Ganga-Bhuji

In my previous blog – Demystifying Medical Prescriptions – I had discussed ‘Doc-write’ - the illegible prescriptions with mysterious abbreviations and symbols. I had also referred in passing to ‘Doc-speak.’ Doctors never tell a patient, ‘You’re to die soon,’ I had written. That’s not entirely correct.

Dr. Kabir Purohit is possibly the best General Physician in Sambalpur, but his ‘practice’ is rather modest since he is candid, blunt, and sometimes quite rude. Patients who want from a doctor diagnosis, drugs, and a dose of hope scrupulously avoid Dr. KP.

Sometime ago, a close friend of the doctor brought along his father who was very ill. The old man placed a bulky folder with history of treatment in leading hospitals of the country, and launched his litany of complaints – general debility, palpitation, breathlessness, loss of appetite and sleep, irregular bowel movements, and aches from tip to toe; but was cut short by the impatient doctor. He didn’t even bother to read the latest pathological reports from the folder. He had been seeing this patient quite regularly, and knew of all his health issues.

‘Should I take my father to Tata Memorial, Mumbai?’ asked the doctor’s friend.

‘No need. Prepare, instead, for Ganga-Bhuji.’

The doctor’s friend and his father stormed out of the consultation room swearing never again to see this doctor.

They didn’t have to. Ganga-Bhuji took place the next month.

***

Note:

Ganga-Bhuji is a customary death-ritual practiced in Odisha; a feast hosted in memory of the dear departed one after the son has performed asthi-visarjan (consigning the mortal remains) at Prayagraj.