Haladi basant namaskar

"Haladi basant namskar " ( Good morning turmeric bird)

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(The story is my real experience during Covid- 19, initially written in odia language.I have translated it to english. )

I did not know why one cucko was singing non- stop before it became morning. I woke up and saw some darkness was still to go away. I looked at the wall clock it was 10 minutes to go for 5 AM. I could not sleep further, opened the balcony door and stood there looking outside. Our flat was at 4th floor. Just in front of our balcony on the ground there stood a tall champa tree. It did not have much branches and had grown up to a great height. The yellow coloured fowers were trying to blossom. I felt the cooling touch of a patch of soft wind which trilled my body an mind. I noticed a Haladi basant( turmeric bird ) sitting on the branch of that champa tree. On seeing the Haladi basant I immediately uttered " Haladi basant namaskar, tamar amar kali sakala" which means " Good morning Haladi basant. see you again tommorow morning". After saying this, I immediately saw both sides to know if any body was there and listened my words. Actually who else would be there so early in the morning. I became normal. During our childhood we used to say like this whenever we saw Haladi basant, king fisher, pair of bul bul or a mongoose crossing the road. It was our belief that if we saw any of these, something good would happen.

               I came from th balcony to drawing room and waited for the morning tea. Since it was too early in the morning I did not feel it proper to switch on the TV but sitting there I was just looking at the yesterday's news paper . Just at the same time Anjali put the tea cups on the tea-poy. She told, " today you have woke up very eraly . That is why I also prepared the morning tea so early. Take it and tell how is it ? "

   I replied, " Actually I wanted to sleep some more time but this cucko perhaps has gone mad and didn't allow me to sleep. I was standing in the balcony looking at the champa tree. Suddenly I found a Haladi basant( turmeric bird) sitting on the branch of that tree. I think something good may happen today."

         " Do you believe in all these things ?", asked Anjali.

I replied," this is not a matter of belief or disbelief. somewhere in mind there is a soft corner for this type of saying. This may happen or not but for some time atleast there remains a positive mind set . "

     Anjali left from there and remained busy in her work. I also started to finish my daily works.

It was almost 4 o clock in the afternoon. Repeated alert messages regarding cyclone " Yash " were telecasted in TV channels. A low pressure would be created in Bay of Bengle and it would cross Odisha coast after taking the shape of a great cyclone. There was possibilities of loss of life and property for which people residing in low coast area of sea needed to vacate their places and take shelter in neaby safe places or in cyclone shelter house.

      After lunch Anjali slept for a while . I was reading the news paper lying on the bed. All of a sudden Anjali woke up. She was feeling uneasy in taking her breaths. She was having little temperature in her body. This was giving prior indication of fever. I told Anjali, " perhaps this is due to change of season. Don't be worried. " But in my mind some unwanted feelings were coming because 2nd phase of Covid was going on. She might have infection from somebody. I just gave her a paracetamol tablet. She took the tablet and after sometime she got sweating in her body. I was preparing to take dinner early and go for sleep. All of a sudden I also started shivering. I took one paracetamol and after sometime the temperature came down. we slept thereafter expecting a nice tommorow.

            All our children are staying outside Odisha. we did not want to inform them regarding our illness because they may be worried thinking of the sever spread of Covid. But we could not hide our illness. At about 9 AM in the next day morning we received a video call from our son. He knew about our illness and informed our two daughters.

          we were staying in Bhubaneswar. As nobody was there with us they became too much worried.

          Anjali's younger sister was working in Capital hospital. We told her to make some arrangements for our Covid test. She sent one staff to collect blood but unfortunately the RTPCR test could not be cnducted as Govt. of Odisha stopped Covid testing for three days in view of the coming cyclone.

               It would not be proper to take covid medicines without covid test. All my children consulted their friends working in health line in this regard. My sister-in-law consulted on this matter with the doctor in her hospital. I also consulted with one of my friend's son who happens to be a doctor. He advised to start the covid medicines even if without test.

we started taking covid medicines. Although Anjali was feeling better, my condition was not good. After three days the RTPCR report came and we both were found covid positive. We were thinking to stay in home quarantine. All our children were getting too much worried. After six days my fever was not reducing. My son was consulting with my friend's doctor son to arrange for our admission in some private hospital. Altimately he did our online admission in Kaling hospital. Everyday we were getting information regarding death of some known persons. Really we were very much scared. We prefered to go to hospital as no one will come to give us food and medicines.

We packed our belongings and went to sleep with lot of bad thoughts in mind. Next day morning at about 9 AM the Ambulance driver informed us that Ambulance was standing near Apartment gate.

           knowing this information my nephew( brother-in-law's son) had already arrived at our home. we went to pooja room and offered our prayer without knowing whether we would come back home or not. we went down and came through that gate where that champa tree was standing and observing our journey to hospital. I saw that Haladi basant( turmeric bird ) again at that time and spontaneously came out from my mouth "Haladi basanta namaskar, tamar amar kali sakal." On that day I was thinking something good would happen but something adverse like this happened. I apprehended that as an indication of some bad happening because on first occasion instead of any good we were infected by covid. Any how I was very much strong in my mind.

      we arrived at the hospital. Both of us were allotted with a twin sharing cabin. Immediately the doctors checked us. In my case CT Scan was done and only X- Ray was done in the case of my wife. Treatment started in full swing. After two three days I felt better. My wife was much better than I.

             During the doctor's visit I told him that my wife is all right now and I am also feeling good and requested him to discharge us. He gave a smile but did not tell anything. Perhaps he was thinking, "corona has not yet to shown it's real face. wait for two three days more." The doctor left to attend other patients.

          The hospital environment was totally different. A fear psychosis was prevailing all over there. Patients were coming in very serious condition. Everyday there was some bad news to hear. But it was of no meaning to be scared staying in the kingdom of Yama. Everyone has to die someday then what's the need of getting scared ? No attendant was allowed to patients. we were lucky enough to get admitted at a time and in a twin sharing cabin. Actually we became attendant for each other. My wife was almost well. So she became the attendant for me.

            I told my nephew to know from the sister regarding what injections and medicines they were giving to us. I came to know that they are injecting steroid injections to me. I had some bitter experince regarding steroid. So I got panic. I consulted with my friend's son Dr. Tutu in this regard. He told me that there was nothing to be worried. steroid injection was well within the protocol of covid treatment . He simply told me to be in mentally strong. Coming two three days were very critical.

          I searched google to know about the side effects of steroid injections. I came to know that eye related disorder, mental disturbances, hormonal chages etc. are the side effects.But ispite of that these injections were to be taken for covid treatment.

when I knew about the side effects a strange incident happened in the hosital. On that day evening suddenly my oxygen level reduced from 97/98 to 90/91. The doctor advised the sister to put me on oxygen support for the entire night and in the nextday morning oxygen test was to be done and necessary treatment was to be provided.I got little bit panic knowing the reduced oxygen level. Anjali did not sleep on her bed. She slept on my attendant's bed apprehending that I might take out the oxygen pipe in sleeping condition. But what ought to happen must happen even if you take a lot of precautions. In the night without calling Anjali I had taken out the oxygen pipe and had gone to toilet. Coming from toilet I did not find my bed. The outside door was not closed. I had gone out of the cabin. I was just wearing a lungi only. The security Guard did not ask me anything. I had gone from 2nd floor to ground floor but no security Guard was asking me anything. At last one security Guard stopped me and asked where were you going? I felt myself totally blank and could not answer him. He asked me again and again. I said, " Perhaps by mistake I have entered into this building. I am seaching my bed but not finding it." He asked my bed nunber. I told him it was

D-2 -257. He took me to 2nd floor. The security Guard, sisters and my wife Anjali all were in panic. All of them expressed their displeasure. I asked Anjali, " where are we ? " She told that we were in Kalinga hosital. When I heard the name of Kalinga hospital my memory came back. Perhaps all these things happened because while sleeping Iwas thinking about that steroid injection.

We had already spent six days in that hospital. Since the oxygen level was not increasing, I could not request the dctor to discharge us. However the doctor of his own told that another two doses of remdisivir were to be injected and X- Ray of the lungs to be done. If everthing found normal you would be relieved.

      Two doses of Remdisivir would be completed within two days. I was praying lord Balunkeswar for increasing of my oxygen level. However God heard my prayer. The oxygen kevel started increasing. It showed 97/98.

         Standing on a point of hope and disappointment, sometimes life was challenging the death and sometimes we were pulled towards it's cold clutches.

             My friend's son Dr. Tutu was also taking updates from us. During his last talk he told me, " don't be worried. I am collecting information regularly about you. You will be relieved after two days. Knowing the critical nature of the disease I had advised for hospitalisation. Now everything is ok."

             After two days doctor discharged us. My nephew Lucky brought all our belongings from hospital and we went towards our car. When the car started moving one Haladi basant( turmeric bird ) flew from the nearby tree in front of our car. Again that old childhood saying " Haladi basant namaskar, tamar amar kali sakal " spontaneously came out of my mouth.

Anjali immediately said, " do you know yellow faced maa Subhadra is protecting us in the ' Anchal ' of her saree from the day of our getting affected till our cure. She is giving us 'darshan ' at crucial times but we are unable to recognise her in our skin eye."

        Anjali's few words touched my heart and my hands were folded spontaneously out of devotion towards Maa.

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