Dr H N BAJAJ - A POLYMATH

At 19, Ibrahim Lodi, the eldest son of Sikander Shah, inherited the throne of Delhi, the kingdom of his grandfather Bahlol Lodi and his father Sikander Shah. They were Afghans and the Afghani aristocracy was a powerful political force that both Bahlol Lodi and Sikander Shah kept placated to retain their position.  Ibrahim Lodi too had to contend with the Afghani nobles in the 9 years of his rule. They were rapacious and unconcerned about courtly etiquette, demanding that the ruler be devoid of airs and accord them due respect. Bahlol Lodi was always humble and sat on a carpet with his nobles, rather than the throne. His son Sikander Shah  largely followed the same methods. It ensured the loyalty of the Afghan nobility. Ibrahim Lodi failed to recognize that arrogance and contempt for the nobles were a disaster of his creation. Disaffection, revolts, and discontent led to the fragmentation of the Delhi Sultanate; he undid the work of his father and grandfather who had struggled ...

    Some interesting facts about arthritis: There exist over 100 kinds of arthritis, some of which affect the spine Arthritis is a general term that means inflammation/degeneration in a joint.  In Greek ‘arthron’ means joint and ‘itis’ means inflammation. Arthritis means any or all of the following - warm and painful joints, swollen joints, stiff joints with restricted movement, tender to touch. Causes of arthritis are diverse - age-related wear and tear of the joints is called osteoarthritis and is the most common form. Other causes can be auto-immune mediated arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis.  Septic arthritis and tubercular arthritis are common in our country. Spondyloarthritopathy or SPA are many kinds of arthritis that involve the spine Ankylosing spondylitis is well known. Ankylosing spondylitis is uncommon in women. Arthritis worsens in cold weather. Hot water bottles help reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Inflammation of the eye resulting in a red eye and ...

A slipped disc is a common problem that brings patients to the doctor. The patient has pain in the back that travels to the buttock and to the leg on one side. Walking is painful,  and often, the body is bent to one side. Lying  in bed reduces the pain.  What is the problem? What is the treatment of this painful condition?  Pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves therein causes the problem. Treatment is medical or may be surgical. Each case is unique and the saying that ‘one size does not fit all’ is true.  A visit to the doctor confirms that it is indeed a slipped disc. Bed rest, physiotherapy, and painkiller medication are helpful. The pain subsides, and a few days later, the patient is out of bed and reasonably free of pain. This is the story of a simple attack that subsides with treatment and does not require MRI scans or blood tests.  But what happens if the pain does not resolve, or recurs after a few days? Or if a foot or the toes become weak and ...

Every year an effigy of Ravana is burnt, and relief goes around that an evil figure has been despatched. Was Ravana, the ruler of Lanka evil personified? Ravana was a benevolent ruler of his kingdom of Lanka. The country was prosperous, and the people were happy. They saw him as a protector, a provider of peace and prosperity. Ravana was a master in many subjects - religion, warfare, and medicine. He was also the guardian of his family's interests. His sister Surpanakha turned to him to avenge her humiliation at the hands of Lakshmana. Surpanakha saw beauty in Rama and was attracted to him. She wished to marry him but was gently dissuaded. She saw the same beauty in Lakshmana and regarded him as an alternative to Rama. Lakshmana’s rejection of her marriage proposal led to a rage and she moved to harm Sita. Lakshmana protected Sita and as punishment cut off her nose and ears. It can be argued that this extreme step by Lakshmana was harsh and too strong. Surpanakha was after all infa...

Hinduism, staunchly rooted in polytheism, envisages the Divine in both male and female forms. The Divine Devi takes many forms: as Parvati, She is married to Shiva and this union is held as the ideal. She is a benevolent Mother, devoted to her husband and her children. As Lakshmi, She is the wife of Vishnu and the Goddess of fortune. She is Saraswati, the wife of Brahma, and the Goddess of learning and music. Devi is manifest in all other Goddesses, as well as in village deities. As such Devi can be a generic name for any goddess, and to some she is known as The Great Goddess or Mahadevi. This is the female counterpart of Mahadeva. When the Devi manifests in Her gentle maternal manner called saumya, She becomes the ideal of all women. She is the Mother or Maa. It does not permit the Devi an identity separate from her husband.  The unmarried form of Devi leads to an independent, fiercely untamed, and angry embodiment called the ugra form that battles the forces of evil. In doing so ...

October 02 or Gandhi Jayanti celebrates the birth of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. That day is celebrated globally as the International Day of Non-Violence as well. It stirs the question of the relevance of Gandhian ideas in a world beset by wars, authoritarianism, religious intolerance, pollution, climate change, and racism, all issues that plague our times. This is despite his devastatingly brutal demise on 30 January 1948, aged 78 at Birla House, New Delhi. Gandhi’s ideas are based on his vision of a just and equitable society and are worth a re-look. NON-VIOLENCE. Many would consider the Gandhian idea of non-violence or  Ahimsa  as redundant in a world armed to the teeth with chemical, biological, nuclear, and conventional weapons.  Ahimsa , first propounded by the 24th Jain  Tirthankara  and ascetic Mahavira in the 6th century BCE, was a method employed by Gandhi to achieve political and social change. Gandhi believ...

  Recently a patient asked this question, ‘Doctor. The MRI report is clear that I have TB in the spine. And you have so kindly pointed out that I have TB. So why do you want me to undergo a biopsy?’ After listening to him I realized that this question needed a clear answer as to the need for a biopsy when the diagnosis is TB. I hope that I can clarify. TB is a great mimic and can fool even the most experienced clinician. The best way to confirm the diagnosis is a biopsy, in which a sample can be procured and forwarded to the laboratory  Here it is processed and subjected to many tests. 1. The diagnosis is confidently confirmed A tissue sample after proper preparation isexamined under the microscope and excludes many sinister conditions like cancer, other infections due to various kinds of disease-causing bacteria or fungi. 2. Polymerase chain reaction or PCR testing of the bacteria in the sample provides evidence of TB. 3. Drug sensitivity testing is always done for front-line...