DASHIKA IN THE SERVICE OF THE ALL MIGHTY Dashika was an ebullient first child to a couple in Colombo, born some 30 odd years ago. The parents were puzzled to find a suitable name for. Then one day father heard or misheard the name Dashika in some Buddhist scripture reciting. Found it uncommon and liked it instantly even it had no meaning. However his Christian friend gave him a concocted meaning ; the chatterbox. The name described the girl perfectly as a child. However as she grew up she accidentally chart out a new meaning for her name. She chose the noble profession of nursing , Das or slave to The Lord , by serving his minions , in whom he resides. Interestingly till yesterday she was very ashamed that she has a name without a meaning. I convinced her that she is true Dasika , a dasi ,to serve the humanity , writing a new meaning to her name Dashika. By her looks I have convinced her. But u will say whats so great about being a nurse. There are millions like her. But then there are millions like me, who never knew the meaning of a nurse in the true sense. I must have seen hundreds of nurses in my 65 years of life, starting with my mother who cleaned me up as a baby or my wife who cared in every which way. ( though both had vested interest in me) When I was growing up in class four in Scindia boarding school Gwalior their was this most cuddly of Anglo-Indian matronly nurse, a female version of comedian David. She used to hug us so tight close that most often we were already feeling well without the bitter tincture she would threaten to recommend. We all loved her immensely and found flimsy reasons to be sick to go and spend time with her in the evening. She had most interesting stories to tell. Then suddenly after one vacations she disappeared never to return. The sickroom changed for ever. The life had gone. It was heartbreaking. As we grew old the idea of nurses changed. Those were the days of Hollywood war movies. With dashing fighter pilots and buxom nurses as heroines. Often spies. Sophia Loren was the epitome of the fraternity. Growing a little older nurses were just part of the boring scene hospital , dispensing injections or tablets. Totally impersonal. In recent time I had a little more interaction with caring affectionate nursing staff during my frequent dialysis sojourn. Need less to say I had a healthy respect for all of them nurses I have met till yesterday. But something changed yesterday. So far I had never been critically ill / disabled in my life. Not to the extent to not be able to bend my left hand to my back side to clean the world out of it. And there I was all alone after a major surgery in the recovery room, with this 20 odd year looking pretty little girl to take care of me. I could barely take her seriously in my state of discomfort. The easier part of feeding was done with ease. Now was the tough one. Toilet and cleaning up. I looked out of sorts. She could read my mind and eased me instantly. Handled me with ease like my mother would have done 65 years back. It was not what she did that amazed me. It was her enthusiasm and devotion that captivated me. As if it was the most important job of her life and she was taking pride in it. She was made for it. I chocked. Could not thank or bless her enough. This was a girl I knew for all of 4 hours till then, and who at my twilight age made me realise what a profession of selfless noble nurse is all about. Thank you Dashika you will always be my nurse no 1. And you Dashika are not alone, fortunately God has created women, so that we stupid, self-conceited men still find some Dashika somewhere and be blessed one day. There are hospitals and faculties and great doctors who get their due rewards and recognition for the exemplary work they do but its these unsung heroes, the nurses,who steal your heart. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country where we have the common DNA. People with their Buddhist scripture sanskratised names look to India for roots. The two nations have so much to learn/teach each-other with the Ramsetu as the umbilical chord. Will always remember Sri Lanka for a new life and new friends. And last but not least I am falling in love with their national anthem NaMo NaMo Sri Lanka for more reason than one 😜 Ps Dashika got married this August to her sweetheart after 16 years of affair. I would like to show my Indian friends some glimps of a Sri Lankan wedding.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 10:54:10 +0000
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