Tag: Jammu Kashmir Flood Relief
Jammu Kashmir flood relief work – in 2014
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Medical camp at Kudara
Kudara village is located at the foot hills of Harmukh mountain in Kashmir. Harmukh is the 2nd highest mountain peak in kashmir region. Kudara has population of nearly 5000. This village remains cut off during winters due to heavy snow. Most of the villagers are nomads and keep migrating. We conducted our next medical camp and were able to cater the needs of almost 400 patients. The local people were quite hospitable. They were so happy because for the first time after the kashmir floods last year, some medical camp was being organized. Our doctor team was given a warm…
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Medical camps in Kashmir valley
Local doctors from Kashmir are still helping us with conducting medical camps in the Kashmir valley. On 9th February, a camp was organized in the village Kunzpora. The team was surprised to find that this was the first medical camp here post devastating floods last year. The team was able to cater to around 500 patients, including children. They were provided with high quality health supplements, Antibiotics, Pain killers, Multi-vitamins etc. As I spoke to the team few minutes back, they shared their experiences and how blessed they felt doing this selfless service to humanity. Dr Yavar (one of the…
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Thank you Amrita
After successful medical camps in Nathipora, Zurimanz and Kulhama, the next medical camp was held at Lankreshi-pora. This village was badly hit with recent floods in kashmir. When our team entered primary school (were we had planned to conduct the medical camp), we saw that the school building was badly damaged and the children were sitting on ground – The classrooms without roofs. As we interacted with locals and the staff of school, there were lots of horrifying stories to hear. We started distributing medicines and supplements. Another adjoining school kids also came, We distributed health supplements and all essential…
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Medical camp at Kulhama
Kulhama was where we did the medical camp on 18th November. This was our second time there. Being one of the severely flood affected area, we had decided long back that we will be sending some more medical aid to this place. An announcement was made early in the day in the local schools. The children as well as parents were informed that special supplements will be provided for children in addition to the medicines. As soon as our team led by Dr Yavar reached there, there was a huge line up of children. Seeing the smile on their innocent…
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Medical camps at Kashmir
The second round of Medical camps for the flood affected people in the Kashmir valley have begun. Based on our assessment from the previous medical camps, MAM sent another huge truck load of medicines and health supplements. On 15th November, we did a mini camp at place called Natipora where at around 300 people including children came. Health supplements like protein powder and other multivitamins were in high demand. We also distributed antibiotics, cough syrup, skin ointments, glucose and other essential supplements. Pain killers were also given to the needy. On 16th we did a camp at Zurimanz. This was…
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Our Doctors still make housecalls
Returning from Kashmir our Medical Team stopped at “Adopted Villages” in Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, and Harayana. The mood was quite different. The people know of Amma. They know we will return. The clinics were smaller and the doctors were able to take more time with each patient. Some even got to visit the villages. Wandering through our Himachal Pradesh village, Dr. Jaggu came upon this lady, obviously in distress. He applies old fashioned “doctoring”. A kind word. A gentle touch. And she is in smile. Sometimes that is all that is needed to lift a spirit. Dr. Jaggu Kottilil is…
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Delivering Amma’s blankets
Unlike the Kashmiri Medical Relief Camps which involved 30 people, it was only Br. Amit and I who returned to Bandipora to distribute 3000 blankets. I was busy documenting the project, so the whole job fell on Br. Amit. I write about him, not because he is exceptional in any way. Rather, he is a common example of those Brahmachari and Brahmacharini who Amma sends away from her with huge tasks like this. We in the west have no idea how hard they work for their beloved Amma. Swami Nijamrita bought good, heavy blankets. A whole truck load weighs several…
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Breaking the Rules
I saw her early in the morning, a small, tentative woman. She would come close to the truck for a short while then retreat, afraid to have hope. I knew by her manner she would not be on the list for a blanket. She tried to tell the list-makers to include her name also in the list but all in vain. Sure enough, as we gave our final twenty blankets, she was still there watching, knowing she would again be left behind. Br. Amit saw her too and quietly found a way to slip her two blankets without drawing…
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The List
You can not simply drive to a village with an open heart and start handing out blankets. It would cause a riot. Instead, we rely on “The List”, a hand written record of all the village families. Depending on the accuracy and integrity of the Panch (Village Mayor), his list will ensure a fair and reasonably orderly distribution as he calls out the names. Mata Amritanandamayi Math distributed three thousand blankets over three days. – Scotti