Granada and the Al Hambra- A Journal

Moorish Architecture inside the Al Hambra

 A view of the Al Hambra from our room

Segway Tours in the Sacramento district

 The Al Hambra seen from our Balcony in the apartment- Terrace Al Hambra

Water Bodies inside the Palace
 

26th October 2013- Granada, Spain

Sanjiv, Archana, Bini and I reached Granada on a beautiful morning on an overnight train from Barcelona

 It was a bit of a mistake arriving early into a city. One cannot check into an accommodation until noon in most places and folks end up walking the streets unwashed in their overnight clothes. That is exactly what happened to us. However, we were in Granada for just 24 hours and we did not want to waste it waiting for our host to let us in. In any case we tried, and found ourselves waiting outside a small apartment on a street which was even smaller. Standing with our baggage on the street was itself a good reason to block all traffic on the road.

Granada is a smallish city in Andalucía. However its size belies the enormous historic significance of the place. It was a Moorish Islamic state from 711AD onwards. In fact the Granada we were visiting was an old Jewish settlement that was supplanted ( to use a mild term for massacred) and taken over by the Ummayed Dynasty. It was later transferred to the Berber Kingdom. In the 11^th century the Nassrid dynasty took over Granada and ruled it till the end of the 15^th century. In short it was ping ponged between several Muslim rulers generally referred to as the moors for almost 700 years. It was the Nassrid Kings who built the imposing Al Hambra as a palace, recreational home, harem and fortification for its rulers. Unfortunately, they did not enjoy the fruits of this architectural wonder- literally and figuratively perhaps.  In fact they planted several fruit trees including Pomogranates- the regional emblem of Granada (from granata for the fruit). Granada passed into the hands of the Catholic monarchs in 1492. The city itself is a quaint place that is a mixture of modern buildings, the medieval Al Hambra, the cave like dwellings of the gypsies in the hills and the gabled white and blue humble homes in the Sacramento region where we had booked our apartment. It has been made into a UNESCO heritage site- and for good reason.

After being told to return later to check in, we decided to have our breakfast and explore the city at our own pace. We chose to have a rather un-Islamic meal and for a change, an English breakfast of Bacon, eggs and sausages.

It was then that a young lady accosted us on a contraption that I had never seen before. It had two wheels and a single handle like a bicycle. The wheels were side by side unlike a bicycle. One stood on a little platform that lay over the axle connecting the two wheels. She invited us to stand on the platform and roll around. The vehicle/ contraption had a mind of its own. Getting on to it was quite a job. It would run away! Once mounted, it could go anywhere in the hands of  unacquainted riders- which we all were. On the promise that she would have us riding it with ease in ten minutes, the young lady Nadia convinced us to book a tour on the Segway (as it was called).

And thus we found ourselves riding away on the funny little thing on a tour of the Sacramento region of the town. It was the old Muslim and current gypsy quarter of town. The tour was an exciting adventure along narrow roads including the street on which we had booked our room (still unoccupied). There were steep hills and sharp turns with a moderate traffic of curious car drivers who had to be particularly careful to not run us down. As a precaution, we were given orange fluorescent vests and helmets- I suppose to indicate ‘dangerous amateurs’ ahead. Well! Exciting is an understatement. While three of us generally got the hang of it and rode it with reasonable control, trying to stay between the curb and the cars speeding on the narrow, winding streets, Bini was literally in tears- sometimes falling of the damn thing and sometimes allowing the contraption to take her wherever it wanted. Once we found her heading in the opposite direction and Nadia had to bring her back. One needs to ride the bloody thing to realize what I mean. I think it was a small prayer she had offered up to St Joseph at the Sangrida Familia ( the church in Barcelona) that saved her from being plastered like a Spanish omelet in distant Granada. It was an exciting tour otherwise and we saw some breath taking views from the top of the hills whenever we could take our eyes off the road- which was not too often.  At one stop we got a terrific look at the majestic Al Hambra, silhouetted in red against the azure blue sky. The trip also took us to the region where the gypsies lived in homes cut out of the mountains. This has apparently been their housing for decades. If you are thinking cave dwellers, let me assure you that they are modern dwellers with all the amenities. In fact the local supermarket is built into a mezzanine of caves. All of them have city housing licenses and live comfortably. I am not sure what they do for a living

Having thus escaped unscathed or almost (Bini had a couple of bruises to show off for her troubles), we set out to explore the Al Hambra. This time it was on foot. The climb to the Al Hambra can be a little steep and demanding. Sanjiv and Archana marched away in healthful zest while Bini and I trudged up the steep hill. Bini, after her morning adventures on the Segway, was beginning to look rather despondent and was convinced that we had chosen Granada as her final resting place.

Having reached the hill top and the entrance she perked up and we did an elaborate tour of the magnificent structure built in the 15th century as a fort, palace and military installation. It would easily take 4-5 hours to see the whole complex. Al Hambra was started as a small fortress in the 9 th century AD, we were told on a commentary available with a phone like listening device. The forts were renovated and structures were added on by subsequent Kings and Sultans in small increments. The walls around the fortress were completed in the 11^th century. The grand palaces, gardens, water bodies and intricate inscriptions were essentially 14^th century additions by King Yusuf 1 and Mohammed V the Nassrid Sultans of Granada, who made it their residence and palace from mid 14^th century (circa 1333) to the end of the 15^th century. The Moorish influence is evident in the architecture, and the elaborate gardens and the housing for the large harems of the reigning monarchs and their nobility. The structure takes into account every need from temperature control to entertainment to, of course, defense. It is an imposing facade of red stone on an elevated landscape that contrasts significantly with the surrounding. The tour of the Al Hambra takes us through the numerous palaces and gardens built to allow fresh air and light at all times. An enduring feature of the palaces is the numerous fountains and water bodies that give it a natural ambience.

It is unfortunate, at least for the Islamic kingdom, that the structure was completed at a time when Christianity was ready to take over. The ‘reconquista’ by the Catholic Monarchs (Reyes Catholicos) happened in 1492 when the Castilian and Aragon forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabelle took over the emirate of Granada- Al Hambra and all. To the credit of the conquerors who defeated the last of the moors, they refrained from wanton destruction of the art and architecture of the vanquished. There was some vandalism. Mostly it was indifference and neglect that left the grand palaces in ruins for the next two centuries. King Charles V built a large Cathedral on the premises. Cleverly, they converted some of the rooms into their own palace to house their armies and their families. Surprisingly, for me, the Islamic architecture survived the inquisition that was to characterize the next couple of centuries in an effort to re-Christianize the whole of the region- sometimes rather cruelly. The whole complex was restored only in the 19^th century through the efforts of European interests and efforts. The Al Hambra became famous also through the writing of Washington Irving who stayed and wrote a book called the Tales of the Al Hambra- mostly fiction. In fact I first heard of the Al Hambra in reference to Irwing’s famous book. His statue stands in the premises as a testimony to the publicity that the palace got. Today it is the most visited site in Spain. The Al Hambra and for that matter almost the whole city survives as an UNESCO heritage site. It certainly is a place to see in Spain- a cultural pot pouri of old Islamic grandeur, Christian conquests and Gypsy traditions

 The long walk back from the Al Hambra was easy on the lungs but a bit of a strain on the knees. We were finally admitted into our rooms at ‘the terrace Al Hambra’ as our rented facility was called. It was a small but cozy little place with an amazing view of the Al Hambra, as promised . That evening the four of us sat on the balcony watching the amazing structure lit up at night. Mellowed by the whiskey, Sanjiv and I agreed that it was a day well spent- thanks to Archana for pushing us through a packed itinerary without a break for lunch. We unpacked for the night, only to repack again the next morning. We were set to head off to Seville, another Andalucían city steeped in its own history!

Do patients get a fair deal from corporate dentistry? A note for the public!

The next time you step into a plush, well advertised, branded dental clinic that is part of a large chain, remember that you need to be cautious. You are entering a business centre not a health facility! I am not for a second suggesting that traditional dental clinics are altruistic establishments that render free treatment. But there is a vast difference between the ethos practiced in the well advertised branded corporate clinics and the traditional practices that you visited as a child two decades ago.The former is obviously based on questionable business models where success is measured in financial returns whereas the latter is an enduring example of a more flexible system of 'payment for services'. In other words a patient seeking treatment in a branded corporate clinic is not only paying for the dentist's services but also for the huge profits of the corporate company. 

The new genre of clinics may seem to sync with the ambiance of the swanky malls and eateries in metro centers. The question is whether you want to place your health in the hands of a business group that hires and fires it's nameless professionals or with the permanent neighborhood dentist who has serviced your community and who is answerable to his/her clients.

Of significant concern is the fact that these corporate houses peddling treatment with enticing offers, including dinners at the local restaurant, are involved in a practice that is forbidden by law. It is another matter that they are run by powerful businessmen rather than qualified dentists.

A quick glance through the practice guidelines laid down in the Dentist Act of  1948 , section 51 (1), unambiguously states that 'the profession of dentistry shall not be carried out by a company or corporate body'. It makes a small exception in 51(2) which permits a company to practice dentistry provided such company 'carries on no business other than dentistry or some ancillary business.......and if the majority of directors and all operating staffs are registered dentists'. It is obvious from the above statute that the intention of such a clause was to keep out  cloth merchants, goldsmiths and other business speculators from dabbling in health and profiteering from it. 

Ironically this provision has been grossly violated.

Let us take a look at some of the popular corporate houses. One of them runs a chain of medical shops and ophthalmic clinics and has ventured out into the establishment of chain dental clinics . They are explicitly prohibited from doing so because they are not dentists. The majority of directors in these companies are also not dentists as can be gleaned from their memorandum of articles. The irony of the whole business is that the CEO of one such company is a retired dentist who was once the Vice President of the Dental Council of India, the body that framed these rules. A decent retirement job indeed!

Another corporate company that runs tens of dental clinics in Karnataka is the founder chairman of a famous heart hospital that dabbles in chain dental clinics as a side business. The celebrated cardiac surgeon is also touted as the Henry Ford of Indian medicine for having created assembly line treatment ( like cars). I would have cringed at such a sobriquet. Are you happy to be put into an assembly line for your health needs? Both these organizations have been formed illegally and practice unethical methods to entice patients with shameful promises of free dinners and special offers as if your dental health was a packet of soap powder you bought at the local super market- Buy one get one free!The specific violations are section 51 of the Dentist Act and section 6(c), (d), (e), (f) etc of the code of ethics regulation. 

The question now is whether you would be happy to actually submit yourself to an establishment or persons who knowingly violates the law of the land and the ethical standards laid down by the government. What would prevent them from fleecing you. It is good to remember that anyone who offers you more than dental treatment for a fair price has something sinister up their sleeves.  Ingenious advertisement lines like 'we care', crafted by expensive advertisement agencies are only cosmetic and meant to give the impression that the humble private practitioner 'does not care'!

So how is the public affected by this new phenomenon?

1. Direct or surrogate advertisements running into crores of rupees are put out by these corporations, thus creating brand names. Despite being illegal they keep the law at length through their political and financial power. In a highly consumer driven society the patients are fooled by their tall claims. In the absence of a level playing field the traditional private practitioner and the neighborhood family dentist is slowly being wiped out.

2. Corporate dental clinics are run on tight business models and the doctors are under constant pressure to meet financial targets. These are supervised by non medical administrative staff to keep the till ringing all day. If you have wondered why you have been asked to take an OPG (a large full mouth X Ray) even before you mention your problem, remember that it is the first step in springing all kind of surprises on you, including real and fictitious treatment plans that involve eye popping estimates. They have regular meetings to take stock of their incomes and strategies to increase per patient income.

3. Most patients do not realize that in a corporate clinic you are not just paying your dentist for treatment. You are paying for the frills, the advertisements, the salaries of a bevy of non medical public relationship officers, marketing managers and administrative staff and a large profit that the company declares every year.

4.  All this would have been fine if you were getting the best doctors. Have you ever wondered why a dentist would work for a pittance of a salary if he/she was really talented?Except a few good dentists, most of the professionals are raw graduates with little experience, who are biding their time until a better opportunity comes their way. Take a look at the attrition rate in these clinics and you will realize the truth.

So the next time you step into a corporate clinic, remember that you are paying for all that empty glitz and glamour. In fact, you are paying for the reason you are there- clever marketing! Go back to your family dentist to whom you will be paying a fair fee for your services!

An Open Letter to the President and members of the DCI

An open letter to the President and members of the Dental Council of India

Dear Sirs,

We were shocked to read an office communication (No DE-190-2013/2630) where the DCI ‘has resolved’ to start a new course in oral and maxillofacial surgery called M.D.Ch which will be a higher degree in general OMFS. The communication sent on 24^th May 2013 to several State secretaries, DMEs and Registrars of Universities goes on to explain that if they do not hear from the recipients within 21 days, the DCI would go ahead with the implementation of the new course with a duration of 5 ½ years after BDS or two years after MDS. Most importantly, it is also being offered to MBBS graduates. Please remember this is a general OMFS degree that is being offered- not a super specialty in Cleft , cancer etc. The letter was ostensibly written to the above Government and University authorities because they are defined as ‘stake holders’ as per section 20 of the Dentists Act. We are reasonably certain that most of these ‘stake holders’ may not have replied within the stipulated time (15^th of June) and therefore the ground is being prepared for another ill advised adventure into our course curriculum. In 2007, a similar adventure under a different president was undertaken when the DCI for some inexplicable reason, had scrapped the internship. Then too the ‘stake holders’ remained silent!!! Thankfully that experiment with the course curriculum was reversed. ‘Stake holders’ like Secretaries and Registrars of Universities will naturally remain silent because they do not understand or care about the name of some obscure dental degree. Why should they?

Respected Sirs (and Madams), let us once again remind you that the real stake holders of the profession of OMFS are the more than 3,500 MDS degree holders in the country. Nearly 2500 of them belong to an organization called the ‘Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India’(AOMSI). We may not be government agencies or bureaucrats but we certainly are the real stake holders because we practice the specialty, serve the public and make a living with a ‘humble’ degree called MDS in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. We are aware that there are a couple of persons from the OMFS fraternity in the DCI trying to push forward an insidious plan to undermine the qualification of the existing MDS degree holders. We are also aware that it is being carried forward on the specious argument that the course duration needs to be increased. We strongly agree that the course duration needs to be increased taking into account the special medical training needs of the specialty. In fact several of us have petitioned the DCI on this matter. The argument that an increase in course duration must necessarily mean a change in the name of the degree is difficult to buy. When the MDS course was increased from 2 to 3 years we do not remember anyone changing the name of the degree. The argument that courses with different durations cannot be called by the same name is also not acceptable in principle. Let us illustrate. The  BDS course can be studied in 4 years in most universities but it is 4 ½ years in Kerala (24 dental colleges). The longer version is not called B.D.Ch or any such name. Similarly a condensed BDS of 2 years (for MBBS graduates) has been offered in Annamalai University for several years. To the best of my knowledge it is called BDS. Try the Medical specialties. One can do a 5 year Mch in Neurosurgery. One can also do a 3 year MCh after MS. They are all called MCh ,in case the DCI has not noticed. One can do an LLB in 3 years (after graduation) or a consolidated 5 years. Both are called LLB. In this country there are LLM courses offered for 1 year and for 2 years. Are they not called LLM? PhD degrees in different universities are offered for a minimum of 4 years and 5 years. Both are called PhD at the end.

We strongly recommend that the MDS course duration be increased if necessary. But please do not find disingenuous arguments to call the new format by a different name. What is more ridiculous is the offer to MDS persons to attain the new degree by studying for 2 more years. The implication is that the existing MDS qualified persons are sub-standard. The only people likely to benefit from these new fangled ideas are the numerous dental colleges that can charge more for a new degree (M.D.Ch) or from those wanting to study some extra years after MDS. In fact we are convinced that this may in fact be the real reason for pushing this forward with so much haste keeping the real stake holders in the dark.

Let me explain what happens if you change the name of the degree from MDS to M.D. Ch.  We are going to have a new kind of Oral Surgeon with a different name and a superior attitude. The humble MDS graduate, and there are 3500 of them, will be downgraded with one sweeping, inconsiderate act of the DCI. MDS graduates will technically be reduced to second grade post graduates. Is this what you want to do to a generation of young post graduates- disenfranchising and downgrading them and their precious degree?

The MDS graduates with oral and maxillofacial surgery have unanimously struck down this proposal in 2011 during a well attended conference in Delhi. The matter was clearly communicated to the DCI. We do not know what has changed in the statutory body. We will challenge it again in a court of law if necessary.

We request the DCI in its collective wisdom to withdraw this proposal. This is a request from the ‘real stake holders’ of the profession.

George Paul- Past Hon. Secretary, Past President (AOMSI) and member of the AOMSI education committee of AOMSI

Manjunath Rai- Hon. General Secretary AOMSI

Kishore Nayak- Past Hon. Secretary, Past President and President of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Prabhu. S- Past Hon. Secretary, Past President (AOMSI) and member of education committee

Sanjiv Nair- Hon. Editor of AOMSI national journal and executive member of the International Association (IAOMS)

Krishnamurthy Bonanthaya- Past executive member and member of the education committee of AOMSI.

Olympics on Doordarshan

Thanks to the Olympics, after several years, I watched Doordarshan again.  Doordarshan had made arrangements to showcase all the events in which India was featured. Since India did not feature very often, the rest of the time was allocated to sporting events like fencing, yachting and other exotic games of which I had no clue about. There are some sporting activities that are watchable and others which are not so watchable. Unfortunately India excelled mostly in the latter category. I was of course thrilled to see Mary Kom win a boxing bronze.  It was a creditable achievement and it gladdened my heart. I am generally a peaceful sort of guy when it comes to sporting activity. I honestly do not enjoy watching people beat each other up to get a medal- particularly when they harbor no animosity against the other. But for Mary Kom and India, I watched- in fact I applauded!  

Wrestling, I must admit, is less violent. I watched it with some interest, mostly because India had some medal aspirations. I must admit, that like many people, I have no idea how the scoring goes. For much of the time the wrestlers hover around each other trying to prevent the opponent from touching them. Finally, when they do make contact, the two wrestlers end up in a convoluted heap of hands, legs and heads.  I knew that Sushil Kumar won (and later lost) by observing the corner of the TV which records the score. Unlike boxing, there is little malice in their fight. They are all a bunch of affable guys. In some positions they almost appear to be tangled in an affectionate embrace!

There are plenty of watchable games. Badminton was certainly worth watching and more so because Saina salvaged some pride for us. In fact Tennis and Badminton did afford some entertainment even if there wasn’t a shower of medals. Hockey is a watchable sport but watching India plummet to the bottom was like watching the Titanic go down- a terrible tragedy!

I do not like guns in general. I strongly believe they were invented to kill people or animals or both. Somehow it is one of the sporting events we excel in. Since Gagan and Vijayakumar were shooting at an inanimate target I sat down to watch. Despite our two medals, for which we are proud, I still cannot call it a riveting spectator sport. The shooter, dressed in regalia including ear muffs and some kind of single eye pad, appears to be the only person who can see where his shot has gone. The spectator has to be told about its success (or failure) by a commentator, who I presume is using some kind of optical gizmo. Not my kind of sport really! Archery, on the other hand is a little more dramatic but we got ‘knocked out’ quite early, thus ending all anxiety. In fact most of the news on the Olympics was about one or the other Indian sportsman getting ‘knocked out’ or ‘crashing out’. The news channels make our exits sound quite violent.

I must confess that I enjoy the 100 metres. Mostly because it is over in less than 10 seconds which is approximately my attention span. I do not expect an Indian to ever be in the mostly ‘all black’ lineup. I am convinced that some of these power sports, including the sprints, jumps and throws are in the genes or at least powered by what we eat. Despite the occasional Indian in the fray, I do not think that we have the genes or the diet to be involved in pure track and field or even aquatic events. It is just the way most of us are made. We do not have to be ashamed. There are other things we revel in. Since chess, or for that matter cricket, is not part of the Olympic sporting events (not yet!) we may need to wait. When it happens there is no doubt that some Bulgarian sports fan is likely to complain about cricket the same way I am complaining about Yachting. Thirteen guys on a playing field, most of them just waiting for the ball to come their way, may not exactly be a spectator sport to those unfamiliar with cricket. We must not forget that they saunter off from time to time for drinks and tea. Chess, well, it is not going to be a spectator sport for anybody, even in the rapid movement version of the game. We may still watch it on Doordarshan- if Viswanathan Anand is playing for a medal.

In the unlikely event of fasting getting to be a sport, I am sure we stand a good chance. It is an endurance sport like the marathon. We have a great tradition from the days of the Mahatma to the present day Baba Ramdev and co. We also have plenty of practice. At least a third of India’s population, after all, goes to bed hungry.

On being Clever and Wise

I was in Singapore to attend my daughter’s convocation for a master’s degree in Law from the NUS (National University of Singapore). I was gently reminded through a small pamphlet, that was handed out to all the parents and friends, that it was not called a‘convocation’ or in fact a ‘graduation’ anymore. Somewhere in the eighties they had begun to call the event a ‘commencement’, a very American usage. I have been to Singapore several times over the last three decades and have slowly seen the City State turn its back on its old British legacies. It is subtle, but it is happening. I am not complaining. I always thought that the word ‘commencement’ was typically an American misnomer. Why did the Americans have to drive on the right side of the road? Why did the Americans have to do the opposite to switch on a light? Why did they have to spell colour without an ‘u’? Even as I write I am dismayed to see my word processor inviting a red mark under my ‘colour’ -the spelling I have grown so used to. Here I was attending my daughter’s ‘commencement’, when in fact she was finished and going home. There was, of course,  an explanation. The pamphlet patiently explained that the word ‘convoke’ or ‘gather’ was no longer acceptable. The word ‘Commencement’ actually means the beginning of a new life as a professional. So it would have to be Commencement. A few people may call it a disingenuous argument but I think even the British may have to see some sense in the explanation. Singapore, in the meanwhile, still drives (rather carefully by Indian standards) on the left side of the road!

 In addition to hearing an explanation for the use of the word ‘commencement’, I heard a very inspirational speech by Dr Chesterman, the Dean of the Law Faculty. I would like to share the essence of the Dean’s Commencement message which was so ‘profoundly simple’- to use an oxymoron.  His commencement address was on the difference between being wise and clever. We all know that education makes us clever because of the things we learn at University. He explained why all clever people are not necessarily wise. This was the message which he lucidly explained through a story which I am going to repeat in my own words. There was this wise old woman who was blind. Her wisdom, despite her disability, was legendary.  One day a few college graduates (who were naturally clever), decided to test the old woman’s intelligence. They came over to her with a bird cupped within the palms of both hands. They explained to her that there was a bird inside the enclosed palms and wanted the woman to predict if it was alive or dead. She did not answer. They asked her again and she was silent. The clever students then taunted her and wanted an answer, if indeed she was so wise. The old woman knew that if she said the bird was dead they would let it fly with a flutter and prove her wrong. If she said the bird was alive, they would crush it between their palms and lay the dead bird in her lap. She said  “I do not know if it is dead or alive, but I can certainly say it is in your hands”. That was a profound answer. It is so true of our young and learned people. They know so much. The world and the future are in their hands. But it may require the wisdom of a teacher or mentor  to actually tell them that they hold such powers by virtue of their education. The future of the ‘wise’ are indeed in their own hands. They need wisdom to make things happen. The inference to the story is mine and I am not sure if that is what Dr Chesterman had in mind. But it was a good story. I hope my daughter learnt from it just as I did!

George Paul, July 2012