In Vacant or in Pensive Mood

She would be sitting outside the shelter home building, under the only tree that dared to brave the sun glaring down on the old school courtyard. As soon as I push the large, rusty gate open, I would find her fix her gaze on me, and wait patiently as I made my way across the courtyard to where she sat. I would smile, and sync my lips to a muted, “ Saaptingala” and gesture with one hand towards my mouth, as she would grab my other hand and literally drag me into the building. Once inside the empty dormitory room, lined only with the meagre belongings of about twenty old destitute women, she would spread a mat on the floor and seat me down on it. We had a unique connection, this old lady (Ammayamma) and I. She would move her toothless mouth in a multitude of directions, not knowing what sounds emerged from it as she tried to communicate with me. I would attempt to understand what she said, and occasionally needed some help from her roommates. She would be telling me about meeting h...

This is some information I compiled during the Rabies Awareness Campaign we conducted at Madras Christian College, Chennai. This page is an extension to the previous post: A Memoir , dedicated to my friend, Alan. Rabies   is a zoonosis caused by the virus Lyssavirus rabies , which attacks the central nervous system. Rabies can be transmitted to humans from infected dogs, cats, bats, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, wolves, etc. may transmit the disease. A person is exposed to rabies either due to a bite from a rabid animal, or from exposure to its saliva on an open wound/cut. People who have been bitten by a stray/non-vaccinated animal, or licked by one over broken skin, should be treated within 12-48 hours. People exposed to rabies need to be treated with rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine initially. They must also get additional vaccine injections on the 3 rd , 7 th , 14 th  and 28 th  day after the first treatment. Rabies is 100% preventable if the treatment ...