Tag Archives: food

THE FAMOUS FIVE … FIVE ON FINNISTON FARM by Enid Blyton

January 24, 2026book corner, book review, Book review and excerpts, Uncategorizedamerica, annie, bill, books, castle, cellar, dagger, dick, durleston, enid blyton, finniston, five on finniston farm, food, george, gold, harriet, henning, henry, history, jacksaw, jamie, julian, junior, kamlesh tripathi, nosey, philpot, POLITICS, shravan charity mission, snippet, sword, the famous five, timmy, travel, twinsshravancharitymission

The Famous Five spend their summer holidays at Finniston Farm as paying guests. On arrival, they are greeted by the pleasant Mrs Philpot and her identical twins, Henry and Harriet. The twins seem to take an instant dislike to the Five, who also meet two fellow paying guests: an American, Mr Henning and his son, Junior. Mr Henning plans to buy antique pieces from the farm and sell them in America. Mr and Mrs Philpot agree to sell their farm treasures as they need the money. However, the family’s hot-tempered Great Granddad feels the antiques should remain in England.

Mr Henning and his son Junior prove themselves a nuisance to the household by rudely ordering Mrs Philpot around. Sympathetic to her, the Five offer to help with farm chores. When Junior demands breakfast in bed, George teaches him a lesson, making him agree to be more pleasant. This wins the hearts of the twins, and they make friends with the Five.

Anne and George visit a nearby antique shop, owned by a Mr Finniston, who tells them about a secret passage from Finniston Castle to an old chapel and cellars where royal treasure might be hidden. The girls excitedly reveal the news to the boys and the twins. Together, they plan to hunt for the cellars on the farm. They come across the castle’s kitchen midden and realise they are close to finding the treasure.

Junior spies on them and goes to break the news to his father and his father’s friend, Mr Durleston, who decide to excavate the castle site, find the fortune and sell the antique treasure in America. Mr and Mrs Philpot consent to the excavation, much to the dismay of the children. The children dig around the site, hoping to beat the men in finding the treasure. Initially, they are unsuccessful, but the twins’ dog, Snippet and their jacksaw, Nosey, lead them to a burrow, beneath which the secret passage stretches out.

The children discover the cellars and the treasure, including old daggers, sword and gold, which are worth a fortune; only to become trapped inside the tunnel when the entrance caves in. They take another way and reach a trapdoor under the old chapel, which is now used as a storehouse. The farmhands, Bill and Jamie, hear their shouts and let them out. The children get back to the farm and tell their exciting story to the astonished adults. The next day, Mr Henning and Mr Durleston try to trick the Philpots into believing the site has no treasure and offer them a meagre amount. However, Mr Philpot, backed up by his granddad and Mr (William) Finniston, declines the offer, making it clear they will excavate the site themselves and no longer want the Americans to stay. The adventure ends with Julian, Dick, Anne and George, along with Timmy, planning to stay at the farm to observe the excavation of the treasure.

It is an interesting read, and I would give it eight out of ten.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Why Basant Panchami Still Matters

January 21, 2026article, mythology, Uncategorizedart, Basant Panchami, books, brahmaputra, february, food, january, kamadeva, kamlesh tripathi, kite flying, learning, lord shiva, magha, music, Parvati, photography, saraawati puja, shravan charity mission, travel, yellowshravancharitymission

Why Basant Panchami Still Matters

Kamlesh Tripathi

Observed on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha, usually in late January or early February, Basant Panchami anticipates spring nearly forty days before its official arrival. Traditional belief holds that seasons do not change overnight; rather, they unfold gradually. The festival, therefore, acts as a harbinger to spring, often called the ‘King of Seasons,’ symbolising hope, vitality, and regeneration after winter’s inertia.

In an age dominated by speed and spectacle, the festival of Basant Panchami arrives discreetly, with lasting effects. It is also celebrated as Saraswati Puja. It serves as a benchmark for values that remain essential, for learning and creativity. Celebrated across the length and breadth of India, the festival announces the advent of spring while venerating Goddess Saraswati, the embodiment of knowledge, wisdom, music, and arts.

Basant Panchami marks the turning point of the season. In northern India, the winter still lingers on, while central and western regions begin to experience a softer, spring-like weather. The festival captures this vivid moment of transition. This is when nature moves from dormancy toward growth, mirroring the human journey from inertia to wilful action.

The prominence of yellow during Basant Panchami is deeply symbolic. Associated with Goddess Saraswati, the colour represents knowledge, clarity, and creativity. It also reflects the mustard fields that bloom across much of northern and central India during this time. The custom of wearing yellow and preparing yellow-coloured food expresses collective optimism and intellectual resumption.

Education lies at the heart of Basant Panchami. Families traditionally encourage children to write their first letters on this day, marking the beginning of their learning. Music, learning, and artistic pursuits are considered auspicious during the festival. It reaffirms Goddess Saraswati’s central position in cultural consciousness, underscoring the belief that knowledge is both sacred and transformational.

The fever of kite flying, especially popular in the north and west of India, adds to the festive celebrations of the day. Skies filled with colourful kites speak of the collective joy and shared celebration. It reminds communities of the simple pleasures that accompany the change of season.

Mythology lends further fillip to the occasion. In several traditions, Basant Panchami is associated with Kamadeva, the god of love, and his consort Rati. The well-known episode of Kamadeva awakening Lord Shiva from deep meditation highlights the central philosophical theme, the tug-of-war between desire and discipline. Once, when Shiva’s third eye reduced Kamadeva to ashes at Umananda Islet in the River Brahmaputra at Guwahati, it highlighted the destructive potential of unchecked desire. Kamadeva’s revival later, following Shiva’s marriage to Parvati, represents the restoration of balance between worldly engagement and spiritual life-lessons. The lesson remains strikingly relevant in contemporary life.

The festival is not only celebrated in the sub-continent of India but also in Nepal, Bali, Indonesia, and other continents of the world with a Hindu diaspora, thus transcending geography and religious boundaries. At its core, the festival reminds us that the renewal of seasons, ideas, and values requires patience, balance, and reverence for knowledge. In a rapidly changing world, this message remains as vital as ever.

Basant Panchami also carries a historical significance beyond Hindu traditions, as Maharaja Ranjit Singh encouraged its observance as a day of social gathering within Sikh communities, particularly in gurdwaras. The day additionally commemorates the martyrdom of Haqiqat Rai, who was executed in 1741 for refusing religious conversion. His remembrance adds a solemn note to the festival.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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POEM: I WANT MORE

November 27, 2025poem, POETRY, Uncategorizedaspire, brands, counters, dishes, dogs, food, footfalls, kamlesh tripathi, malls, military, more, pauper, poem i want more, prayer, relationships, shravan charity missionshravancharitymission

POEM: I WANT MORE

by Kamlesh Tripathi

“A man is never satisfied with what he has. He always wants more. But what is the limit of that more?”
***

I have enough,

Yet, I want more,

Since enough doesn’t prescribe a limit,

I wish to have more.

Enough and more are not two of a kind,

Yet they work in tandem,

They are mutually exclusive,

Where more aspire’s to fulfil your greedy aspirations.

Enough doesn’t remain adequate,

More doesn’t become surplus,

Because greed expands,

And together they consume mankind.

The baskets and trolleys in the malls,

The stock-keeping units and the brands,

The war cry of enough and more,

The floors and the expanse of the malls,

The queues and the billing counters,

They all expand with the burgeoning footfalls.

One enters the supermarket as if a pauper,

And comes out like a king,

After consuming a range of food dishes,

And buying a range of things.

Between enough and more,

There is a bridge of uncertainty,

That convinces the human mind,

To keep stocking till eternity.

There is no limit to wanting more,

But the idea of life is to enjoy…

…the grace of satisfaction,

Which comes when you feel you have enough,

And you don’t want more.

The gap between enough and more,

Is a thin line called satisfaction?

So, let satisfaction be the motto of your life,

And do away with the idea of I want more.

“There is no limit to your wanting more. Come out of that mindset to enjoy a life filled with satisfaction”

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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POEM: I WANT MORE (DIL MANGE MORE)

October 30, 2025poem, POETRY, Uncategorizeddil mange more, food, i want more, kamlesh tripathi, motto, music, photography, quotes, shravan charity mission, travelingshravancharitymission

POEM: I WANT MORE (DIL MANGE MORE)

–A man is never satisfied with what he has. He always wants more. But what is the limit for that more?
***

I have enough,

Yet, I want more,

Since enough doesn’t prescribe a limit,

I wish to have more.

More and enough are two of a kind,

They are mutually inclusive,

They work in tandem,

To fulfil your greedy aspirations.

Enough doesn’t remain adequate,

More doesn’t become surplus,

Because greed expands,

And together they consume mankind.

The baskets and trolleys in the malls,

The stock-keeping units and the brands,

The war cry of enough and more,

The floors and the expanse of the malls,

The queues and the billing counters,

They all expand with the burgeoning footfalls.

One enters the supermarket as if a pauper,

And comes out like a king,

After consuming a range of food dishes,

And buying a range of things.

Between enough and more,

There is a bridge of uncertainty,

That convinces the human mind,

To keep stocking till eternity.

There is no limit to wanting more,

But the idea of life is to enjoy,

The grace of satisfaction,

Which comes when you have enough,

And you don’t want more.

The gap between enough and more,

Is a thin line called satisfaction?

So, let satisfaction be your motto of life,

And do away with the idea of I want more.

–There is no limit to the mind wanting (mange) more. Come out of that mindset, as it only leads to disaster—

kamleshsujata@yahoo.com

2.5.25

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Phantom Police

October 15, 2025article, column, Uncategorizedart, books, food, hologram, jungbu police station, kamlesh tripathi, phantom police, photography, seoul, shravan charity mission, travelshravancharitymission

(PHANTOM POLICE? TIMES OF INDIA EDITORIAL 11/10/25)

Seoul has a hologram cop. Not everyone thrilled.
He doesn’t quite crash land but takes form all of a sudden – a life-size apparition in uniform, if you find yourself in Seoul’s popular Jeo Dong Park. Don’t let him spook you – it’s only a hologram of a cop, appearing every two minutes between 7 pm and 10 pm to, well, spook those up to no good. Police claim the made-in-UK ‘assistant officer’ lowered crime rates in the bustling neighbourhood under Seoul Jungbu police station by as much as 22%, between Oct 2024, when the pilot was launched, and May 2025. The cop was officially posted in the park in Aug. So, if you’re wandering around, under the influence of whatever’s your poison, and itching to pick up a fight, well, chances are the sight of a ghostly cop could nudge you to abandon the idea. No need to break into a cold sweat or run, for he’ll disappear in two minutes.
So what does this hologram cop do if it comes across a fight? He can’t chase, let alone handcuff you. Yet, ‘Enhanced features’ are a work in progress. His role now is surveillance, a deterrent to low-key ‘impulsive’ crime. Privacy may be globally dead, but still, the idea hasn’t gone down well with everyone. Visitors find him annoying, while his ghostly presence is fast creating an urban legend of a ‘haunted park’. Clearly, tech-savvy policing is not yet a smooth walk in the park.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Bhibhuti Babu The Writer of Pather Panchali

September 20, 2025article, author profile, autobiography, book corner, book launch, book review, book synopsis, city, column, Uncategorizedamar prem, aparajito, apur path, aranyak, bengali novel, Bibhuti babu, bibhuti bhusan bandyopadhyay, burudi dam, calcutta, chander pahar, creativity, dalmia hills, food, ghatsila, gourikunj, india, kamlesh tripathi, kharkhand, pather panchali, rajesh khanna, shakti samanta, sharmila tagore, shravan charity mission, song of the road, story, subarnarekha, supriti murmu, technology, travelshravancharitymission

TIMES OF INDIA: 15/6/25
WHY A SMALL JHARKHAND TOWN STILL ADORES THE WRITER OF PATHER PANCHALI

    Flanked by a restless Subarnarekha river and an unassuming railway line that runs through the small town, Ghatsila reminds you of idyllic Nischindipur, where Satyajit Ray’s iconic Pather Panchali (Song of the Road) unfolds. It’s a drowsy, almost diffident, place that seems to have been bypassed by time.
    Maybe the resemblance is not entirely coincidental. This is where celebrated writer Bibhuti Bhusan Bandyopadhyay, who penned the unforgettable Bengali novel, spent many creative years of his life and breathed his last at the age of 56 in 1950.
    The finest works of Bibhuti Babu, as every one refers to him in Ghatsila, include ‘Aparajito (Undefeated)’, ‘Aranyak (Of The Forest)’, and ‘Chander Pahar (Mountain Of The Moon)’. Director Shakti Samanta’s ‘Amar Prem’ (1972), a melancholic story of unrealised love, starring Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore, was based on a Bandyopadhyay short story, Hinger Kochuri.
    It has been 75 years since he passed away. But Bibhuti Babu remains Ghatsila’s calling card. Hotels are named after him. So are sightseeing spots, libraries and grammar schools. He is present even on restaurant menus. In fact, the writer is everywhere.
    Ghatsila is nestled in the lap of the Dalma hills in Jharkhand’s East. Singhbhum district shares a border with West Bengal’s Jhargram and Purulia districts to the east and north, and Odisha’s Mayurbhanj to the south.
    At the spot where NH 33 turns towards Ghatsila, the Jharkhand tourism department has built a hotel called Bibhuti Vihar. The town also has a Bibhuti Inn, owned by a businessman. A popular hotel on the banks of the Subarnarekha is named after a spot where the writer used to sit on moonlit nights, and that he had named ‘Ratmohana’ (charmer of the night).
    The house where Bibhuti Babu lived is located in Dahigora, now the poshest part of the town. The residence is called Gourikunj, after his first wife, who died during childbirth. The road leading to Gourikunj is called Apur Path– the road of Apu, the protagonist of the semi-autobiographical Pather Panchali.
    There’s more. A local society for the preservation of Bandyopadhyay’s house and his legacy is called Gourikunj Unnayan Samiti. Says its president, Tapas Chatterjee, “Nobody commands more respect than Bibhuti Babu in Ghatsila.”
    “Not an inch of his house was encroached upon, even though nobody lived there for 57 years. In 1950, when Bibhuti Babu died, his second wife, Rama Chattopadhyay, and son Taradas Bandyopadhyay, who was three then, left the town. Taradas ji gave us the NOC to construct this memorial in 2007, three years before his death. In between, the house lay in utter neglect and ruins.” Chatterjee said.
    The Samiti also runs a Bengali language grammar school on Sundays, called Apur Pathshala, and a library called Bibhuti Smriti Sansthagar in Ghatshila.
    A cultural festival is hosted every year on September 12 to mark the writer’s birth anniversary.
    The story of how Bibhuti Babu came to live in Ghatsila is fascinating.
    According to Chatterjee, a contractor from Ghatsila called Ashok Gupta had taken a loan from the writer when the latter was working as a teacher in Calcutta. Unable to pay him back in cash, Gupta decided to register the house in Ghatsila in Bibhuti babu’s name.
    “Bibhuti Babu wanted his younger brother, Nutbihari Bandyopadhyay, who was a doctor, to settle in this town and had visited Ghatsila in 1938. He fell in love with this house and the town and never returned.” Chatterjee said.
    Since he was already an established name in Bengali literature, many other Calcutta writers, including Sahitya Akademi Awardee Gajendra Kumar Mitra (1908-1994), Pramatha Nath Bishi (1901-1985) and Subodh Ghosh (1909-1980), also built homes in Ghatsila. Bimal Roy’s ‘Sujata’ (1960) and Gulzar’s ‘Ijaazat’ (1989) were based on stories written by Ghosh.
    However, all left in due course. Except Bibhuti babu, who stayed on and wrote some of his most famous works in this town.
    As a writer, Bibhuti Babu shared a special bond with the quiet jungles on the town’s edge, the free-flowing river and forest dwellers. He had witnessed the exploitation of natural resources in the name of development when he went to Bhagalpur in Bihar as the assistant manager of a forest estate in January 1924. That assignment left a lasting impression on the writer and funds mentioned in works such as ‘Aranyak’ and the essay, ‘Hey Aranya Katha kao (Oh Forest, Speak)’.
    Ghatsila is full of such natural spots, like Burudi dam, Phuldungri Pahar and the banks of the Subarnarekha, where Bibhuti Babu would sit with a pen and notebook for hours.
    Situated 54 km from Jamshedpur and 240 km away from Kolkata, Ghatsila is a favourite of tourists from Bengal. Nearly 80% of the population here, including tribals, now speak the Bengali language. The locals, however, rue how some things are no longer the same. “Earlier, tourists came for longer durations, a month or, at times even longer. They would rent out homes and stay like locals. Since they came here for a change of air, we called them ‘changers’,” said Rohit Kumar, manager of a private lodge in Ghatsila’s Phuldungri.
    The new-age tourists come for a day or two. The neighbouring hill town of Belpahari in Jhargram district of West Bengal offers better amenities and takes away a major chunk of tourists.
    But appreciation of the legacy of Bibhuti Babu isn’t confined to visitors anymore. Supriti Murmu, wife of prominent Jharkhand state agitation leader Bablu Murmu, says, “I was drawn to this town because of Bibhuti Babu. As a student of Bangla literature, we were influenced by his writings and wanted to experience the rural life he portrayed in his books.
    Supriti Murmu used to be a prominent left-wing student leader and was pursuing her graduation in Bangla literature in neighbouring Jhargram when her activism and her love for the writer brought her to Ghatsila in 1987. “I have been here since then,” she said.
Bandyopadhyay’s works and his love for the forest dwellers resonate with the local tribal population as much as his books appeal to the Bengali intelligentsia.
At Gourikunj, his real legacy is the bond shared by everyone. An artist from Bengal recently painted scenes from Bandyopadhyay’s daily life in Ghatsila on the boundary walls of the house. On his birthday anniversary, girls from tribal communities decorated Apur Path, the lane leading to the house, with beautiful Santhal patterns in the form of rangolis. Everyone and everything is coming together to celebrate their one and only Bibhuti Babu.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Internet cables … Wiring Worries

September 10, 2025Uncategorizedart, books, food, technologyshravancharitymission

Times of India 9/9/25

WIRING WORRIES
BECAUSE THE INTERNET IS INTEGRAL TO DEFENCE & BIZ, INDIA SHOULD STEP UP INVESTMENT IN UNDERSEA CABLES
For a few hours on Saturday, your internet felt slower, videos buffered, and social media didn’t update at the speed of thought. The problem was identified as undersea cable damage near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Sabotage by Yemen’s Houthis was suspected, but has not been confirmed. Everybody moved on quickly because, after dipping to 40%, network connectivity in India bounced back to the 90% level. This shows the progress in internet infrastructure over the years. When a careless ship’s anchor had ripped an internet cable off Egypt’s coast in Jan 2008, 75 mn people- 60 mn of them in India – had experienced an internet blackout. BPOs and other businesses were left gasping for data. Rerouting took a long time because there weren’t enough cables. Today, there are around 600 cables globally, up from 380 in 2019, so damage to one or two isn’t a catastrophe.
But while the undersea network and capacity are expanding rapidly, so are the number of users and data consumption. That’s why securing access to the internet’s pipelines has become a strategic need. Indian players like Tata, Reliance and Bharti Airtel are already invested in undersea cable networks, but as late as 2022, there were only 17 cables and 14 landing stations for the whole country, – 1% of all the landing stations in the world. In contrast, tiny Singapore will be hooked up to more than 40 cables by 2028, making it that much more resilient in the event of damage or sabotage. Cable-laying is slow work, so India should pursue it aggressively, starting now. Meanwhile, as telcos have repeatedly said, the lack of an Indian repair vessel leads to significant delays in network restoration. Clearances for calling foreign ships take up to six months. Govt must address this urgently for the sake of India’s data backbone.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Should India Include All-Time Classic Movies in School and College Syllabi in This Digital Age? by Kamlesh Tripathi

August 29, 2025article, column, Uncategorizedart, bollywood, books, british raj, china, classic movies, Cromwell, digital age, do bigha zamin, dosti, food, Gandhi, guide, haqueeqat, hollywood, kamlesh tripathi, kollywood, mahabharat, Mother India, nuremberg, pakistan, pather panchalli, photography, radha, ramayana, sajid khan, schindler's list, sholay, shravan charity mission, sunil dutt, tollywood, travelshravancharitymission

In today’s digital world, where attention spans are shrinking and reading habits are on the decline, it is about time we rethink how we educate and connect with the younger generation. A powerful and often overlooked tool is the classic Indian cinema. Just like the manner in which William Shakespeare’s plays are studied in schools and colleges for their literary merit and social relevance, classic Indian films, too, deserve a place in our school and college syllabi.

It is said that old books and films are windows to the past. They serve as mirrors reflecting the values, struggles, and ethos of a bygone era. A few months ago, on the occasion of Mother’s Day, while reminiscing about my late mother, I stumbled upon the evergreen classic ‘Mother India’ on television. Although I had watched it several times before, especially because my one-time close friend, the late Sajid Khan, had played a role in it as the young Sunil Dutt, this time it felt different. As if I wasn’t just watching the movie ‘Mother India.’ But I was watching the real India of 1957.

The film tells the touching story of Radha, an impoverished, rural village woman who struggles against all odds to raise her sons in her husband’s absence. She encounters severe poverty, exploitation by a moneylender, and personal tragedy, yet she emerges as an emblem of strength, sacrifice, and moral integrity. In several ways, she becomes the archetype of the traditional Indian woman.

Mother India is more than just a typical film. It holds cultural and social significance. It vividly depicts the struggles of rural India in the post-independence period. Watching this movie is like stepping back in time to understand what our ancestors endured. ‘Mother India’ is one of the many classics preserved in the archives of Bollywood, as well as in the regional film centres of Tollywood and Kollywood.

There are many such classic, cult and epic films and TV serials like Dosti, Do Bigha Zamin, Guide, Haqueeqat, Gandhi, Sholay, Pather Panchali, Ramayana, Mahabharat, to name a few, that vividly capture different aspects of Indian life. It could be from social inequality, the British Raj, mythology, penance, the fight for India’s freedom or the wars with Pakistan and China. These films provide context, depth, and real-life visuals to what students might otherwise only read or cram in history or literature books.

It is about time the Government considers constituting a national panel to select a curated list of classic Indian films for inclusion in school and college syllabi. These films could be rotated class-wise or standard-wise, or stream-wise. They could be aligned with topics in history, literature, sociology, ethics, and more. The way Shakespearean plays are studied for their literary value and insights into human behaviour, Indian classics can also be studied for their cultural, emotional, and historical richness.

65% of India’s population is under 35. Digital distractions are everywhere; therefore, classic films can be a more engaging add-on to traditional textbooks. Surveys show that young people today often struggle to read even 500 words at a stretch, but they can easily sit through a well-written storyline in a movie. Visual learning is known to improve retention and understanding. It makes classic movies an effective educational tool.

This approach need not be limited to domestic films alone. Historical and biographical classics from Hollywood or other international cinemas, such as Cromwell, Nuremberg or Schindler’s List, could also be part of an extended curriculum. This will especially benefit students planning to work or study abroad. It will help them gain cultural and historical awareness about the countries they are headed to.

Incorporating cinema into education doesn’t mean replacing books, but it would mean enhancing the learning experience. Students could watch in-syllabus films followed by classroom discussions, essays, or creative projects. It would not only build their analytical and emotional intelligence. It will also cultivate a deeper appreciation of India’s cinematic and historical heritage.

Furthermore, in business and professional schools, an extracurricular cinema curriculum could be developed to help students understand global cultures, leadership models, historical contexts, and ethical dilemmas, all of which are frequently depicted in well-made films.

Cinema is not just entertainment. It is a form of art that captures the values of society, its history, and love for humanity. Though Indian classic movies are rich in content, emotion, and social commentary, they are a forgotten treasure. They can educate, inspire, and connect the youth to their roots.

In this digital era, where attention spans are short and reading habits are waning, integrating timeless films into the academic curriculum may well be the most impactful way to preserve our cultural heritage and prepare students for a more thoughtfully aware future.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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BOOK CORNER: THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS by Arthur Hailey

August 25, 2025book corner, book launch, book review, Book review and excerpts, book review, book synopsis, book stall, book synopsis, book talk, book talk,, Uncategorizedamputation, art, arthur hailey, books, doctor, food, joseph pearson, kamlesh tripathi, medical, pathologist, pennysylvania, shravan charity mission, the final diagnosis, travelshravancharitymission

Illness … doctor … pathologist … investigation … diagnosis … treatment. Yes, I’m talking about THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS by Arthur Hailey.

At times, even an ace pathologist might have to send his findings in the form of slides to two experts who are contemporaries in the same discipline. Where one might say the tumour is malignant and the other non-malignant or benign.

So then, what does Chief Pathologist, Dr Joseph Pearson, finally script as his … final diagnosis? The basis on which the surgeon would have to decide whether the amputation of the leg is required or not. The pathologist is often known as the doctor the patient seldom sees.

In ‘THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS’, author Arthur Hailey unveils the tension-packed drama that is being played in the mammoth complexity of a great hospital. A world where one faulty diagnosis or one irrevocable error precipitates into appalling tragedies.

In the enthralling story, there is a continuous struggle between the Chief of Surgery, Kent O’ Donnel and Dr Joe (Joseph) Pearson, Chief Pathologist, who was once an ace pathologist, but with the passage of time, he has stagnated, which he realises towards the end of his career.

The book also describes the struggle of a young pathologist, David Coleman, who happens to be Dr Joe Pearson’s deputy, in terms of restoring the standards of a hospital laboratory. Controlled by the ageing but once brilliant doctor Joseph Pearson, Hailey takes us behind the reception areas, and into those emergency rooms and the bustling world of medicine, to reveal those hidden corridors of a world that the patient never gets to see.

The centre of action is the three-counties hospital in Burlington in Pennsylvania. The novel has a plethora of characters … the prime being:

Orden Brown—Chairman of Three Counties Hospital

Eustace Swayne—Board Member and a retail magnet of a departmental store empire.

Doctor Joseph Pearson—Chief Pathologist around whom the entire novel revolves.

Doctor Kent O’ Donnel—Chief of Surgery and Head of the Medical Board.

Doctor David Coleman—Deputy to Doctor Joseph Pearson

Doctor Charles Dornberger—The baby’s doctor … Paediatrician

Doctor Lucy Grainger—Orthopaedic Surgeon

Hilda Straugham—Chief Dietitian

Vivian Lobourton—Trainee nurse

Mike Seddons—Doctor

Alexander and his wife, Elizabeth.

The language is moving and precise, with tailor-made sentences that fit the bill. There is usage of high-toned vocabulary, but it doesn’t give that shade of verbosity. The intensity and tone of the sentences change as frequently as the change of scene. The flow of the book gives you a feel as if you’re seeing and not reading—something close to a movie. Most descriptions are vivid as if you are witnessing the scene. Especially, the ones that describe the happenings in autopsy, pathology and even surgery.

The novel makes an important point for doctors through the Chief Pathologist, Dr Pearson. One should never give up his or her pursuit as far as the latest inventions in the medical world are concerned, no matter how much pressure of work there is. For that was the sole cause of doctor Pearson’s failure. And that holds good for any career today.

And the scenes when Vivian is diagnosed with cancer and when Alexanders lose their newborn baby because of a faulty medical blood test report in the hospital are nail-biting and highly emotive.

I would give nine out of ten to this book. So, don’t just miss it.

One last point—I was amazed at the manner in which these doctors smoked in the hospital and drank at parties. And to their patients, they must be canvassing otherwise. It is said about authors that they try and paint the real picture of the times when the novel was written. I now believe in it ever more. This novel was written way back in 1959. Pick it up even if you have to find time.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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Book Review: Awadh Assam And Dalai Lama … The Kalachakra

August 19, 2025article, book launch, book review, book synopsis, book synopsis, Uncategorizedart, awadh assam and dalai lama ... the kala chakra, china, food, india, kamlesh tripathi, photography, shravan charity mission, tibet, travelshravancharitymission

‘Awadh Assam and Dalai Lama… The Kalachakra’ has been archived in several prestigious institutions, both in India and internationally. Here’s a summary of its archival presence:

📚 International Archives

Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR), Government of Tibet: The book is archived in the DIIR, which is responsible for the administration and dissemination of information related to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.

Tibet Policy Institute (TPI): The TPI, an institution that focuses on research related to Tibet, has archived the book, highlighting its relevance to Tibetan studies.

Personal Library of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama: The book is included in the personal collection of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, reflecting its significance in Tibetan history and culture.

The Ohio Digital Library, USA: Your book is available in this digital library, making it accessible to a global audience interested in Tibetan and Indian history. (Holy Books)

Apple Digital Library: The book has been included in Apple’s digital library, broadening its reach to readers worldwide.

🇮🇳 Indian Archives

Friends of Tibet Library: This library, dedicated to preserving Tibetan culture and history, has archived the book.

Maharashtra Mitra Mandal Library, Bandra, Mumbai: A prominent library in Mumbai has included your book in its collection, making it available to local readers.

These archival placements underscore the importance of the work in documenting the historical and cultural narratives of the region.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805 ***

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Book Review: Awadh Assam And Dalai Lama … The Kalachakra