where Dead teaches the Living

Millions of people aspire to be one amongst the class one officers. Yes the one considered next to GOD , a Doctor. Though have proved my caliber many times yet I consider myself lucky to crack the preliminaries and get the admission immediately after my 12th. Presently doing graduation as and for the degree, Bachelor's of Dental Surgery.

And the first year has been a milestone, taught me some great lessons. Not only academic ones but yea the lessons of Life. I had just stepped out of the secure and cozy cocoon of my school to enter a different world. Had a mixed feeling initially, a part of me was excited about future , new friends ,studies ,the college life and what not. The other side was a little anxious ,thinking of the encounters with the seniors ,ragging and stuff!

Here again lucky to know Ragging being unethical and punishable in the "college". Girls were usually spared except the so called intro , dressing fundamentals of wearing suits and the hairstyle as a plait!

Boys were the usual Bakras , who use to get treat post their endurance! The intro part actually use to be very entertaining, they were strictly to be given in HINDI...pure and perfect! Which was a l'l hard for people like me from convent ,we use to be fined Rs 5 for every single word in Hindi when in school! But here preference was given to the mother tongue. Now when I think upon ,it seems funny as in how we people use to follow such things and always tried to stay in a low profile. Some things were actually absurd but a few I guess was more of a training for us because being a Doc one need to know the language very well. Secondly its the way one dresses in the clinics and get into a respectful image of a healer. 

The subjects we had were the basic ones. Amongst all Anatomy was the one I liked the most. It taught us about the human body , its parts and how different organs are placed inside. In the morning lectures we were taught theoretically and in the afternoon were shown practically. These practicals were most intriguing for some and the most SCARY  for many!

Yes, scary because here we worked upon the Cadavers! Cadaver is a respectful name ,because these are the dead specimens of human body and in lay man's term 'a dead body'. First year's memories have many embarrassing initially, funny and learning moments spent in the dissection hall. I still remember the first visit there. A huge hall decorated with the enumerating charts ,organ specimens lined one side , some thoughtful wall hanging with quotes , 6-8 dissecting tables and a trough full of loose individual bones of the body to study. And not to forget our buddy champ Andy and Bunti. These were the nick given by me and my friends to the two skeleton which were placed near the front door in the hall. I called them buddy because some of my friends use to hang out with them in most of the classes as and when failed to answer, as a punishment!

First encounter with cadavers seemed to be bitter, not that I was scared but the way they lied in those huge formalin filled tanks! The way they were taken out and put on the table in front of us.I pity the poor donors! We were not suppose to make faces and cover our nose! It actually smelled so badly that many of us use to carry deo bottles along and emptied it upon ourselves before every practical class to overcome the Formalin Hangover! It affected most because our classes were immediately after the lunch break thrice a week. I remember one of my friend use to carry even different lip balm which she use to put on her lips in various coats so that the fruity smell overpowers the stink. 

Having your own instruments and gloves was again a must. I can never forget the tears rolling down from the eyes of one of my batch mate as our demonstrator pressed her hands over the dissected thorasic muscles and that too without gloves!!! She had forgot to get her things that day and so the others too suffered for the same. I was the next who was asked to remove my gloves and show the muscles. I kept staring his face for a while, thought as if heard something wrong.  I'm a strict vegetarian had never ever touched an egg but had to pick up that chilled pale discolored beefy thing bare handed!!!

With time we all became so use to all this that we had gossip bizarre sitting around it. Unlike the initial months,when I had actually stopped eating my favorite chocolate spread! Just because it resembled the cadaveric pigmented skin!!! 

The only thing that mattered was the task, people use to fight to do it first,seek opportunity to try their hand on the dead and at times every one tried on to cut the stony hard skull ,while dissecting the brain ,with an instrument that some how resembled a carpenter's saw! And yea even clicked our pics there, ironically, smiling to the flash standing next to a dead. Its not a cup of tea for every one here, needs knowledge and a fine hand to do deal with them.

There was a very eye catchy quote with a deep meaning, over a hanging there,"Here the dead teaches the Living". Every time I enter the hall ,this always caught my attention. It made me ponder how this man lying in front bears with, his endurance to allow people like us to explore the human by undergoing mutilation. Its three years from then and even now when I pass by that hall, can't stop myself undergoing a through flashback... reminding me those days when during my evening prayers...asked God to forgive ...for the pains rendered by me. 

I always asked "May his soul rest in peace" though his body could not! I actually respect and salute the people who dare to decide to donate their body ...so that people like us can explore and learn. They are the real ones we need to thank who make us knowledgeable enough to render our services to the society at the expense of their own self .