No God is Expecting From Anybody To Torture His Own Body for Atonement

Dr K K Aggarwal and Advocate Ira Gupta

In the matter titled as “Appicode Arulmigu Sri Bathreswari Amman Thirukovil versus The Superintendent of Police & others, W.P (MD) No. 2611/2019”, vide judgment dated 10.02.2019 the Hon’ble Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has held that no God is expecting from anybody to torture his own body for atonement.

The said case was filed to quash the order passed by the 2nd respondent (Police commissioner) dated 31.01.2019 rejecting the usage of cranes in the milk pot, Parakkum Kavadi procession to be held on 10.02.2019 and for consequential direction to the respondents to permit petitioner to use 5 cranes for Parakkum Kavadi on 10.02.2019                                                           

 On a perusal of the order, The Hon’ble Madras High Court held that

“……………Having stated thus, this is also time for the organizers of the function should start thinking of giving up this kind of faith based practices. After all no God is expecting from anybody to torture his own body for atonement. What might have been relevant and consistent in ancient times need not necessarily must have contextual relevance. It does not also seem to interfere with what the priests in the temples do in performing poojas to the deity. The temple authorities and organizers of the function therefore should take the first step in this direction and bring about necessary awareness among those who perform PARAKKUM KAVADI to bring about a larger change.”

Restraint or any kind of act which is done by giving away our bodily comfort does not always mean torture. It is in fact a process of self – discipline by which a person is making an effort to discipline his mind, heart and body both at the conscious and sub-conscious level. This way a person tries to attain patience, self – preservation, determination, concentration.

In Jainism, Austerity (Tap) means restraint, done by giving away some of the bodily comforts to discipline our mind and body from patience and pleasures.  These are 12 types performed at Bahiya Tap (physical tap) and Abhyantar (Psychic) and both are of 6 types.

One bahiya tap is KAYA-KLESH TAP which is the 5th bahya tap. Kaya means body and Klesha means forbearance. Examples of Kaya Klesh tap are:

i .LOCATION or practicing sadhana while standing;

1. YOGIC POSTURE or practicing various yogic postures;

iii. SHAYAN or practicing karyotsarga;

1. ATAPANA standing steadily while facing the sun;

2. APARAVARAN tolerating cold in winter without cloths;

3. SHARIR-PARITYAG putting on an exotic makeup on the body and Kaya or pulling all head hairs by Sadhvis.

All such tap or austerity or any such act is not torture. In fact, people do all such tap or austerities willingly and happily. The only reason why everybody is able to do such tap or austerities is the belief and faith they have in God they pray. The trust they have in God they believe helps them to do such acts with full dedication and till the end. 

 Each Veda consists of four parts:

1. Mantra-Samhitas or hymns,

2. the Brahmanas or explanations of Mantras or rituals,

iii. the Aranyakas, and

1. the Upanishads.

The karma kanda (Mantras and Brahmanas) basically talks about rituals to be followed strictly. Out of six Indian philosophy (Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta) the mimamsa philosophy talks about adhering to Karma Kanda rituals.

Hinduism is based on faith and adhering to rituals. Most followers in India are of Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. Followers of Gnana Marg are in minority.

In all courts we have “Satyemya Jyate” written in the background. Its again faith

In the court we always vow not to speak a lie by touching Bhagavad Gita.

 Faith and trust in God is not specific to India and Hindu religion only:

• In every US Dollar note it is written “IN GOD WE TRUST”. It’s nothing but faith they have in God they believe.

• Shia Muslims worldwide cut themselves with swords and knives, covered their bodies with mud and lit bonfires in the streets to mourn the death of the Prophet Muhammads grandson today. Imam Husseins martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shia as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny and oppression.

• Good Friday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday. On this day Christians commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross of Jesus Christ. Many Christians spend Good Friday in fasting, prayer, repentance, and meditation on the agony and suffering of Christ.

• Buddhism incorporates a variety of rituals and practices, which are intended to aid in the journey to enlightenment and bring blessings on oneself and others. The practice of meditation is central to nearly all forms of Buddhism, and it derives directly from the Buddha’s experiences and teachings. Meditation is the central focus of Zen Buddhism and the only way to liberation in Theravada Buddhism.

• Yom Kippur also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jewish people traditionally observe this holy day with an approximate 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services.

• The common practice of Muslims during Ramadan is fasting from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal before the fast is called the suhur, while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is the iftar.

Retailer margins for 73 drugs may be capped

A new study has found that the longer older women sit or lay down during the day—and the longer the individual periods of uninterrupted sitting—the greater their risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke. But reducing their sedentary time by just an hour a day appears to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 12 percent—and for heart disease alone, by a dramatic 26 percent, the research found. The study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

In this five-year prospective study, researchers looked at more than 5,000 women ages 63 to 97 and measured both the total time they sat or laid down each day and the duration of discrete sedentary periods. The results, published today in the journal Circulation, are significant.

The research involved an ethnically diverse group of 5,638 women, nearly half of whom were over age 80, enrolled between 2012 and 2014. None had a history of myocardial infarction or stroke. The women were part of the NHLBI-funded Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health (OPACH)—a sub cohort of the Women’s Health Initiative.

The researchers followed the participants for almost five years, tracking cardiovascular disease events such as heart attacks and strokes. They found that on average, an additional hour of total sedentary time was associated with a 12 percent higher risk for cardiovascular diseases, and when that sitting time was made up of long uninterrupted sedentary sessions, the risk was 52 percent higher than when it was accumulated in short, regularly interrupted bouts of sedentary time.

The drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority is expected to cap trade margins of 73 medicines for cancer and rare diseases, expanding the span of price control to curtail profiteering on various drugs which are currently outside the purview of government regulation. The list was prepared by the DGHS following directions from the Prime Minister’s Office in January. Once the regulator caps the trade margin for these 73 drugs, stockists and retailers can charge only a fixed margin on these products.

National List of Essential Medicines

Criteria for Inclusion of a Medicine into NLEM 2015: For inclusion of a medicine into NLEM, the medicine should

1. Be licensed/ approved in the country by Drugs Controller General

2. Be useful in disease which is a public health problem in India

3. Have proven efficacy and safety profile based on valid scientific evidence

4. Be comparatively cost effective               

5. Be aligned with the current treatment guidelines for the disease

6. Be stable under the storage conditions in India

7. Medicines recommended under National Health Programmes of India are considered for inclusion in NLEM.

In addition, the following criteria were also considered

1. When more than one medicine is available from the same therapeutic class, preferably one prototype/ medically best suited medicine of that class to be included after due deliberation and careful evaluation of their relative safety, efficacy, cost effectiveness.

2. Price of total treatment to be considered and not the unit price of a medicine

3. FDC are not included unless the combination has unequivocally proven advantage over single compounds administered separately, in terms of increasing efficacy, reducing adverse effects and/or improving compliance

4. The medicine in NLEM will be based at P/S/T level of health care according to treatment facilities and training, experience and availability of health care personnel at these levels Criteria for

 Deletion of a Medicine A medicine will be deleted from NLEM 2011 in the following conditions

The medicine has been banned in India.

If there are reports of concerns on the safety profile of a medicine

If medicine with better efficacy or favourable safety profile and better cost-effectiveness is now available

The disease burden for which a medicine is indicated is no longer a national health concern

In case of antimicrobials, if the resistance pattern has rendered a medicine ineffective

Clarifications

1. Innovation in medicine must be encouraged. The formulations developed through incremental innovation/ novel drug delivery systems like lipid/liposomal formulations, sustained release/controlled release etc. should be considered as included only if specified in the list against any medicine.

2. In general, medicines have been mentioned with respect to their active moieties, without mentioning the salts. However, in cases where there is significant difference between the salts, the medicine finds mention as its specific salt.

3. In cases where an active moiety is available as different isomers/ analogues/ derivatives, they are considered as separate entities, and inclusion of one does not imply inclusion of all isomers/ analogues/ derivatives.

4. Any dosage form of a medicine, other than the dosage form included in NLEM, but in same strength and route of administration, which does not have significant difference in terms of pharmacokinetics/ pharmacodynamics/ efficacy-safety profile over the dosage form mentioned in the list will be considered as included in NLEM. To elaborate, if a tablet is included, other dosage forms like conventional tablets and capsules are considered as included. However, such different dosage forms should be considered differently for purposes such as procurement policy, pricing etc. This principle also applies to all other dosage forms e.g. oral liquid dosage forms, injectables, topical dosage forms etc.

5. In cases, where vaccines/ immunoglobulins/ sera are listed in NLEM, irrespective of variation in source, composition and strength, all the products of the same vaccines/ immunoglobulins/ sera as approved by the licensing authority are considered included.

6. Single and multi-dose pack sizes be considered as separate entities for purposes such as procurement/ pricing etc.

7. In general, Fixed Dose Combinations have not been included unless, the combination has unequivocally proven advantage over individual ingredients administered separately, in terms of increasing efficacy, reducing adverse effects and/or improving compliance.

8. The medicines in various National Health Programmes have been considered for inclusion in NLEM.

9. Any medicine/ vaccine, as and when recommended under a National Health Programme will be deemed to have been included in NLEM.

Understanding bunions

Harvard Womens Health Watch

Bunion is a deformity of the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint at the base of the big toe.

A bunion develops when the first metatarsal bone of the foot turns outward and the big toe points inward (toward the other toes).

The Latin name for the deformity is hallux valgus (hallux means big toe, and valgus means turned away from the midline of the body).

Most shoes dont accommodate the resulting protrusion and so put pressure on the misaligned joint. Eventually, the bursa (a fluid-filled sac that surrounds and cushions the joint) becomes inflamed, and the entire joint becomes stiff and painful.

Anatomy of a bunion

Cause: Narrow, pointed-toe footwear.

The big toe pushes against the other toes, sometimes diving over or under them.

The metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint — juts or angles out from the foot.

Bunions run in families.

Low arches, flat feet, and loose joints and tendons all increase the risk.

High heels can exacerbate the problem.

Bunions are 10 times more common in women than in men.

Professions like teaching and nursing, which involve a lot of standing and walking are more susceptible.

Women can develop bunions and other foot problems during pregnancy because hormonal changes loosen the ligaments and flatten the feet.

A bunion on the big toe can damage the other toes. Under the pressure of the big toe, they may develop corns or become bent, forming hammertoes.

The nails may become ingrown, and calluses may form on the bottom of the foot.

Treatment

1. Wear the right kind of shoe

2. Maintain a normal weight.

3. Shoes should have a wide, flexible sole to support the foot and enough room in the toe box to accommodate the bunion.

4. Use sandals, athletic shoes, and shoes made from soft leather.

5. Shoes with a back should have a sturdy heel counter to keep the heel of the foot snugly in place. You may be able to reshape narrow shoes with stretchers that make room in the toe box for the bunion. Keep heels low (no higher than an inch).

6. Use moleskin or gel-filled pad, available at drugstores.

7. Use semisoft orthoses (shoe inserts) to help position the foot correctly as it strikes the ground.

8. Wear a splint at night to hold the toe straight and ease discomfort.

9. When the bunion is irritated and painful, warm soaks, ice packs, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen may help.

10. Ultrasound, and massage may also provide some relief.

11. Cortisone injections can relieve pain temporarily by reducing inflammation, but they have many side effects, especially when used often and at high doses.

Reducing surgical infections

Going for an elective surgery: try this

 Take a betadine (povidone iodine) 4% bath a day before and on the day of surgery

Bo betadine mouth was 2% daily for a week before the surgery

Do betadine nasal was a day before the surgery

After surgery repeat all three weekly for one month

The five major symptoms of a heart attack are

• Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.

• Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint.

• Chest pain or discomfort.

• Pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder.

• Shortness of breath.

12 ways to help you get your dose of physical activity:

1. Skip several half-hour TV shows a week or work out while watching.

2. Get up half an hour earlier each day for a morning workout. Try 10-minute walks, or half a workout in the morning and half in the evening.

3. Take stairs, not elevators.

4. When commuting, get off the bus or subway a stop or two ahead, or park farther away from your workplace.

5. While on the phone, try a few stretches, pace, or do simple exercises like lunges, squats, and heel raises.

6. Bike or walk to work.

7. When running errands within a reasonable radius, park your car in one spot and walk to different shops.

8. Replace your desk and desk chair with a standing desk.

9. Try substituting a stability ball for your desk chair a few hours a day.

10. Rake leaves and shovel snow instead of using a leaf blower or snow blower.

11. Workouts with a friend

12. During bad weather or early darkness buy equipment necessary for exercising at home, join a gym, try a class in your community, or walk the mall or an indoor athletic track at a local school.