Finally having our own gene therapy or the T cell therapy is in India that has cut down costs from INR 4 crores to under 40 lakhs of rupees, making it affordable for not only cancer patients from India but for those from around the world. One medical practitioner has claimed to have come up with a vaccination that can cost a mere 100 bucks to prevent cancer! In any case, the race to inventing the cancer vaccine is on and India is a co-runner in the pack with America, China, Russia and other European nations. The T cell therapy that is now selectively available in US and European hospitals for treating cancer, is finally available in India as local hospitals warm up to the new idea. Unlike chemotherapy, the established standard medical treatment for cancer that is sold over-the-counter like ‘one size fits for all’, the T cell therapy has to be customized for each and every patient which will make it complex to administer. The success rate with volunteers so far is promising.
The miracle breakthrough was realized at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai very recently. Kudos to our medical researchers and oncologists and the entire medical fraternity that shall be rendering very soon chemotherapy redundant. In a third world nation like India, this means a lot to the masses. As we pioneer in the newly developed medical technology, the costs of treatment are bound to go down. India will be seeing more or perhaps heavy load of foreign patients, we being a well established medical tourist destination already.
Emiratis from Abu Dhabi and Dubai reportedly broke their Ramadan fasting at BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi recently.
Co-existence is the nature of Hindus and the belief that this galaxy and beyond can hold more deities than all the stars that shine in the sky makes it possible for Hindus to accept and respect other faiths and gods.
God bless UAE! Having a Hindu Mandir can bestow the Arab nation with more prosperity. Look at those who tore down ancient Hindu temples: Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Vedas and Upanishads and mantras recited at Hindu temples are easily 4000 to 10000 years ancient that bring a special vibe with them. Homams/yagnas carried out in our mandirs invoke the deities because we view the agni/fire to be the holiest medium for our offerings to our deities. This holy fire is fed only organic materials such as ghee, turmeric, nuts, grains, flowers, fruits etc. Its a purification process of the atmosphere removing toxins in the air. Repeated invoking of deities with specific powerful mantra chanting can bring in peace and prosperity and stability in the long run. This is what we do in our Puja at home too. Hindu way of worship is way too different that a majority of Abrahamics have no idea about. Whereas we Hindus have basic knowledge about others ways of worship. This is why I am stating here why Hindu temples mean wellness for nations.
More than all that, the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi reflects the highest esteem at which the native Arabs especially the Emiratis hold Hindu Dharma and the followers of Sanathan Dharma (Hinduism) and Bharat (INdia) in general. Millions of Hindus work in Arab countries. One way the Arabs show their respect to the Hindus is by allowing us to follow our faith openly in their soil and honouring our ways of worship. Respect is mutually reciprocated. Trust is mutually earned. There are Hindu temples in Muscat, Oman and in Bahrain and also in Dubai, UAE but BAPS is the grandest of them all. Now gulf employed Hindus are flocking in thousands by way of pilgrimage to Abu Dhabi! Before we retire, we too want to touch this holy land that is even more sanctified now with the coming up of BAPS. Business reasons or whatever, it still takes a big, big heart to make BAPS Hindu Mandir a reality in Arab soil. It marks a sea change in the whole Arab outlook at the world in general and at Hindu India in particular.
Saudi Arabia now has Ramayan and Mahabharat, the great Hindu sagas in their school text book syllabus. In less than 20 years, Saudi will be building the first Hindu temple. What a turnaround. Very rigid Islamic nations are gradually changing but this change is visible only to those of us who are residents of Middle east now for years. BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi is the largest Hindu temple in Arabian deserts.
People change, nations change, cultures change. Nothing is permanent. God bless the Arab countries building more and more Hindu temples.
PS: When we were new to middle east, an arab presented my husband with Zam zam holy water from Mecca. I have placed it alongside Ganga Jal in my Puja. That is what Hindu faith has taught me. Hindu dictionary has never had words like ‘infidel’ or ‘divorce.’ These are entirely western concepts.
vijiravindran's 