
, not at the white mouse in a cage carried by another young man sitting a little far off.
Wimbledon is on the route to Harlow , when the tube stopped there , I was thrilled
remembering , the tennis tornaments we watched on TV.
We came out of the train, I was carrying a huge suitcase on wheels and
there was staircase which led to the way out. Suddenly the train official asked us to
stop , I was scared thinking he wants to check our baggage . Keeping a brave face
we both stood on the platform. He said I have to flag the next train or it will be late.
He said,’ I will take you up by the lift that suitcase looks very heavy’.Our guardian
angel had again appeared .We took lift with some handicapped gentleman on the
wheelchair.
I had been bred on romantic english novels like Harlequin , Mills & Boons and Babara
Cartlands. The storybook houses , english summer was in full bloom , everywhere
there were roses. Though as you move towards Scotland it quite breezy even on a
bright day. The sun sets at ten O’clock in summer.

It only when you visit a place where there are long cold winters and foggy months ,
rainy days then you realize why people celebrate the sunshine. Young men were
roaming around in shorts without shirts showing off their biceps. Young women were in
very short skirts and bikini tops. Most of the people wore sleeves clothes , to catch the
sun. I also wore teashirts and jeans. My mother wore salwar kameez avoiding sarees.
**
The most beautiful city London is the capital of England and United Kingdom, It is
situated in the South Eastern England on the biggest river Thames .Magnificent houses
of parliament stand in the heart of the city .Parliament is made up of the house of
common and house of lords and it makes laws,
Big Ben tower above Westminster bridge welcomes to the visitors to enjoy
St.James natural beauty, British museum and BuckingHam palace are graces of city,
Central hall westminster is the largest Central London conference in the world
Georgian House Hotel in Central London is near all major London attractions
Architecture building are the symbol of London like Park Plaza Hotel, Savoy Hotel,
Luxury and Grand Hotels are top in London, At night in lights London looks like a
beautiful and fairly dressed bride. West Minster bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge
over the river Thames .Tourists look at the sights of colorful birds flying on the banks of
the river People and Animals swim in the river Fishermen catch fishes and sell fishes on
the banks and in the market place, The people move on the Westminster bridge by
buses, cars, scooters,cycles and walks Attractions and sights of London markets,
London stations and bridges are beautiful.In London the rich live in one part and rich
and poor and average live in other parts
“Buckingham palace and the Westminister you have to see ,” said aunty Sandy
so we both took the tube to London , one of the station was the famous and
historic Wimbledon Stadium . We walked from Victoria train to Buckingham palace
set in the kennigston gardens through the Mall, a ceremonial approach route to the
palace which extends from Admiralty Arch, across St James's Park to the Victoria
Memorial, a huge marble statue of empress victory sitting on the throne .It was a very
bright day standing near the huge gate we got a clear view of the changing of the
guards who looked smart in the traditional red and black uniforms. We walked across
the London Millennium Footbridge, is a steel suspension bridge for pedestrians crossing
the River Thames in London, linking Bankside with the City of London. It is sited
between Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge. Standing on this bridge we
could see the westminister the british parliament , the huge giant wheel called the
London eye , the historic London bridge below the ferries and houseboats were plying
back and forth.
The memorable afternoon when the gay parade was going on in London Hundreds of
people were on the roads moving as equals and free. Walking past Scotland Yard
reminds one of Sherlock Holmes I had been fan of english detective novels.I caught
the return train at Charing Cross ,London was a story tale come true. Madame
Tussad’s wax museum where Indian cine stars have won the hearts of people along with
our world leaders
I include in my diary about the pubs in England are more than a hundred years old
“ The red lion ,blue stallion , green horse , yellow stallion, three legged cow ,spotted cow
, are some names of these pubs. We were returning to Harlow , England was playing
the quarter final in soccer world cup 2006.David Beckham was the English skipper he
lives in Old Harlow his house is behind the pub “ The straw hat” England had lost
the match ,the boys were rolling drunk outside the pub. My mother and I were
waiting for the bus to go to our home [Sandy Bagnall’s house in Harlow] Mom was
very thirsty and there was no water to drink , all the shops were closed it was a
Sunday evening
A black maiden was waiting with us at the bus station and she stepped forward
and held out a bottle of blueberry juice .
“Aunty you have to drink this juice , God told me to buy this extra bottle "
“ now I know it was for you”
When just a few moments ago she had been discussing the high price of fares and
living in U.K . with me
Sweet little angel I can remember her brave ,chubby face I salute her ,let her
shine her faith and generosity. We were in England for two months in 2006.

A clerical collar is an item of Christian clerical clothing. It is a detachable collar that

buttons onto a clergy shirt being fastened by two metal studs, one attached at the front
and one at the back to hold the collar to the shirt. It is almost always white made of
cotton .My Pastor of Christ Church CNI had asked us to bring this collar for him from
England . Pastor Massih never wore one , then Sandy Aunty called her Pastor. He said
they are made by order each costs 10 ponds , so his wife cuts the this collar from old
plastic milk bottles. He gave us two plastic collars which my mother gave to the pastor.
One pound was equivalent to Rupee ninty in indian currency.

Stanford cargo airport is near Harlow , so aunty dropped us at the bus station
in the evening , which took us to the airport , we spent the night at the airport ,
early four O’clock we took the first tube to Heathrow .

The luggage carts are not allowed on the train platform , some how I threw the
luggage inside the carriage , before the train moved.
We disembarked at the Heathrow station and looked for a cart.
Luckily found one, we both moved together inside the corrider leading towards the
checkin counter it was about five in the morning , there was a lift I went in the lift with
cart , mom got left behind because of the sudden rush of passengers.
I came out of the lift and panicked , I thought let me go back in the lift , suddenly I
heard mom’s voice asking for help , one air hostess was standing with her. I looked
down the staircase in the corner and called out to her , “ Mummy climb up the stairs ,
I’m here ,come up ,come up ‘’What a relief we were reunitedand boarded the flight at
seven a.m.

At Heathrow airport,I bought a tiny soldier wearing the royal red uniform with
black round topee . Shangai Airport is bigger than this airport .Good bye
London ! You drove me wild as a kid , A melting pot of culture, shape and
colour Local, global from everywhere , They’d flit Still vivid memories You were
the city As far as my tiny mind could travel .

Good bye London

 Chapter 5

HOUSTON, TEXAS ,USA

I was invited to present research papers in the 3rd International conference on

Environmental Science and Technology in 2007 , held in Wyndham Greenspoint hotel
which has been now taken up by the Hilton group in Houston. As usual my bags were
packed before I was issued a US visa . Mom and I took the sixteen hour nonstop
flight to George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, Texas. we reached in the middle
of the night , there is free telephone service to hotel desk, I called the help desk and
the hotel shuttle collected us early morning 5am. I registered at conference and since
my paper presentations were in the morning session . we had already freshened up
and changed our clothes , my mother proudly sat in the conference hall with me. my
mother proudly sat in the conference hall.My paper presentations went smoothly this
was my second major conference in USA . I had presented one paper in
Monterey ,organized by Battalle research foundation of ohio . unlike buildings in
other parts of the world Texas is sprawing let me describe the hotel lobby it is
huge and spacious , there is a glass roof with lots of plants inside. In the evening
there was wedding reception ,the bride had arrived ,she was dressed in a splendid
white gown and a photo session was in progress.
We put our luggage in the cloak room since my room was not vacant now we were free
to roam about in and around the luxury hotel.
We wanted to eat something and hotel was very expensive, went out of the hotel
front door it was blazing hot, there was a huge empty lot ,then some buildings in a
distance.
A old man in Bermuda shorts and faded teshirt with flipflopps started to cross the road
towards the empty lot. My mother said,’lets follow him’ . We both hurried behind him
sure enough ,he was headed towards the building , when we reached it .There was a
glass door , he walked in with two women behind him, wonder of wonders that was the
Greenspoint Mall. Strangely enough the lady in hotel couldnot direct us ,the reason
was that many people in Texas speak spanish ,they are poor in english .
Anyway we roamed around in the shopping mall , Cici’s Pizzario is the place we went
for lunch. We bought a lunch coupon of six dollars which meant we could eat from the
buffet. I tasted some many types of pizzas ,dessert was chocolate pizza. This was an
unforgettable lunch . There was a one dollar shop .we bought some gifts there. The
food courts was filled with people enjoying life
On our return , I was allotted a room as the conference delegate.My room was on the 14
floor I got a splendid view of the area ,the rising sun , the night view. The sky was
pierced by the jet trails. The hotel did not charge me as they gave me the room late.
American hospitality at its best.
Houston gets its name from the American hero Sam Houston who was a great general
,governor and President of the republic of Texas before it joined the union.We visited
the NASA space center , huge space shuttles are on display nearby is the
university of Clearwater .
Houston is one of the worlds largest cities ,it does not appear overcrowded like NY or
LA .We traveled by train around Houston ,visited the planetarium and the science
museum. Later visited the Galleria shopping mall in which is huge and fascinating. I
cannot forget the Rainforest Cafe restaurant ,designed to depict some features of a
rainforest, including plant growth, mist, waterfalls, and animatronic figures of rainforest
animals, including elephants, frogs, gorillas, jaguars, and tigers. To enhance this theme,
the restaurants are populated by animatronic figures of animals.The restaurants are
partitioned into several rooms by means of rain curtains that fall into basins running
along the tops of partition walls and booths and aquatic tanks. The Rainforest Cafe
serves food ranging from seafood, beef, and chicken to pastas and pizzas. There is also
the tradition of yelling "volcano!" when somebody orders a "volcano" sundaeThe staff of
Rainforest Cafe are named in accordance with the safari theme. Waiters are called
Safari Guides, hosts and hostesses are Tour Guides, sales clerks are Pathfinders,
bartenders are Navigators, bussers are Safari Assistants, and kitchen staff are
Trailblazers. Rainforest Cafe restaurants have a gift shop, where rainforest themed
merchandise is sold.Rainforest Cafe has an animatronic tree named "Tracy the Talking
Tree." The tree entertains guests every 5 minutes educating them about the rainforest

My research paper was on exposure to Tobacco smoke .summary is as follows -

Burning tobacco is the main source of indoor pollution in the developed world. Tobacco
smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals including carcinogens, irritants and toxic gases.
The health impact of breathing environmental tobacco smoke is well documented.
Tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemicals in the form of particles and gases. Many
potentially toxic gases are present in higher concentrations in sidestream smoke than in
mainstream smoke and nearly 85% of the smoke in a room results from sidestream
smoke. The particulate phase includes tar (itself composed of many chemicals),
nicotine, benzene and benzo(a)pyrene. The gas phase includes carbon monoxide,
ammonia, dimethylnitrosamine, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and acrolein. Some
of these have marked irritant properties and some 60 are known or suspected
carcinogens (cancer causing substances). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
in the USA has classified environmental tobacco smoke as a class A (known human)
carcinogen along with asbestos, arsenic, benzene and radon gas.Breathing other
people's smoke is called passive, involuntary or secondhand smoking. The non-smoker
breathes "sidestream" smoke from the burning tip of the cigarette and "mainstream"
smoke that has been inhaled and then exhaled by the smoker. Secondhand smoke
(SHS) is a major source of indoor air pollution Tobacco use is a major preventable
cause of premature death and of several general diseases. In addition to cigarette,
pipe, cigar and bidi smoking, betel quid chewing (pan), guhtka use and other traditional
forms of tobacco have several effects in the mouth. Tobacco is a risk factor for oral
cancer, oral cancer recurrence Professor Konrad Jamrozik of Imperial College London
estimated that domestic exposure to secondhand smoke causes at least 3,600 deaths
annually from lung cancer, heart disease and stroke combined, while exposure at work
leads to approximately 700 deaths from these causes. Almost half of all children in the
UK are exposed to tobacco smoke at home. Passive smoking increases the risk of lower
respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia and bronchiolitis in children.
Scientists from Canada reported finding evidence of cigarette smoke in fetal hair, the
first biochemical proof that the offspring of non-smoking mothers can be affected by
passive cigarette smoke. Smoking during pregnancy can harm the baby The
American Cancer Society and other organizations initiated studies comparing deaths
among smokers and nonsmokers over a period of several years. All such studies found
increased mortality among smokers, both from cancer and other causes The American
Cancer Society estimates that cigarettes are responsible for about 431,000 deaths in the
United States each year.
The “Flying Red Horse of Dallas city near Houston , a landmark is surrounded by
taller structures yet it is still possible to catch a wonderful view of its red glow while
strolling in downtown, admiring the views from new buildings like the Omni Hotel and
Museum Tower or by car where Interstates 30 and 35 merge and split apart. It
symbolizes Dallas as the Empire State building does for New York and the Eiffel Tower
does for Paris. The original Pegasus, the logo of the Magnolia Oil Company, was
produced to welcome oilmen attending the American Petroleum Institute’s first annual
meeting in November 1934. the Flying Red Horse Pegasus still flies above the Magnolia
Building. I got a chance to see it on later trips to Texas.
The Volkswagen Beetle car is very popular in USA , like the children who play a game
of counting these cars , when traveling traveling from Houston to Dallas and Austin in a
car or in the greyhound bus in california I would lookout for these brightly cars.
Beetles or Kaifer in german . Mom clicked a photograph of me standing beside one.
The Indian chief feather head and leather topboots with sparkling silver spurs in the Mall
,reminded me of the wild west and cowboys.
My Daddy loved to read wild west novels and watch cowboy movies.
We were waiting to change our flight at Phoenix , a girl was sleeping on bench ,
near the bench a golden Labrador obviously her dog was also sleeping. Mummy
noticed the dog she is a doglover. I had read in books about dog guides for the blind and
my assumption was correct , she was blind and the handsome dog was her companion.
Interesting she was alone, when every passenger boarded the plane, she came in our
plane and took a seat. The dog sat in the corrider between the seats ,the dog never
moved , calmly ,unafraid and responsible for the two hour flight. No visits to the loo ,
no demands for water and food like human passengers. Most well behaved passenger
,no barking and no biting.The plane landed , the dog and his charge were the last to get
down.
Here was a lesson I learnt to be responsible and brave like the Labrador with his charge
.
 Chapter 6
SAN ANTONIO USA

San Antonio in Texas is a unique place , you can feel the old wild west when we visit
historical Almo,you do see some men wearing hats jeans with broad belts and high
boots. Almo is the place where the was war with Mexican rebels . the fort and
museum are tourist attraction . Texas shares its borders with Mexico. Border town
El Paso stands on the Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte), across the border from Ciudad
Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The two cities form a combined international metropolitan
area, sometimes called El Paso-Juárez, with Juárez being the significantly larger of the
two in population. Ciudad Juárez is one of the fastest growing cities in the world despite
being called " one of the deadliest cities in the world’. There are four international ports
of entry connecting Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, including the Nauticapuente America
[Bridge of the Americas], Ysleta Internacional Bridge, Paso del Norte Bridge, and
Stanton Street Bridge
There are huge cattle farms in Texas ,one them is Beafmaster. Bluebell icecream factory
enroute to this town ,the logo is cute little girl with cow, we had the wonderful chance of
visiting this factory.
The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río) is a network of walkways
along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of Downtown
San Antonio, Texas, USA. Lined by bars, shops and restaurants, the River Walk is an
important part of the city's urban fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right.
Today, the River Walk is an enormously successful special-case pedestrian street, one
level down from the automobile street. The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as
two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting the major tourist
draws from the Alamo to Rivercenter Mall, to the Arneson River Theatre, to Marriage
Island, to La Villita, to HemisFair Park, to the Tower Life Building, to the San Antonio
Museum of Art, and the Pearl Brewery.
In the nineteenth century River had flooded destroying the town of San Antonio, the
town was rebuilt on an higher plinth, the area near the river was lower than than the rest
of the town and was utilized for a recreational space , transformed into hotels ,
riverside cafes , casino and theatre with bridges crisscrossing the river with geese
swimming in it
We approached the famous riverwalk by climbing down a staircase from the road near
the car park. A large boat with seats takes people on a tour along the river ,you can
sightsee the entire riverwalk. We spent the whole in the cool , while the town was
burning in the summer heat.
Our hostess Mrs Maya Jacob took us to visit Dr Eric Daniel who had originally
belonged to the city of Prayag and sangam also known as Allahabad in India . He and
his wife lived in beautiful housing society ,we had to enter through a gate complete
with guard and intercom who allowed us to drive in when Dr Daniel said ,‘yes’
His home was a mansion with a swimming pool , we spent the night in his home.,he
as a gracious took us to china town to eat chinese food which is actually American food
as you know we had already sampled real chinese food in China two years back.
Here I must mention ,his neighbour who had a beautiful conifer in the middle of his
garden , which was decorated with chimes , so many different types like traditional
chinese chimes, butterfly chimes, angel chimes , dragon chimes and flower chimes. they
were not home so sadly without her permission I could not photograph the tree.
Let me elaborate in USA ,the gardens are not fenced so everywhere you will see in
American towns infinite neat lawns with flowers and garden decoration like images of
deer , elfs ,fairies and stautes of mother Mary
There is lady who lives in the suburbs of Austin , Mrs. Rustumji from Bombay
[Mumbai ] ,she has a unique collection of frog toys , garden decoration .
All over the house and garden ,there green frogs in various poses and activities. I
just couldnot control myself , wandered all around admiring her house, there were
many wild deer roaming around her house. Texas is supposed to be a desert but
now it very green.
We were in Austin,Texas, ‘Austin’ is my father’s name unfortunately he passed
away , mother missed him when we were there .
Mother ‘s day was celebrated in the church , all the women wore red and were
presented with a carnation at end of the church service.
This was the summer of 2008, I was asked by the women church group to share with
my thoughts . So this is a summary.
King David is an old Bible hero well known as the brave shepherd boy
Goliath’s slayer and singer of psalms . King David had many queens and
several children .He had two sons Ab’salom, Am’non who were brave young
soldiers , and a beautiful daughter named Tamar. Ab’salom and Am’non were step
brothers and Am’non desired his stepsister Tamar.
One day he feigned sickness and asked his father to send Tamar to take
care of him, old King David ordered Tamar to care for her brother .The young
Princess baked some cakes and went into Am’non’s room dressed in her robe
of many colors . Am’non raped his sister and then threw her out of his
quaters .Poor Tamar rent her virgin robe of many colors and went crying to the
house where she lived with her brother Ab’salom And King David came to know
of it , but did not punish Am’non
Elder brother Ab’salom never uttered a word against his brother but swore
revenge in his heart . Ab’salom loved his little sister Tamar and plotted secretly to
murder Am’non After two years he got the opportunity during sheep shearing
time where he ordered His servants to kill Am’non and they did as he had
commanded Thus ended the sinful life of a young Am’non who died at the
hands of his brother We donot find any further account of the marriage of the
young Princess Tamar or how she spent the rest of her life [ II Samuel :13]
This story is may be a thousand years old , often overlooked when relating
the tales of valour of the jewish kings . The old Testament is considered
holy by Jews,Christians and muslims .The ancient scripture writer filled with
the holy ghost chronicled this incident So that it would be a constant reminder
to the injustices meted out to the girl child in her own home .
There are many sexual crimes committed against young girls,by their own
cousin brothers, uncles , old male family friends and neighbours Unfortunately most
of these crimes go unpunished because fear of public shame , social ostracism
and often lack of evidence to be able to catch the culprit Today’s men become
sexually aware at a young age and give vent to their frustrations by
commiting sex related crimes . Cinema and advertising campaigns of various
goods like bathing soaps, shampoos, undergarments and pornographic literature are
are more or less responsible .The need of the time is to communicate and
share your thoughts to be able understand your own human needs .Parents
should invite conversation with Teen age son and daughter so that they can
communicate their problems .
Teachers can always help,often college teachers remain aloof to their students
,they should also invite conversation .Brothers should share with their younger
sisters We should enlighten the youth of the need to protect the girl child
in their homes . Not to take revenge like elder brother Ab’salom but to avert the
crime and to guide the youth in leading a healthy life . We know that
Ab’salom couldnot become King of Israel ,because the blood of his brother
was on his hands .
Sex related crimes can be averted if todays youth are freed from
ignorance and educated about this social evil as well as the psychological
impact on the girl child and the women at large .In India , the girl child is
suffering in her own home .
Tornado is a funnel storm common to texas , it picks up things like trucks , wooden
houses and carries them to great distances and then flings them generating great havoc.
There was a thunderstorm one night when we were in Georgetown we three ladies were
watching TV ,suddenly there was a tornado watch onTV,I was really scared we prayed
and stood near the hatch in the basement.They kept reporting its movement and it
passed over Georgetown
We returned by KLM Royal dutch airlines ,changed flight at Schiphol Amsterdam
airport . we had a six hour wait . explored the airport , the shopping mall situated
inside the terminals , had a cow parade with life size cow sculptures , where you could
taste and buy cheese . Kenkenhof flower parade , beautiful tulips were for sale.
The were food courts and magazine kiosks but most attractive were the funny cow
statutes on display . to describe ,a cow cycling ,another talking on the phone. Dancing in
the dance floor. The best was a cow in a bath tub soaking taking a bubble bath.
Schipol has an airport park ,with green foliage and décor ,there are virtual butterflies
projected all around. In the park juices from fresh fruits and organic food is avalaible .
The park looks natural with wooden picnic benches . there is a possibility for sitting
outerdoors .the park stretches out onto a terrace allowing you o soakup some sunrays
and take in some fresh air, watch the huge kites land and takeoff. A klomp is a clog from
the Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Netherlands, The oldest surviving wooden footwear
in Europe ,there is a shop for tourist souvenirsat airport . However some Dutch people,
particularly farmers, market gardeners, and gardeners still wear them for everyday use.
An adorable beagle named Sherlock returns lost items to owners at Amsterdam airport.
The beagle sniffs out the owners of lost property such as phones and passports before
they leave Schiphol Airport. Sherlock is on the case.
The little Beagle weaves in and around the throng of travelers at Amsterdam’s Schiphol
Airport just to return possessions left behind on flights. Sherlock is a loves moving
walkways at airports. In addition to using trip manifests to track down owners of lost
phones, passports, children’s toys and other worldly possessions, Sherlock is trained to
get a good scent on the item and track its owner before they leave the airport. I did not
meet this pup as KLM ‘s this employee has recently joined the service .

MOTHER COW IS HER NAME [ Indian cows ]

Look! Who comes down the lane

Hail! Mother Cow is her name
If she wanders in the lane
All devotion is in vain
The master milked her
And pushed her in the lane
An orphan she became
Standing outside in the rain
Nobody to claim
Mother cow is her name
Hungry,bony and so tame
See her drinking from the drain
Who is to be blamed!
If ! mother cow is her name
Food she tried to obtain
But the vendor hit her with a cane
And shouted , whose the offending dame
Mother cow is her name
Says her master there’s a gain
 Many bulls to mate in the lane
As no farms for the same
Is an excuse so lame
When a calf is born, who has the claim
Master is the name
Who is to blame !
If! She feeds in the drain
The government is to blame
Say the people in refrain
In the marketplace she ate the grain
Cried out the merchant what a shame
Thief ! we should rename!
What mother cow is her name
At the crossroads she sits and wanders in the lane
Standing traffic to still
Said the policeman, what a pain
And Mother cow is her name

All devotion is in vain

If she wanders in the lane
Mother cow is her name
An orphan she became
Standing in the rain
All devotion is in vain
Mother cow is her name . Mother cow is her name
 Chapter 6
SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA
The summer of the year 2009 ,we traveled by Lufthansa changing at Munich
,this time the huge Boeing was a double decker with the toilets and pantry situated
below one had to climb down some ten steps . water and juices with biscuits were
placed there ,one could help oneself without calling the airhotess.. I enjoyed the flight
,looking out of the window I saw another Boeing flying in the opposite direction , when
we were airborne over europe. A sight I will never forget. At this moment I remembered
my Daddy and his words about the flying horse.
Mr Tandon recieved us at San Francisco airport, their home is in Saratoga a town in
San Francisco district. Seema is my senior in college , while Mr Satish is an aluminus of
Indian institute of technology coincidently they belong to Fatehgath . The San Francisco
Bay Area, metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with
smaller urban and rural areas. The Bay Area's nine counties are Alameda, Contra
Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. San
Franscisco has an old world charm , the beautiful apartments with their picture windows
decorated with silk and lace curtain reminds one of English village Harlow and seaside
Dover The huge fishermans wharfs , yatches floating with colourful sails ,fishing boats
.every day we both would to go to San Francisco by the Amtrak from saratoga and
roam around , the city has trams climbing the cliff which are different from other cities
which have underground train ‘The tube’. There are the horse drawn carriage ,the
horse have forelocks and braided manes with bushy hoofs like the swiss horses. Every
morning young men and women use to get into the train with their bicycles when we
reached the metropolis they got off the train and cycled of to their office.Something I
use to do as a student , park my cycle at the stand and catch a bus. I wish I could do the
same now , but wearing a sari and riding a bicycle in India is risky.
Driving across the world’s highest suspension bridge popularly called the ' Golden
Gate' is a memory to kept close ones heart . the air is cold and chilly that it cuts in to you
. It is difficult to stand on the cliff and look across the bridge and sea .
We had forgotten to bring any jackets ,so it was difficult stand more than five minutes to
stand drink in the wonderful view ,there is photograph of mother and me flying in the
wind. Just joking looks like we going to be swept away by the draft. Well the world’s
longest and most photographed bridge has turned 77 years in 2014.
The Golden Gate Bridge
Written upon completion of the Bridge sometime in 1937
Written by Joseph P. Strauss, Chief Engineer,
I am the thing that men denied,
The right to be, the urge to live;
And I am that which men defied,
Yet I ask naught for what I give.
My arms are flung across the deep,
Into the clouds my towers soar,
And where the waters never sleep,
I guard the California shore.
Above the fogs of scorn and doubt,
Triumphant gleams my web of steel;
Still shall I ride the wild storms out,
And still the thrill of conquest feel.
The passing world may never know
The epic of my grim travail;
It matters not, nor friend or foe –
My place to serve and none to fail.

One of the most memorable days climbing the mountains to see the Sequoia
national park which is driving distance from Fresno,I was not prepared for the
splendor of the Sherman Tree and the Grant tree standing at a magnificient height of 34
m
One could just say “ WOW “ look they are touching the sky ,sitting in the car watching
the orderly line of home trailers , cars and tourist buses speeding on the hairpin curves
. I could just marvel at nature and the life in its various forms if only these trees could
speak they would give us the story of mankind from last 3000 years
oh !what a pity ! they would sigh if only man had asked us ! how we have survived on
air, water and solar energy- the answer to all our problems

My favorite movie was,‘’Those magnificent men and their flying machines’

I donot have a talent for singing though I can sing the old English hymns and carols
fairly well. Here I want to mention an old English song by Susan Raye which
happened to be my childhood favourite , something in the song about aeroplanes and
airports. ‘L.A. International airport’. Well the song was playing in my mind when we
disembarked in Los Angelos the city of angels .Till then it was not available on youtube
, we use to have record. Since the needle of the gramophone player is broken ,I
couldnot listen to it . I was jubilant since I was in there finally .

Yosemite national park is another beautiful place , it is situated in mountains , there is a

huge waterfall which can be seen from a distance of ten kilometers falling down
from the round rock mountain ,right in front is a steep cliff called the grand dome .
Around you can see cabins, tents ,home trailers and campers . We had the wonderful
close view of the waterfall as it comes down with thunder. Here is one place where
nature is at its best ,there people from all over the world with you enjoying the scenery.
***
San Jose is known as the silicon valley is full of Indians; computer software
engineers.
We visited Winchester house of the legendary Winchester rifles , that day I wished
my father was alive he loved to talk about Winchester rifles and peace makers ‘the
colt’ and Diana airguns . The Winchester Mystery House is a mansion in San Jose,
California which was once the personal residence of Sarah Winchester, the widow of
gun magnate William Wirt Winchester. Located at 525 South Winchester Blvd. in San
Jose, the Queen Anne Style Victorian mansion is renowned for its size, its architectural
curiosities, and its lack of any master building plan. It is a designated California historical
landmark sarah Winchester came to believe her family and fortune were haunted by
ghosts, and that only by moving West and continuously building them a house could she
appease these spiritsIn 1884 she purchased an unfinished farmhouse in the Santa Clara
Valley and began building her mansion. Carpenters were hired and worked on the
house day and night until it became a seven story mansion. She did not use an architect
and added on to the building in a haphazard fashion, so that the home contains
numerous oddities like doors or stairs that go nowhere, windows overlooking other
rooms, and stairs with odd-sized risers. .an expensive imported chandelier that originally
had 12 candle-holders was altered to accommodate 13 candles, wall clothes hooks are
in multiples of 13, and a spider web-patterned stained glass window contains 13 colored
stones. The sink's drain covers also have 13 holes, every Friday the 13th the large bell
on the property is rung 13 times at 1300 hours (1 o'clock p.m.) in tribute to Winchester.
these oddities are attributed to her belief in ghosts
San Jose is high up even summer is quite cold , I use to collect cones from conifers . in
june the there are apples and pears which you can pick and eat.
I use to pluck plums from roadside trees which were planted for beauty , I’m sure the
tree must be happy that the fruit was not wasted .
The whole traffic stops when a wild gander with his goose and goslings cross the
road.
***
I was visiting the famous Stanford university near San Francisco in california , the
campus is beautifully adorned with black marble statues among green lawns , in the
middle courtyard there is fountain with dolphins . The meadow has the logo ‘S’
created with real red flowers and plants. The church has been based on Italian
architecture .A fresco painted on the exterior depicting the sermon on the mount. The
roof has a huge dome. There are glass windows showing the crucifixion scene
,angels with mother Mary .and the holy family. Some frescoes on the walls of Adam and
Eve .How this university came into existence it is said that Leland Stanford had died in
an accident while studing at Yale university
His parents tried to meet the president of the university a snooty and arrogant
man , not only did he made them wait but refused to erect a memorial for their son
,a brilliant student. He suggested that they can donated a grand that’s ten thousand
dollars for a wing of department. The Stanford were millionaires ,the president was
fooled by their shabby clothes and simple manners.After this shoddy incident
they decided to open their own private university.
'A suitable Boy " novel has been written by Vikram Seth who was a graduate of this
university.
I visited the chemistry and physics departments home of many nobel laureates . I
witnessed the Iranian students and other activists protesting for re-election in Iran and
for brave woman Nasrin Sotoudeh a human rights lawyer in Iran[ Persia ] who
represented imprisoned Iranian opposition activists and politicians following the disputed
June 2009 Iranian presidential elections as well as prisoners sentenced to death for
crimes committed when they were minors. Her clients included journalist Isa Saharkhiz,
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, and Heshmat Tabarzadi, the head of the
banned opposition group Democratic Front of Iran. Sotoudeh's imprisonment was widely
condemned in the international community. Persia is modern Iran
I was reminded of a brave Persian Queen Esther was the wife of the Persian king
Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), who prevented the extermination of her people by the king's vizier
Haman.
As the story goes the Persian king Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), held a feast for all his
vassals , nobles and chieftains in the grand palace in Shushan The kings and princes
were seated in the great palace hall adorned with blue and white hangings fastened
with silver rings with gold chairs ,wine was served to them in vessels of gold
The king wanted to show his majesty and glory to his guests ,he sent his
chamberlains to bring his Queen Vasti dressed in royal garments with the royal crown
on her head in the palace hall
Queen Vasti was beautiful but arrogant woman she refused to obey and did not come
before the subjects . The king became very angry and banished Queen Vasti from the
palace he sent out a royal decree that all eligible young virgins to brought to Shushan
and King Xerxes will select a new queen
Modecai was a jew who lived with his adopted daughter Esther in Shushan.Esther was
among the selected virgins to be presented before the king , Modecai forbade her to
tell the chamberlains that she was a jew Esther pleased everyone in the palace with her
intelligence and sweet deposition After purification as Persian custom she was
presented before King Xerxes , he was pleased and made her the queen
Modecai use to walk in front of the palace gates to learn about Esther’s well
being one day he heard about a plot to kill King Xerxes he informed the
queen who told King Xerxes ,the plotters were hanged. And Modecai’s name was
written in the chronicles.
As years passed by , the king's vizier Haman became powerful and greedy.He hated
Modecai because he was a jew and plotted to destroy him . He told King Xerxes that
some people were planning a rebellion and ask him for a royal decree that they should
be destroyed.
Modecai stood before the the palace gates weeping and renting his garments ,wearing
only a sackcloth queen Esther was troubled and sent chamberlains to Modecai who
showed the letter . Modecai commanded Esther to come forward and save her
people.Esther was afraid of the kings anger , it was the royal custom when the king
was in the inner court for 30 days no one may go in without permission
The queen requested Modecai and all the jews of the nation to fast and pray for
three days when she prepares to go to the King if he is displeased he may punish her.
QueenEsther dressed in royal garments with the royal crown on her head went in
the inner court of the palace and knelt before the King.
Xerxes was pleased and extended his scepter towards her and asked her “ what is your
petition queen Esther”
“ My lord I request you to come a banquet which I have prepared in your honour”
That day King Xerxes went to the banquet after feasting he again asked her “ what
is your petition queen Esther”
“ My lord I request you to come a banquet which I have prepared in your honour and
bring vizier Haman with you ”
After the banquet the king couldnot sleep he ordered that the royal chronicles to
be read aloud and the incident about Modecai was written down The king realized
that he had not rewarded him. The vizier Haman was overjoyed with the invitation
and was thinking about himself when King Xerxes asked how should a man
who had saved the kings life be rewarded
Haman said he should be dressed in royal robes and seated on the royal horse
and given a land as gift King Xerxes ordered Haman to honour Modecai in the
same manner Haman’s heart was filled with fear
That day in the banquet King asked Esther “ what is your petition queen Esther”
She requested him to not to destroy her people the jews The King was
perplexed and wanted to know about it queen Esther said that this wicked vizier
Haman has plotted against them . Then the king’s rage was kindled and he
orderd that vizier Haman and all his followers and entire family be put to death He
wrote a royal decree that all enemies of the jews should be destroyed.
The Jews established an annual feast, the feast of Purim, in memory of their
deliverance. According to traditional rabbinic dating, this took place about fifty-two years
after the start of the Babylonian Exile.Given the great historical link between Persian and
Jewish history, modern day Persian Jews are called "Esther's Children". A building
known as the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai is located in Hamadan, Iran. Their
deliverance is celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim in Feb or March (the 14th of
Adar in the Jewish calendar), commemorating Esther, who saved the Jews from
destruction in 473 BC during the Persian occupation.The festival includes a complete
reading of the Book of Esther (Old Testament Book ) in the synagogue, during which the
listeners respond with stamping, whistling, and hissing to the names of the evil
characters.
We took the Lufthansa flight via Munich .Heavy traffic somehow we were seated apart
my seat was between two german gentlemen who behaved very correctly throughout
the flight. All three failed to understand why the airhostess did not let us change our
seats. The young man who was seated next to the aisle ,kept making fun of the that
airhostes by mimicking her way of walking and talking obviously he was annoyed
wanted to sit with his friend across the aisle.
Munich we were apgraded to executive class that was a experience of our life. Seats
opened out in form of huge easy chair almost like a vertical bed. The menu was
delicious and we were given toilet pack complete with toothbrush and toothpaste. I read
funny article ''Princess Diana's death "

An English princess with an Eygptian boyfriend travelling in a german car , crashes in a

french tunnel , driven by dutch driver who was drunk on Scottish wisky, followed closely
by Italian paparazi on Japanese driven motorcycles treated by American doctor using
Brazilian medicines and more over posted by an Indian using Korean technology [
Samsung ,LG, Blackberry] that use Taiwanese chips and a Korean screen and
assembled by Bangladesh worker in a Singapore plant most probably transported by
Pakistani lorry drivers This the True Defination of Globalization .
 Chapter 8

NEW YORK

Travelling to New York in the summer of 2010 and landing on The John F.
Kennedy International Airport in daytime gave me a good glimpse of the landmarks
which were pointed out by a copassenger as the continental airlines Boeing jet circled
waiting for clearance to land,I could see the empire state building and the statue of
Liberty standing tall after a 16 hour nonstop flight from Delhi it was a wonderful sight.
It is here I understood the exact meaning of the phrase “ the plane taxied’ , the plane
actually runs on its wheels and goes to the runway and waits almost 15- 20 minutes in
line with about 10 small planes to takeoff, just taxies at traffic junctions.
New York city is breathtaking ,the river Hudson ,the huge bridges crisscrossing it. If your
are in downtown NY all the time you can see the colorful bellies of the various
aeroplanes with their wheels sticking out just ready to land and your ears are full of
drone of their engines.La’Gaurdia airport is just next to the sea all the time you can see
the airplanes landing like beetles playing hopscotch . The Brooklyn Bridge ranks as
one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century and remains one of New York's
most popular and well known landmarks.The impressive bridge spans the East river
between Brooklyn and Manhattan The most noticeable feature of the Brooklyn Bridge
are the The towers with large Gothic arches to which the many cables are attached. We
drove across this bridge several times and admired the NY skyline from the bridge.

We visited New York zoo which has a huge collection of animals , saw the polar with
going to the artic circle . The Indian Rhino a gift from India.

A train which took us around the zoo, saw the butterfly park .

It was Saturday morning when we woke up, unlike Houston New York was cold rather
breezy in july . Mother suggested they should go for sightseeing. We took the
subway to manhattan then walked down Trinity church building at the intersection of
Broadway and Wall Street.Outside, the church's spire soars to a height of 281 feet
(86m) and for many years, it was the highest point in the city. The sandstone face of the
Church is adorned with Gothic spires and pointed arches and the exteriors linear design
gives one the impression that everything is pointing upward towards heaven.

Wall Street. Is the Financial District's most famous symbols is the 'Charging Bull'
Statue (The bull represents a bull market, a constantly rising market). in front of the New
York Stock Exchange we walked through the Wall street past the bronze bull. Many
school children were hanging from its horns ,posing for photographs, offered a prayer
at the twin tower site ,then walked hand in hand to Battery Park is a 25-acre (10 ha)
public park located at the Battery, the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City,
facing New York Harbor. The Battery is named for the artillery batteries that were
positioned there in the city's early years to protect the settlement behind them Together
with Hudson River Park, a system of greenspaces, bikeways and promenades now
extend up the Hudson shoreline. A bikeway might be built through the park that will
connect the Hudson River and East River parts of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway

As we stood in the line for the security check we could see Ellis island and the
beautiful lady with a torch, tickets cost twelve dollars each which included the ferry ride
to the monument they joined the line of tourists for the security check.a hour and half
was spent waiting in the line before they boarded the ferry , we felt like pilgrims to the
promised land , it was an unforgettable trip to the majestic statute of lady liberty . The
statue was designed by a young French sculptor, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, who was
striving to build a statue like the great Colossus that once stood at the Greek island
Rhodes. The statue's face was modeled after his mother,the crown of Lady Liberty,has
seven spikes, symbolizing the Seven Seas across which liberty should be spread. In her
left hand she holds a tablet with the Declaration of Independence and in her right hand a
torch, symbolizing Enlightenment. The Statue of Liberty is 46,5 meters (151ft) tall and
together with the pedestal it reaches a height of 93 meters (305ft).

How long will it be before a casual visitor can spend a day in this city without a thought
of what happened that September morning ? Here and now , it’s impossible not to be
aware .Had I been here that 9/11 morning instead of this day I might have looked over at
the New York skyline and Hudson river, then heard some unusual sounds ,turned my
head to catch my own vision of apocalypse .The thought is inescapable : had I been
here that morning ,I may not have lived . Freedom symbolized by the Lady to my left:
terrorism falling out of the sky above me.Taliban and Al-Kayda became a reality when
the two Boeing crashed into the twin towers of American trade center brought the world
to a stand still with horror which could only be plotted by a sick human mind

So many innocent people lost their lives their hopes and ambitions trampled
[unfortunately I share my birthday 11march with Osama Bin Laden ] New York or New
Amsterdam as history tells us still has a imposing skyline A cruise around the
Manhattan in the car to appreciate the sunbathed glory , subway ride to Coney Island
New York is a cosmopolitan to the true sense.

The Brooklyn Bridge ranks as one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century
and remains one of New York's most popular and well known landmarks.
The impressive bridge spans the East river between Brooklyn and Manhattan I was
visiting NY along with my Mother Mrs Mercy Lal during May –June 2010. We was
staying in the queens with a family friend from Delhi , when walking past , had read
the notice about the Sunday services ,so decided to worship in All Saints Church a
catholic church on 13 june ’10 Sunday. Well on that bright Sunday[10:30 am] service
we were welcomed with open arms I was invited to go to the alter with the
communion wine . When the lady invited me for this honour , she said in my ear , ‘
Will you take the wine’ I almost fainted with shock ,I thought it had something todo
with liquor. She smiled and repeated ,’The communion wine goblet , just follow me’.
As I walked to the alter and place in on the table . I realized that I had an instant
bonding with the congregation of All Saints Church

As the river Ganga comes out of the Himalayas flows down into the Indian ocean
similarly the river Hudson rises in the Adirondack Mountains and flows south, emptying
into a bay of the Atlantic Ocean at New York City. And all the waters of the
oceans of the earth mingle to become one.So was I joined in body and spirit with NY
as I took the communion at the alter
Thankyou Jesus for the wonderful experience and the joy of fellowship when we
sat down for coffee and lunch .We felt blessed as we took our flight back to Delhi
India ,then we took overnight coach to Kanpur city my home which is situated on
the banks of river Ganga . I emailed to pastor Murray and his return email I have
included

*****
Greetings Jyotsna
Thank you for your glowing testimonial about your visit to All Saints. We are truly
delighted that you were able to have fellowship with us while you were here. Our brief
conversation was quite enlightening and enjoyable. As you have witnessed, we are a
very diverse parish and we endeavour to welcome and accommodate all who come
through our doors for the purpose of praising our Lord. Do visit us again whenever you
are in New York and feel free to tell your frients who might be visiting, that they will also
be welcome.
Please convey our warmest regards to your mother. It was a pleasure to have her visit
with us also.We wish you continued success in your teaching profession and hope you
have many more enjoyable trips of your choice in the future.
God's Peace be with you and your mother, Mercy
Pastor Murray ,97-25, Lefferts Boulevard, South Richmond Hill ,New York 11419 1236
allsaints@allsaintsrh.org,
***
A DAY IN HELSINKI, FINLAND
Our return flight to Delhi had been delayed and we were changing flights in
Helsinki capital of Finland , home of Santa Claus who goes around on his sleigh with
reindeers . Santa Claus Village is an amusement park in Rovaniemi in the Lapland
region of Finland.Arctic Circle: The Arctic Circle cuts right through Santa Claus Village. A
white line denoting the Arctic Circle is painted across the park. Visitors officially enter the
Arctic area when they cross the line. Our president Mr Pranab Mukherjee was recently
visiting Santa Claus Village The line is a very popular photo spot for visitors
Nokia, Finland is a town and a municipality on the banks of the Nokianvirta River in the
region of Pirkanmaa, west of Tampere.Finnish Rubber Works Ltd founded set up a
factory in Nokia These two companies and Finnish Cable Works Ltd amalgamated in
forming Nokia Corporation,maufacturer of Nokia mobiles

Helsinki Vantaa airport is 15 km from Raddisson Blue Royal hotel opposite the tram
station, we passed the Olympic stadium and the Mannerheim statute courtsey of the
airport shuttle , so we were put up there and enjoyed a day in Helsinki
Helsinki airport is not very large unlike the other international airports . The
dutyfree shops are few . The only thing I remember were souvenirs’ items of
Maija, a live reindeer that serves as the traffic safety mascot for police in Finland, who
died in an accident over the weekend. Coffee cups , pen holders and soft toys were on
display .The reindeer was struck and killed in Rovaniemi, the official hometown of Santa
Claus in the Lapland region of Finland. Finnish police say this has been one of the worst
years for reindeer accidents in a region that sees up to 4,000 reindeer-related crashes
each year.Maija usually accompanied police officers at public events, promoting road
safety. Her calf, born last spring, will do its mother proud as a road safety mascot in
2015
.
 Chapter 9
OUR MISSION FATHERS

India has a long association with cricket , a gift from the British who left the entire
subcontinent crazy with cricket mania . Unfortunately the subcontinent is divided into
three countries but at heart they are one, equally playing and loving this game. My
father was a cricket lover , never missing any international test matches when they were
played in Green Park stadium in kanpur

As a schoolgirl I got the opportunity to watch the mighty West Indies play against India
on their home turf Kanpur .India had won the prudential world cup snatching it from
them in the semi final 1983 West Indies was out to avenge their defeat Malcom
Marshal who sadly died of cancer collected the first wicket of the opening batsman the
legendary Sunil Gavaskar popularly known as The Little Master .The ball came hurling
down the crease like a bullet bowled from the mighty hands of Marshall , and Sunny
lost his bat which went up in the sky like a rocket and the ball was caught in
the gulley by Joel Garner The whole stadium exploded with thunder the crowd
applauding this game. Vivian Richards and Clive Lyyod looking pleased . I thank my
dear daddy for that experience.

Almost 15 years later I got my chance when India was playing a 5 day test match
against South Africa in Kanpur .I was now the member of Gymn in a 5 star hotel
where both the teams were coming to workout after playing their game in the stadium.
Sunil Gavaskar now retired from first class criket ,serving as an honoury member of the
selection board whose protégé was Sachin Tendulkar ,use to also come to the gymn.
Seeing him there I forgot myself and stepped forward to talk to him .” I watched you
play on this turf against the West Indies when I was a school girl” I gushed .He very
graciously accepted my appreciation and good wishes .

Samuel Higginbottom (October 27, 1874 – June 11, 1958) was an Manchestor England
-born Christian missionary in Allahabad, India, where he founded the Allahabad
Agricultural Institute. Higginbottom was born in Manchester, continued his education at
Amherst College and Princeton University in the United States, receiving a bachelor's
degree from Princeton in 1903 . He was North India Mission of the Presbyterian
Church.His educational programs grew into the founding of Allahabad Agricultural
Institute in 1910. In 2009, Allahabad Agricultural Institute was rechristened as Sam
Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHIATS) in honour of
the founder. While being in India, he developed close friendship with Mahatma Gandhi
and Jawaharlal Nehru Higginbottom died in Frostproof, Florida at the home of his
daughter, Mrs Charles Coates. She spoke about her father in her speech , we joined in
the dinner given in their honour .
My mother is an alumini of this prestigious institution. The university campus is located
at Naini, a satellite neighborhood of Allahabad on the banks of river Yamuna. The
university is spread over an area of 900 acres lush-green campus, which includes 300
acres of research farms. The campus is divided into clusters of constituent schools and
separate blocks for administration. The academic area chiefly comprises the main
building, various departmental annexes and auditoria.2010 was the cenetary year ,
for the celebration .I drove my wagonR to allahabad , taking her with me . Its was
memorable weekend where all old students had gathered , my mother was given a
comfortable room in hotel Alahabad Regency. Here I want to mention that Dr R.B
Lal the Vice Chancellor is an exstudent of Etah christian Boys High School , he was
there when my grandfather Mr Edwin Richards was Housefather of the boys hostel.

I along with my parents had visited Madras renamed Chennai in 1996 , stayed in
Taramani guest house in Indian Institute of Technology Madras Guindy.St. Thomas
Mount is a small hillock located near the neighbourhood of Guindy and very close to
Chennai International Airport.Syrian Christians of India trace the origin of their church to
St. Thomas the Apostle, believed to have attained martyrdom in Chennai.A shrine
dedicated to "Our Lady of Expectation" (Mother Mary) was built in 1523 on top of the
mount. The altar of this shrine was built on the spot where St. Thomas' death has
occured. At the northern foot of the mount, is a gateway of four impressive arches
surmounted by a cross bearing the inscribed date 1547. A flight of 160 steps leads up to
the summit of the mount. There are fourteen stations of the cross erected on the way to
the summit.

Presybterian missionaries walked in the footsteps of St Thomas .the apostle.

Modern Job- Dr. Graham Stuart Staines (1941 – 22 January 1999) was an Australian
Christian missionary who along with his two sons Philip (aged 10) and Timothy (aged 6)
were burnt to death by a gang while sleeping in his station wagon at Manoharpur village
in Keonjhar district in Odisha, India on January 22, 1999. He had been working in
Odisha among the tribal poor and especially with leprosy patients since 1965. Staines
assisted in translating a part of the Bible into the Ho language of India, including
proofreading the entire New Testament manuscript, though his focus was on a ministry
to lepers. He spoke fluent Oriya and was very popular among the patients whom he
used to help after they were cured. He used to teach how to make mats out of rope and
basket from Saboigrass and trees leaves.

His widow Gladys Staines continued to live in India caring for leprosy patients until 2004
before going back to Australia. In 2005 she was awarded the fourth highest civilian
honor in India, Padma Shree, in recognition for her work with leprosy patients in Odisha
In 2003, the Bajrang Dal activist Dara Singh was convicted of leading the gang that
murdered Staines and Singh is now serving life in prison. The Rastriya Swayam Sevak
RSSSand Vishva Hindu Parishad have blamed the doctor of converting dalits .Many
churches in orissa were demolished.. A worker of Bajrang dal a terrosist hindu group
was found guilty and sentenced to death.Sudhindra Sharma in his book ‘South Asia”
[1996] finds the influence of the hindu fundamentalists a negetive factor ,craze for
hindu religious epics that are screened on the indian television Indian hindus have
offered wordhip through the television screens to actors and actresses playing the
different dieties,when the electrical power supply got cut off the watchers went on a riot.
these indian viewers didnot consider the films a cultural entertainment. Indian politicians
run to gurus to seek guidance for political decisions speaks volume of their imprisoned
mindsets. The practice of sat ,widow burning was condoned in Rajasthan in 1998
Regarding the failure of hindus to appreciate Christianity ,we have to remember that
India was a british colony ,they equate Christianity with European colonial expansion
they believed that great famines in India due to britih mismanagement The Spanish and
Portugese spread Christianity with the sword killing thousands .The western
missionaries who couldnot standup to the British dictatorship. It would be useless and
unfair to go in point blank fefutation ,Christians have to bow their heads in shame for
inquisitions ,crusades and failure to live according the bible.
Once I visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Graces near Meerut in uttar pradesh The
Church was built by Begum Samru, a Muslim lady who married a European mercenary
soldier Walter Reinhardt Sombre. Samru converted to Roman Catholicism in 1781 and
adopted the name Joanna Nobilis. Begum Samru inherited the Jagir of Sardhana after
her husband's death in 1778. She is regarded as the only Catholic ruler in India, and
ruled the Principality of Sardhana in 18th and 19th century. The Church is the largest in
North India there is an edifice on her tomb It depicts her with a scroll from Emperor Shah
Alam II bestowing upon her the fiefdom of Sardhana after her husband's death. Also
depicted are her adopted son David Dyce Sombre and her diwan, Rae Singh who was
the great-grandfather of Motilal Nehru, father of Pt Jawaharlal Nehru .

I had to go for an university study visit to the city of Nawabs Lucknow . I drove my car
from Kanpur to Lucknow using the interstate expressway. I spent one month in the
home of Bishop Tony . His wife Mrs Neelam took special care of me.

These visits are like pearls on necklace ,each has its own luminous glow.
 Chapter 10

PORTUGAL IN INDIA

Summer 2011, I was invited to judge a art competition organized by United

Christian fellowship of Kanpur .This event also proved to be my first painting
exhibition .Three paintings were displayed on the wall of the auditorium .I paint on the
biblical themes , the first was on psalm 23 the Lord is my Sheperd , the second
Jesus calls Peter the fisherman to follow him and the third painting about angel
visits Mother Mary .I got the inspiration to paint on biblical themes after I visited Goa with
my parents.

If on earth be a haven of bliss ,it is this it is this –pictureque Goa , nestling in the lap of
nature on the west coast of India ,today presents a happy blend of portugese and Indian
culture My long lasting memories of Goa are miles and miles of golden hued beaches
fringed with palms trees ,endless groves of supari ,cashew and mango trees
intterpersed with paddy fields ,slumbering villages with houses built in portugese style
with slanting roofs ,porticos ,garden seats and alters with huge stone crosses
The whole countryside in all its natural loveliness and serenity ,seems to me like a grand
mosaic of green wooded hills dotted with numerous churches ,chapels ,graveyards full
of graying crosses. Europeans started sailing to the Indian subcontinent in search of
spices and silk and jewels. Christopher Columbus in search of the route to India , found
the West Indies and the continent of America Panaji is the state's capital, while The
historic city of Margao still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, Vasco De
Gama who first landed in the early 16th century as merchant, established the sea
route to India.; and conquered it as the Portuguese overseas territory of Portuguese
India ,the colony existed for about 450 years until it was annexed by India in 1961.
Vasco da Gama is the largest city. is named after him where the railway route connects
Goa to Bombay/ Mumbai Many portugese sailors settled here and married the local
women.
We visited this beautiful place at Christmas , in 1987 boarding the train from Bombay ,
unfortunately there was ethnic problem and the train was cancelled at londa . We were
directed to the bus station, where few buses were plying, in the miling crowd of tourists
we somehow managed to get into a bus which again dumped us at ponda .luckily we
carried a letter to Mrs Mathew ‘sister of Laila wife of Mr Abraham who worked and lived
on the Indian institute of Technology campus a colleague of my mother.
She welcome us in her home since Panaji was inaccessible that night.We celebrated
Christmas with her and two little sons by going to midnight mass in a nearby church.
Next day went to Panjim, which is on the banks of the Mandovi, has a minor port, which
used to handle passenger steamers between Goa and Mumbai . earlier the bridge
across the river had fallen , a ferry would take people , motorbikes ,cars across. We
visited Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim, Goa. Several beautiful
beaches like Calancute and Dona Paula.
One whole day we spent in old Goa , we first visited the Se’ Cathederal with an ancient
cross.The Basilica of Bom Jesus church is located inhere Old Goa, former capital of
Goa in the early days of Portuguese rule.This is one of the oldest churches of baroque
architecturein Goa, as well as in India. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is more than 408
years old and is open to the public everyday. The body of St. Francis Xavier is kept in a
well-decorated silver casket .The floor is of marble inlaid with precious stones. Apart
from the elaborate gilded altars, the interior of the church is simple. The church also
holds paintings of scenes taken from the life of St. Francis Xavier. The mausoleum, on
the top of which is placed the with the body of St. Francis Xavier (1696), was the gift of
the last of the Medicis, Cosimo III, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Italy .The mausoleum
was designed by the 17th-century Florentine sculptor Giovanni Battista Foggini. The
holy relics of the saint are displayed every ten years during the anniversary of the saint's
death.
The spell of Goa is indeed very deep, I left it benid with a sense of regret so much so
driven by nostagia have been compelled to write about this sunny land where colourful
customs and traditions keep pace with modern life.
Summer of 2011 , we again visited California as we both had 10 years visitors
visa multiple entry. My fathers friend Dr Sam Mahtab an alumini of Allahabad
Agriculture College , lives in Fresno we had already visited him in past years but this
was his 75 birthday . He took us to a resort called Chukchansi on the way to Yosemite
national Park. Interesting place with a huge casino ,entry and food was free for
senior citizens .
Uncle Sam has two miniature dogs Mr Mrs Chips they look like toys but are so well
trained , live and play in his garden where he has a swimming pool . Uncle happens
to be my mothers senior too.
.
 Chapter 11

DUBAI .U.A.E 2012

We took the Shatabdi Express from Kanpur to Delhi , we reached twelve noon in the
blistering heat of the month of may. Took an taxi to the airport .

We had eaten a good breakfast on the train , carried some biscuits and dry stuff .
Reached the airport very early , checkin was at 10 in the night . We managed with
the biscuits for lunch and coffee from the stall. My guardian angel was with me. The
security personal instructed us to take our luggage cart with us when we went to rest
room. The restuarent was on the second floor approached by an inclined pathway. I was
managing the cart which was a Herculean task.

My school senior lives in Delhi , I called him and she gave the phone number of Mr
Amit Kaushik who works in Air India office on the airport . I called him and he sent
sandwiches , patties and coke for us in lounge.

Dr Magd Bakr was there in Dubai on break from Saudi Arabia she is medium tall
with brown hair wears a hijab called burkha in India .A lady eye surgeon who came to
study under Dr Mehmood Rehmani an eminent eye specialist of kanpur, I’m a gym
enthusiast and was a member of the health club of the hotel Landmark for almost
ten years , she had been staying there while she was doing her course. I bonded
instantly with her had been working in the gulf therefore loved mughal art .I gave
her my painting of Ruth and Noami . She sent me a photograph of her drawing room
where the painting is displayed.

I sometimes fly to USA by Air Emirates s , decided to break journey for some
sight seeing. Dubai airport has a magnificient welcome area . In most terminals
there are huge posters of the bollywood superstar Salman Khan and his NGO
‘Being Human’ .Amid the sands of the desert , Dubai an exotic city offering the
visitor a fascinating kaleidoscope of contrasts a blend of distinct modern and timeless
desert. I had expected to see only Bedouin arabs and camels.Dubai skyline is
decorated with skyscrapers ,prominent are the towers Burj Al Arab and Burj Al
Khalifa. The downtown , Unique Palm jumerah is a manmade island extends into the
Persian gulf. We were put up in hotel Al-karama in Bur Dubai ,that evening was
booked for dinner on Dhow cruise in the Dubai marina . A chauffer driven car came to
collect us that evening, lined by dhows the creek offered a picturesque glimpse of
the trading heritage,there were water taxi ‘abra’ for crossing the creek.I was wearing
my favourite blue chiffon frock . Mom wore a silk sari . Back in India , I had gone to
Habib’s hair saloon now my black tresses were highlighted with blonde streaks . I was
wearing silver jewellery.My eyes are black, I guess I looked like a spanish or Mexican
lass
This was my first time in Dubai naturally I was excited sitting on the deck
looking out in the gulf ,the golden lights of the marine drive. Most guests were
with their children or visiting spouses. The evening was exquisite , the breeze
flowing in from the Arabian sea , the music ,the food and there was dance floor
complete with a DJ inside the dhow. Many couples decided to shake a leg to the
music after dinner.

We were lucky to have Many Europeans as our dinner partners ,they were courteous
and intelligent. Evening ended on a perfect note.The next evening I was going
on desert safari , daytime I was going for guided Dubai tour. We parted after
dinner both going different ways I went back to Al-Karama . Majd was catching a flight
to Jeddah city the next evening so we decided to meet in Jeddah in future put
up a painting exhibition .
The tourist guide took us in an airconditioned bus around the modern Dubai, Jumeria
Mosque and Beach , Al –Fahidi fort houses a museum. One of Dubai greatest
attractionfor visitors its superb shopping,being an open port with low port duties, it
boasts of the world’s largest retail gold markets or gold souk contrast are the narrow
lanes of the spice souk ,redolent with cloves,cardmom,dry fruits,incense imported from
all over the middle east.
That afternoon we went to the Dubai mall ,a unique shopping place with food and
beverage courts,department stores with all major fashion brands dedicated to haute
couture.
The mall promenade opens onto the Burj Al Khalifa spectacular musical fountain set on
the Burj Al Khalifa lake. There is aquarium with a walk through tunnel Olympic size ice
rink .
We wandered around the mall , watched the dolphins perform and skated on the ice rink
.
Lunch was fun ,we ate mutton pulao which is actually meat and rice cooked in a
delicious way. I’m is a real glutton , love Zarda ,a desert made from rice with dry
fruits.
I had eaten these dishes in India , as our family friend Mrs Tahsin Hashmi is an
excellent cook.
Evening again the chauffer came to collect us for the desert safari . Desert safari has
its own charm with the camel rides and sand scooters .The entire evening I was very
lonely , missing Majd who was both funny and intelligent companion who must be
boarding her flight when I was watching the Belly dancers .
I came back tired , just went to sleep ,in few hours we had to catch a flight . The phone
rang it was the airport escort service giving their first wakeup call. I brushed my teeth
,combed my hair and checked out of my hotel room wearing the pink satin dress of the
previous evening. I was really tired , and went off to sleep as soon as the plane took
off.
I want to mention that the actor Sharukh Khan has huge bunglow in Palm island.
He has acted as wells produced the movie “ Happy New Year’ shot in the hotel Atlantis
and Dubai Mall
Painting is my hobby what pleasure it gives to paint the the biblical
heroines . From childhood I loved drawing and painting ,I was encouraged by parents
who provided me with painting tools and paper, some of my oil paintings adorn the walls
of our tiny cottage.
Now I paint on cloth with fabric colors ,since this canvas can be easily folded and
stored.
Ruth the epitome of a perfect daughter in law ,she followed her Naomi to Bethlehem
Israel , leaving her birthplace the land of Moab somewhere in modern Syria . Naomi
wept all day and lamented for her dead husband and two sons .Ruth worked as laborer
in the wheat fields to earn her livelihood,she did it without grumbling even though she
had never done this work .Boaz was the rich relative of Naomi who helped the poor
damsel. Ruth interacted with Boaz as her mother in law instructed her. Naomi
married Ruth to him eventually .
I always think of Ruth’s pure character , obedience to her mother in law , strong
decisive nature , confidence in herself , ready to face the unknown among
strangers , something we should uphold is her faith in Jehovah

United Arab Emirates includes Bahrain whose capital is Muscat in the vicinity of this city
is the tomb of Prophet Job whose steadfast faith in Jehovah is commendable . he was
tested by satan ,lost his children ,his wife ,wealth and health .job continued to praise
Jehovah never uttered a word against him. He’s an epitome of faith , who never faltered.
***
HOUSTON 2012

Pastor Tom Punnoose had gone on a prayer ministry of forty days around USA in
2006 , his wife Elisabeth had accompanied him . He has written a book narrating his
day to day experiences. The book has been awarded in Canada
He came to Christ Church College and interacted with the students, I invited him for tea
in Landmark hotel , that evening he met mother and presented us with a copy of his
book.
He invited us to his home in Houston ,Texas .It was God’s plan that we both went
to USA in the summer of 2012 enroute Dubai
We had the opportunity to go to Joel Ostein peoples church ,which is actually a
huge stadium we saw and heard him giving the sermon. Live.
Pastor Tom told us that he wanted to translate his book in hindi , my mother promised to
translate his book.’’ America for Christ ‘’
We spent ten days with his family , they are from kerala so eat dosa ,idli and curd
rice I made north indian food like potato, eggplant ,pumkin sabzi and rolled wheat
chapatti, baked chocolate cakes .My mother made butter chicken. One day we made
puree [small round chappati deep fried in oil] .I enjoyed baking in their large oven. In
USA few people bake cakes as there are many baked delicacies available like muffins
and brownies.
We came back from Houston after I attended the 8th international conference on
science and technology I was invited to chair a session.

Ferry is an awesome experience. There are around 4-5 Ferries on the waters which
carry people 24 hours. You can take your car along with you to the other side.. You can
also find dolphins in the wild during your ferry trip. The waters are relatively clean. The
ferry trips are free of charge. You can also fish on the other side if you have a fishing
license. Overall a great experience watching dolphins, seagulls and other birds. We had
an opportunity to watch a cruise from a very close distance. It was an awesome
experience.The ferry ride ,itself not too long, not too short. There was a nice cool
breeze, or you could just stay in your car and listen to the radio. However, the wait
sucked! We waited two hours in line to get across. Originally we had turned off a side
street and got in line further up, but the police came up and said we had cut in line
(which we didn't understand), and made us move to the back, almost at the seawall! As
we sat there we saw all the signs along the way and finally understood why he made us
move. In retrospect, I just thank god he didn't give us a $500 ticket for not knowing the
routiner.We had a great time on the ferry.The Port Bolivar Ferry is definitely one of the
most efficient well organized ferry systems I have ever been on. Even in the off season
they keep plenty of ferries running to handle demand, and the wait is agreeably short for
a boarding spot. Boarding is quick and painless and the deck staff are both friendly and
clear in their instructions. There is an air conditioned seating lounge with restrooms on
the second deck if the weather

It was only a 15 minute ride across the bay to the Bolivar peninsula unfortunately, but
it's was still enough for me to get several excellent pictures, and to enjoy the wind in my
hair, and the smell of salt on the air. There were several different variety of sea birds
from pelicans to the ubiquitous sea gull. I also spotted several dolphins as well. The
freighter traffic coming in to the harbor is also something to behold. This is a busy busy
harbor and there is always something interesting to watch.We were a bit scared bc a
man had gotten out of his car and had bread and hundreds of seagulls were hungry
flying over everyone and we didn't want to get pooped on lol but took our pics and had a
great time for freeIf you love the ocean like I do, or if you have children this is a great
little side trip to make while in Galveston or Houston.
 In july it was very warm and humid , inspite of the weather conditions mother began
translating the book , everyday she did about 20 pages. By end of august she had
translated it . I had started giving the translation everyday to a local typist ,so he began
typing and saving on his computer. My mother wanted to check and then hand it to the
typist. I advised her to recheck the mistakes on the computer page by page , writing
down the mistakes by doting down the page numbers.
She was appalled by the typing errors and I laughed because I had a previous
experience with my research papers. Anway rechecking the book was time consuming
and hindu festival Dusherra arrived . the typist went off to his village . He cams back in
October end , then corrected the manuscript . Mother sat down at the computer for
second rechecking . this time less mistakes . then came the festival of diwali the typist
went off to his village.He came back in November and the final typing was ,the
manuscript was ready.

Pastor Tom kept emailing me during these months ,asking about the progress,he did not
believe when I told him that the translation is complete and the manuscript has been
typed.He had waited two years for this task to be accomplished.

25 November I converted the manuscript which was in wordfile to pdf format and
emailed it to pastor Tom . My mother developed severe shoulder pain, I took her to the
Orthopedic Doctor , he gave her a pain killer.on 1December she developed Herpes on
her right hand. Herpes is an ailment of the nerves of the legjoints ,fingertips ,neckand
shoulder joint. The patient suffers with burning pain in that portion, my mother developed
black blisters on the palm of her hand.
She was unable to sleep for many days ,she couldnot bend her arm or move her hand
due to the burning pain. I had to feed her, bathe her, clothe her for almost three months
We did not celebrate Christmas that year. New year 2013 dawned with poor
prospects.We visited two skin specialist for the blisters ,but luckily she did not take their
prescribed medicines. Many people prayed for her ,pastor Tom would call from Houston
and pray . He called her ‘super mom’. Our pastor Xavier came often to visit and
encourage her March I searched the net and read about herpes. I came to understand
that it is related to nerves uptil now we thought she has an allergy to the painkiller taken
in December.
“ A christian Family ” What does the word ‘christian’ mean ? literally it means the
followers of Christ , nut spiritually it means one puts Jesus before all, whose ideal is
Jesus .One whose’s the shadow of Jesus Now the world ‘Family’ is a collective noun
,usually meaning a group of people of assorted ages living together . If we go in deeply it
arises out of the word ‘familiar’ which means to know intimately or to be closely
acquainted with . therefore, it is not just a just a group of people ,a group of total
strangers. It is something more than that, these people know each other, not casually
but are familiar with each others habits, nature and behaviour.Then a group of people of
same ideas and thoughts make a family. A group of young friends make a family . No ! A
family must have a mother and children and father figure.but it does’nt mean where
there is a father ,a mother and some children ,a family comes into being .Yes ! These
three types of people do make a family but only when there is some relationship
between them and some kind of bond , bond of love and respect.You will say ‘don;t
friends have the same feeling for each other and same bond among them A family is
united by love it is encircled with care and concernThe family is a tree which canopies
and protects the little birds nestling in its branches providing shade from the sun , relief
from rain and also food to eat .Yes parents are benefactors and protectors while the
children are propogators of the race like the little birds who kill parasitic insects and help
in the dispersal of seeds .Now we have defined the words ‘christian and ‘family ‘
individually .let us now put them together and see what they become christian family
meaning a family of believers who put the will of god before everything . But this little
group of believers is different ,it has its unique features and characteristics.This little
group is a battalion of soldiers who move towards the same target ,following rigidly the
orders of their commander. These are no ordinary soldeirs who are marching in time to
kill and conquer but a battalion of peace corps who rush to a battle field to wave the flag
of truce ,who fight to stop war ,who save flood victims and crying humanity .A christian
family is like a boat riding the high seas the family is the crew and captain is God ,he
is the one in charge who stands at the steering wheel and sts the direction and the
course He is loved and feared and respected The crew lookup to him and obey him
even the boat is storm ridden and there is little hope for survival .they work in
cooperation and never doubt his judgement This ship is not a galleon of pirates a looter
but has room for shipwrecked people and stowaways.In a nutshell a portion of kingdom
of heaven where God rules.

Here I would like to mention two well known bollywood Christians .

Vijay Benedict made his debut as a playback singer for famous actor Mithun
Chakraborty in the movie ‘Disco dancer’ ,Kishore Kumar had refused to sing for Mithun
as he had married Yogita Bali his third wife who had left him within few days of their
marriage. Benedict became Mithun’s voice after a successful carreer , he became a
gospel singer according to him . he realized that money and fame cannot give eternal
peace, he gave up bollywood singing after his brother was murdered in Germany .
The second person is brother ' Johnny Lever,' an Indian film actor and one of the
most noted comedians in Hindi cinema, has received thirteen Filmfare Awards
nominations in Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role, and has won the
award twice, for his works in Deewana Mastana (1997), and Dulhe Raja (1998). He
began his career in 1984, and has acted in more than three hundred Bollywood
films.Johnny Lever is practicing Christian. When asked about his transition, Lever
replied: ''It was God's will. I had always been a religious person, but one incident
changed my life. My son was diagnosed with cancer. I was helpless and turned to God
for help. I stopped working in films and spent all my time praying for him. Ten days later,
when he was taken for a test, the doctors were surprised because the cancer had
vanished. It was the beginning of a new life for me.'' He is a brilliant actor and
standup comedian. He came to our city of Kanpur on the silver anniversary of
Assembly of Believers church, venue was Christ Church College Hockey field where
a huge podium with 10,000 chairs were arranged.
 Chapter 12

SINGAPORE & MALAYSIA 2013

March ,I took her to a renowned neurosurgeon ,who at once prescribed her medicine for
the nerves.Within a week , there was improvement she began bending her arm ,pain
was gone ,but she developed swelling on her ankles . I stopped the medicine and told
her to relax ,try to eat and sleep .
Slowly by end of april she began doing her work like bathing on her own and eatng . I
still helped her to dress.
I booked a tour for two of us , my mother said ,’I cannot travel ‘ I said we must
celebrate that we both are alive , maybe in future we willnot be able togo anywhere .
some mishap may occur with me ,then all the things willend .
With jesus name we proceeded to delhi where one our family friends received us at the
station dropped us at the guest house and boarded the flight for Kaula Lampur ,
Malaysia Kaula Lampur airport has a small museum and small indoor garden with a pool
full of gold fish , near this garden is children activity stall where they can play crayons
and toys.
The flight reached late night around ten .we were received by the tour attendant , taxi
driven by a Christian man took past the beautifully lit Petronas Twin Towers and
skyscrapers of the city to our hotel where Rohan our tour manager was waiting for us.
We were served a delicious dinner and given electronic room keys.
The next day we went on a city tour Kuala Lumpur Inner Ring Road is an urban and
municipal ring road system consisting Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Imbi, St Mary's Church
is near Sultan Abdul Samad Building,Selangor Club.,Kuala Lumpur City Library,Kuala
Lumpur's heart of shopping complexes, the Golden Triangle is located within the ring
road.Menara Telekom, Menara Maybank, Dayabumi Complex, and the Islamic Centre.
Some buildings such as the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia and National Planetarium
have been built to masquerade as a place of worship, complete with dome and minaret,
when in fact it is a place of science and knowledge. The 452-metre tall Petronas Twin
Towers are the tallest twin buildings in the world. They were designed to resemble
motifs found in Islamic art.. Buildings with all-glass shells exist throughout the city, with
the most prominent examples being the Petronas Twin Towers and Kuala Lumpur
Convention Centre.
The tour guide up the menara Maybank observation tower ofcourse it reminds you of
Kutub Minar our ancient indian tower , we could get a clear view of Petronas twin tower
and panormic view of Kuala Lumpur's skyline .

Early morning the third day our group left for Genting, is a hill resort in Malaysia.The
hill resort is at an average elevation of 1,740 metres (5,710 ft) within the Titiwangsa
Mountains on the border between the states of Pahang and Selangor of Malaysia. It is
accessible by car from Kuala Lumpur in one hour, or also accessible by a cable car
called Genting Skyway (3.38 kilometres (2.10 mi)[1] which at its opening used to be the
world's fastest and South East Asia's longest gondola lift. The bus took our luggage
while the rest of us went in the skyway .

Genting is well managed resort with many lift taking you to the residential area ,the room
had comfortable beds, food was served in the banquet zone. Sumputious indian cusine
was laid out very day similary thai, japanese and chinese for other visitors.

Indoor Theme Park Rides[Children Rides[was the. Carousel. Junior Bumper Car, Ride
de Paris, Busy Bugs , Circus Ride and Funland while Family Rides was Mini Train,.
Reindeer Cruise,. Monorail, Venice Gondola,. Rio Float Thrill Rides was. Euro Express,.
Adult Bumper Car,. 4D Motion Master.
I enjoyed most of the rides , the air high up the Genting hill was cold and misty.

A PRAYER FOR THE WOMEN OF ASIA

King David had three queens , the daughter of king Saul Michal, when David was
soldier she had fallen in love with him , Saul had been pleased and had given her in
marriage to David .The second queen beautiful Abhigail David was returning from battle
had requested food from Nabal a rich farmer who had a thousand sheep. Nabal a
churlish arrogant man refused to help David , but his wife Abhigail went with food
loaded on asses ,did obeisance to him . That night Nabal died .Later David married the
widow of Nabal.
The third queen Bathsheba It was the time when Kings go for battle leading
their , but King David the Goliath’s slayer sent his army and all his servants to
besiege the city of Rabbah while He himself stayed back in Jerusalem and
enjoyed the pleasures that wealth can give leisure, wine, women . One evening
when he was walking on the palace terrace .The magestic palace had huge
paraphets from one could see far out at the hills and the approaching
armies and look down into the homes of his subjects King David saw
Bathsheba the beautiful wife of one of the captain of the jewish army Uriah
the Hittite and desired her . She was washing herself in the courtyard of her
poor house .
King David had an extramarital affair with his captain Uriah the Hittite’s wife
Bathsheba and a child was conceived . King David in order to cover up this
affair , sent his captain Uriah the Hittite to the forefront of the battle and had him
killed . He ordered his army to continue fighting while He himself stayed
back in Jerusalem . As soon as the time of mourning was over, David married
Bathsheba. [From Bible II Samuel]
Abraham sent Hagar away with her son Ishmail into the wilderness because
Sarah was unhappy [Genesis 21]
Rahab the harlot hid the two jewish spies and she with her household was not killed
[Joshua 2]
God heard the cry of these Old testament women, delivered and blessed them
There hundreds of muslim women like Michal whose husbands practice polygamy and
millions of Abhigails who have violent drunkard wastrels husbands. A million
Bathshebas’ who are exploited everywhere by corrupt officials in all asian countries.
Jehovah our Saviour save the women of asia
**
SINGAPORE
Straight from Genting Resorts , Malaysia to Singapore we went by bus crossing the
customs and security check, our luggage was also examined. After a long drive ,we
relaxed at the Sentosa hotel in the sentosa islands , our room was facing the sea , I
could see large ships in harbour. Evening we went to the seaside open-air theatre ,
witness ‘The Songs of the Sea’ a 3D sound and light show, features pyrotechnics
displays, water jets, laser show and flame bursts, a live cast.
We had to take the Sentosa Express monorail, , again I noticed young men and girls
managing everything at the station. To go to the station there were escalators , mummy
a senior citizen took the lift meant for her.

Next day was a city tour of the island and museum . Singapore as the name suggests
has a huge lion’s head fountain at the marina opposite Marine Bay Sands hotel and
resort worlds most expensive restuarent .We walked across a bridge to the marina
square .near the Merlion Statue fountain where We stood there clicking photographs
and watching the barges going up and down the river.

Sentosa can be reached from the Singapore mainland via a short causeway or Cable
Car, which originates from Mount Faber and passes through HarbourFront en route to its
final destination. We took a ride in the cable car enjoying the scene of the singapore
harbour ,marina square and Next day was spent in Universal studios a theme park
before entering the gates we visited ‘underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon’ an
oceanarium located on the western part of Sentosa.

Universal Studios Singapore Resorts World Sentosa. There are a total of 24 attractions,
of which 18 are original or specially adapted for the park. The park consists of seven
themed zones which surround a lagoon. Each zone is based on a blockbuster movie or
a television show, featuring their own unique attractions, character appearances, dining
and shopping areas. The park features the world's tallest pair of dueling roller coasters
that are based on the popular television series, Battlestar Galactica; a castle from the
world of Shrek , Far Far Away kingdom , we saw a 4 D movie Shrek , enjoyed
Monster Rock, a live musical show featuring the Universal Monsters. The Madagascar
zone features a displaced cargo ship that houses the Madagascar: A Crate Adventure
ride. features all of the characters from animation movie Madagascar

The Lost World zone features two themed regions: Jurassic Park and Waterworld we sat
in viewing gallery with about 500 people to see a live cast perform a scene of the
movie waterworld .

We were provided lunch coupons ,we proceeded to the Ancient Egypt zone is themed
after the rich Egyptian architecture and artifacts found during the Golden Age of
Egyptian Exploration in the 1930s. Huge statutes of the jackal god are placed at the
door of the café. Egyptian god Wepwawet is depicted as a man with the head of a wolf
or a jackal. with grey, or white fur, reflecting his lupine origins, dressed as a soldier, as
well as carrying other military equipment—a mace and a bow. Two young handsome
men dressed like Egyptian temple guards were walking on sitles were behaving like
jackals ,sniffing the girls ,snarling and showing their claws. Trying to frighten the girls
with their lupine activity .

It was evening when we gathered near the huge logo a globe with universal
studio written on it. The area was beautiful lighted with musical chimes and chinese
laterns. Return flight to Delhi was from Changi airport which has been voted the
worlds airport , it has a green wall vertical garden with 10,000 tropical plants
extending upto five storeys a roofetop swimming pool in terminal one food court spa ,
something worth seeing is the A unique moving sculpture called the kinetic rain .

There I was thinking about the old Testament ,according to the Book of Exodus, Moses
was born in a time when his people, the Children of Israel, were increasing in numbers
and the Egyptian Pharaoh was worried that they might ally with Egypt's enemies. Moses'
Hebrew mother, Jochebed, secretly hid him when the Pharaoh ordered all newborn
Hebrew boys to be killed upon the circulating prophecy among Egyptian priests of a
messianic deliverer among the Hebrew slaves. Through the Pharaoh's sister Queen
Bithia, the child was adopted as a foundling from the Nile river and grew up with the
Egyptian royal family. After killing an Egyptian slavemaster, Moses fled across the Red
Sea to Midian, where he encountered the God of Israel speaking to him from within a
"burning bush".

God sent Moses back to Egypt to demand the release of the Israelites from slavery.
Moses said that he could not speak with assurance or eloquence, so God allowed
Aaron, his brother, to become his spokesperson. After the Ten Plagues, Moses led the
Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, after which they based
themselves at Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments. After 40
years of wandering in the desert, Moses died within sight of the Promised Land.
 CHAPTER 12

HOLY LAND

Let me take you on a trip to the Holy land .You can call it on a pilgrimage . I have
described most of the international airports ,Indira Gandhi international Airport Delhi
has four elephants at its welcome area and the Sun God sculpture in T3 Area,the
shopping area after the security check is unique with childrens funland, Macdonalds ,
relaxing couches , SPA. Everthing is beautifully lighted and decorated. I met one of
my students when I was there. He works in an airline as ground staff. Before
proceeding let me give you the hair story ,which ever part of world you go hair
style reflect the culture and religion. Sikhs men never cut their hair but cover them with
turban. Chinese men grow their hair make pigtails and ponytails . Payot are worn by
some men and boys in the Orthodox Jewish community based on an interpretation of
the Biblical injunction against shaving the "corners" of one's head.
Sheitel the Yiddish word for a wig or half-wig worn by some Orthodox Jewish married
women in order to conform with the requirement of Jewish Law to cover their hair. This
practice is part of the modesty-related dress standard called tzniut. In 2004, there was a
degree of controversy over natural hair sheitels procured from India. It was discovered
that the hair used for the production of these wigs was taken from a Hindu temple.
According to Halacha one cannot derive benefit from anything used in what Judaism
considers to be idolatry. The controversy ceased when it became clear that the hair was
neither worshiped nor offered as a sacrifice to the deity, but shaven as a rite of
purification, thus excluding it from the category of forbidden items

All around you can see Chassidic Jewish men, wearing the same black velvet Kippa, the
exact same dark wool jacket and pants and business shirt, the same reddish beard and
rimless glasses.Lubavitch jewish Hasidim men wear a fedora ,trilby which looks like a
black hat .Jews men from Poland, Belarus and Ukraine, wear dashikl was a peaked
cap
The tallit is a Jewish prayer shawl worn while reciting morning prayers as well as in the
synagogue on Sabbath and holidays. The tallit has special twined and knotted fringes
known as tzitzit fringes or tassels attached to its four corners., a blue thread known as
tekhelet is supposed to be included in the tzitzit. A kippah or kappel or "skull cap" is a
thin, slightly-rounded skullcap traditionally worn at all times by observant Jewish men

We had to take a flight from Delhi to Jordan airport. Queen Alia International is
Jordan's largest airport and is located in Zizya south of the capital city, Amman. Named
after Queen Alia, third wife to the late King Hussein of Jordan, the airport is home to the
country's national flag carrier, Royal Jordanian Airlines .

We relaxed a day in Jordan shed the jetlag , then transferd from our hotel in Amman to
Allenby Bridge, crossed the border by shuttle bus, met the Israeli shuttle bus at the
Israeli side and drive to Bethlehem. On all the holy sites, there are churches and
mosques .The first holy destination is the Church of the Nativity , Inside the Church,
two sets of stairs on either side of the altar lead down into the Grotto, the site where
Jesus was born. A silver star embedded in white marble and bearing the Latin inscription
“Here of the Virgin Mary Christ was born” marks the site.

Inside the ancient Church of the Nativity, we can really touch the very place where
Jesus was born. Built by St. Helena already in the 4th century, it has been an active
church and never destroyed ever since! Here St. Heronymus wrote the first Latin
translation of the Bible – the "Volgata outside ,the birth place of our saviour There is a
vast esplanade between the Mosque of Omar and the Church of the Nativity constitutes
the tourist centre of Bethlehem and is known as The Manger Square

The next drive is to Milk Grotto.According to tradition, the Milk Grotto [cave] is where
Mother Mary nursed baby Jesus while hiding there from Herod’s soldiers before going to
Egypt. Located southeast of the Basilica, it is an irregular Grotto hewn out of soft white
rock. It is believed that some drops of Mary’s milk trickled, turning the rock white.
Revered by Christians and Muslims alike, the milk-white rock is famous for its healing
powers and reputed ability of making nursing easier for women. Packets of white salt are
obtained.

We were taken to Shepherds Field It is located in the town of Beit Sahour 2km east of
Bethlehem. This is the site where the angel of the Lord appeared before the shepherds
bringing them the good tidings of the birth of Jesus, joined with a multitude of heavenly
hosts, who sang ” Glory to God In the Highest and on Earth, Peace among men. We all
sang the famous christmas carol,’Hark the herald angels sing ! Glory to the new born
king !

We boarded a bus belonging to Israel tourism , traveling 5 hours which reached

Jerusalem , this was Day Three: Tour of Jerusalem. Highlights: city walls and gates,
Holy Sepulchre, Dome of the Rock, Mount of Olives, Via Dolorosa.On all the holy sites,
there are churches and mosques

Located at the foot of the Mt. of Olives, is the Garden of Gethsemane where stands
the Church of All Nations . The Mt.of Olives is located east of Jerusalem, across the
Kidron Valley. From here you can get a magnificent view of the Old City and a striking
panorama as far as the Dead Sea and the mountains of Moabin the East The Mt. of
Olives is associated with some of the most important events Jesus’ life. Here, Jesus
ascended to Heaven (Chapel of Ascension), foretold the destruction of Jerusalem,
taught his disciples the Lord’s prayer (Pater Noster), and wept over Jerusalem on his
way to the Holy City on Palm Sunday (Church of Dominus Flevit).

The Dome of the Rock is a mosque located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of
Jerusalem. It has been called 'Jerusalem's most recognizable landmark'.

A visit to the holy city or wall city There are three gates in the north wall: Damascus
Gate, New gate, and Herod’s Gate. The most beautiful gate is Damascus Gate in the
north wall, where the Arab bazaar and marketplace begins. On the west, the citadel,
commonly called theTowerofDavid, built on the site of Herod’s palace flanks Jaffa Gate
On the southwest corner is Zion Gate, Mosque of David (Daoud in Arabic). This gate is
near David’s Tomb, the Cenacle, and the Church of Dormition. On the east end of the
wall is Lions Gate, which is also known as St. Stephen’s Gate It is the reputed site of
stoning of St. Stephen (the first martyr). he gate marks the start of the Via Dolorosa.

Via Dolorosa, The Sorrowful Way of the Cross, is considered the holiest road in the
Christian world. Along the road’s uneven path, Jesus was led from the place of His
condemnation to that of His crucifixion and death. About 10 years after the crucifixion, a
third wall was built that enclosed the area of the execution and burial within the city, and
this accounts for the Holy Sepulchre's location inside the Old City of Jerusalem today.

This traditional route starts from Antonia fortress, where he was condemned to death,
toCalvary, where he was crucified. The event is commemorated at fourteen stations: two
are located at Antonia, seven are located in the streets, and the last five are inside the
church of the Holy Sepulchre.

StationI. Jesus is condemned to death.Station II Jesus receives the cross.Station

III. Jesus falls under the cross for the first time.Station IV. Jesus meets His mother
Mary.Station V. The cross is taken over by Simon of Cyrene.Station VI.Veronica wipes
the sweat from Jesus’ face.Station VII. Jesus falls for the second time.Station
VIII. Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem.Station IX. Jesus falls for the third
time.Station X.Jesus is stripped of His garments.Station XI.Jesus is nailed to the
cross.Station XII.Jesus dies on the cross.Station XIII.Jesus’s body is taken off the
cross.Station XIV.Jesus’s body is laid into the sepulchre.

Here many pilgrims rent a huge wooden cross to carry on their shoulders walk that holy
path and pray for their salvation.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre preserves the most holy moments of the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, this church is the world’s holiest shrine to Christians.
Situated in the Old City’s Christian Quarter, the church was first built in the fourth
century byConstantine’s Mother Helena over the site of a Roman Pagan temple. The
present structure is Crusader (12th century) and contains the last five Stations of the
Cross. It also, contains the Chapel of Golgotha where Jesus was crucified, the sepulcher
itself where Jesus was buried and from which he rose, and the Chapel of Mary
Magdalene where the risen Christ first revealed himself The site of the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is identified as the place both of the crucifixion and the
tomb of Jesus of Nazareth. Here we knelt and prayered before the huge white stone of
the rock cut grave The church has long been a major pilgrimage center for Christians all
around the world.According to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified at Golgotha,
"the place of the skull" (Matt. 27:33–35; Mark 15:22–25; John 19:17–24). This has been
identified as an area of abandoned stone quarries just outside the city wall of the time..
Israel has two lakes. The one up in the North is the Kinneret, also known as the sea of
Galilee, because it is up in the area called the Galilee. From this lake comes most of the
water in the tiny state. The ancient city of Tiberias, located on its shores, is today a
flourishing city. Here the delicious St. Peter's fish is caught by the local fishermen and
prized as a delicacy. Our group was served this fish at lunch .

From the Kinneret, the water is purified and pumped into large pipelines that bring the
life-giving water to the towns and cities all over the country. From the Kinneret, the
Jordan river winds it's way down to the Dead Sea. It is much smaller now than in the
times of the Bible, but still enough to give life and green to the plants all along it's path.

The second of Israel's lakes is the Dead Sea. The dead sea is an area of desolation.
Even though the sweet waters of the Jordan flow into it, yet the salty mineral water is too
heavy to be diluted. No plants grow around the banks of the dead sea, and no fish or
plant life exist in the heavily salty waters. The salt concentrate is not like that of the
average oceans of the world. It is so great that when a bather walks into the water, at a
point approximately at his chest, the dense water lifts him up and he will float. Indeed no
one is able to swim in the water. The salt and mineral content is so great that it burns the
eyes and any open wound. After being in the water, a bather must wash to cleanse
himself from the salt and mineral residue.

What a contrast! Compare the life-giving water of the Kinneret in the North to the deathly
parched area around the Dead Sea.

This is similar to two basic types of people: There is the giver, the person who gives
generously whether of his time or his money. And there is the taker, the person who only
takes, and any giving on his part is only in his own self interest, to promote more taking.
The giver, gives, and life grows around him. The taker only takes and death is around
him, nothing sprouts.

Yes, there are contributory rivers that flow into the Kinneret, but their waters are not kept
there, but distributed to other needy sources. The giver is the sustainer of life.

The Dead Sea is located in the lowest part of Israel and one of the lowest parts of the
world. The Dead Sea keeps all of it's water to itself. Similarly, the taker, only takes and
keeps it only for himself. No one else benefits from him. Nothing is lower that this.

Even from the geography of the Holy Land of Israel, we learn deep lessons on how to
conduct our lives. Let's be a giver. Let's concern ourselves with the other person.
Remember, even smiling at the next person is an act of giving. Let's go beyond our
needs and see what we can do to help the next person.

Our group took a boat ride around the sea of Galilee , waved the flag of India and
sang,’Guide me ,O’ thou great Jehovah , Pilgrim through this barren land, I am weak
but though art mighty, hold me with thy powerful hand , Bread of Heaven , Bread of
Heaven ,Feed me till want nomore , Feed me till want nomore When I tread the
verge of Jordan , Bid my anxious fears subside ,Death of Death and hells destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side , Songs of praises , Songs of praises ,I will ever give to
thee, I will ever give to thee.

MY THOUGHTS AND FUTURE PLAN OF ACTION

Clothes cover our body and reveal our soul. They enhance one trait, embellish another,
camouflage a third, and even tailor us a whole new identity. They are our filter and
mirror, our badge and disguise, our defense against the world and the part of ourselves
most susceptible to its influence.

From a Jew's skullcap to a soldier's uniform , from social butterfly’s versace long
black gown to a poor bride's trousseau, there should only the three garments of the
soul (thought, speech and action).

This incident I have to share with my readers , in our absence our house was broken in
and many things of value were stolen. We came back and most the year was spent
running to the police station and the insurance company.

The man who we had trusted with our house ,he had been helped in many ways by my
mother. She had given him our old refrigerator in working condition and mobile phones
and also helped him with money . His son was responsible for the theft , but he was not
caught , as our police is very corrupt.

Once again , I saw Satan at work to break our faith, our confidence, trying to to make
me that I ‘m alone weak without friends and relatives.

Ephesians 6 : 10-20 The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s
schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may
be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate
of righteousness in place,
15 And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In
addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this
in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will
fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I
should.
The End

Title: RIDING THE FLYING HORSE

ISBN: 9781370084333
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Publisher: Smashwords, Inc.

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