Beyond these, from the poet.....

These days….


These days I have been spending a lot of time with poetry, thanks to this wonderful book by Dr Rabinarayan Dash. Dr Dash has collected inspiration from his immediate surroundings, has assimilated those into this own thought process and has created imageries with words. Result: Clinical Trials, a book out of the ordinary! These days I am exploring it.

These poems….

These poems are examples of conflicts. A physician, a healer and a practitioner – all in one – feels an inner dilemma. He is pained to see his lack of attachment to the humane aspect of doctoring. There is remorse, there is disbelief, there are questions and there are griefs. In one of the poems, the poet mentions “I have cited their sickness for the benefit of my own career/Have I forgotten that each man/Has a multiplicity of layers?” (Clinical Trials, 2016). These poems, in short, are created out of self-reflection done by a physician whereby he proclaims that science alone is hollow when it comes to healing of patients. Humane touch is also essential to follow through.



These words….

What is health? What is disease?

Dr Das: Thirty years as a physician makes me put forward a few questions. When a patient comes, and narrates his or her story, as a physician it is my duty to do the best. But I often wonder – isn’t it a fact that a huge part of what the stories want to convey remain unexplored? Empathy and generosity of understanding others is much more important than any therapeutic training or any classroom learning. We must try to understand the suffering and pains of patients. These patients are like our friends, or our close relatives. The subject of physiology, or the subject of biology is a mystery! Building relationship with patients can perhaps bring us closer to unearth this mystery. There will remain a lot to uncover, we must never lose our attachment to humility. We must keep learning

A doctor in conflict with his doctor-self?

Dr Das: No, I think it is not a conflict at all. On the contrary, it is journey together. There is a beauty of listening to others. Listening should come from the heart. Connect to your power of listening and life will unfold with new meanings. Broaden yourself, come out of the laboratory mindset and get closer to human emotions. 

Any gaps in the profession today?

Dr Das: It is quite natural to have gaps. Sometimes, there is lack of time. There is often lack of resources. Having said that, most of my doctor friends are excellent human beings. They always want to do good for their patients. But then, there is a slight problem – we tend to get conditioned. We know there is a prison around us, guarded by walls. But perhaps, the keys to get out of it is also with us. So, why not try to open ourselves? Why not free ourselves from this prison? For every ill, there cannot be a pill. Kind heart and compassion can also be there for an ill.
Medicines, mathematics, science – these are all aspects of a human culture. We need to break some stereotypes over here! Clinical Trials is an attempt towards that.

Any connections to personal experiences?

Dr Das: Yes, of course! Everything is connected to the way we have grown-up, and our experiences. But these should not be hindrances, these should be liberating factors. No precedence please - only looking forward instead. And then talking about the subject of this book, these things have been up for discussion for several years.

Any change in yourself?

Dr Das: Yes, it did happen. It happens continuously, transformation is a constant phenomenon. Any poetic feeling or expression is connected to extreme sensitivity. Sensitivity grows through a process of gradual transformation. One needs to allow the change to happen. It happens in multiple layers. One cannot say, I am creative and transformative now and I am not creative and transformative after one hour. It does not work that way. Keep all the doors and windows of your senses open, allow air to flow in. Clinical Trials, like all my books, has helped me to discover and rediscover myself.
Any expression that you do changes yourself. I keep a meditative distance from my work. For every creation, I go through an extensive search for new sensibilities. Self-scrutiny and self-introspection help me sail through this change process.

What was the trigger point?

Dr Das: The idea came from life itself. Life, for me, is my best teacher. The patients teach you too, you are on a co-journey. If you ask a patient about health, you can get a lot of insightful information about him or her. It is then your duty to listen – there is an inherent beauty in listening to others! Listen with care, with love and with passion. Something will evolve. Something will unfold. Surely! It happened in this case too.




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