Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs

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We all are witnessing a once in a century pandemic that is taking a heavy toll of precious human lives. There is information overload on this topic. Much of the “information” that we are being bombarded with is not useful, and may even be harmful.

I have been observing all this. I have tried to figure out what is going on. I have tried to piece together useful information about this virus. Here I would present my take on this pandemic and how I think we should deal with the situation.

It seems that very few people actually have an idea how covid infection takes place and how it spreads. Awareness about how to protect oneself against this virus also seems low among people. The outcome of low awareness about this virus has led to disastrous consequences as we all have seen.

In a situation where most people are pressing the panic button and losing their heads, we need to take a calm look at things so that we know how to deal with this situation. I will try to keep it as simple and easy to understand as is possible.

covid 19 virus can be likened to a well trained terrorist group. It is trained and armed and indoctinated outside our borders. Then they are sent across the border to create terrorist acts within our border. Here terrorists are equivalent to covid 19 virus, whereas our country is like our body.

How do these terrorists cross the border ? If they find no security across the border, then they just sneak in unchallenged. If security is tight then they try to sneak in while their army resort to shelling across the border to divert the attention of our security forces. These terrorists then try to sneak in.

These terrorists, if they sneak in, try to create terror attacks wherever they can. If security is tight, then their attempts are foiled most of the time. If security is slack or the terrorists get local support then they are able to create serious damage.

If the terrorists are able to fan out inside the whole country then they can create terror attacks all over the country. All this happened in India with regularity not too far back. This is the most severe kind of terror attacks that India has seen.

With this background, that all Indians can readily identify with, I will try to explain how covid 19 virus acts in a similar way.

Covid 19 virus tries to gain entry into human body. It is a respiratory virus, so it can only enter our body through the external respiratory parts, viz nose and mouth, and also through eyes. So if our body is a country then nose and mouth and eyes are our border posts through which this virus tries to gain entry. When this virus was unknown, it had a free passage into the human body through nose and mouth of unsuspecting victims. When its existence became known then people began wearing masks. It is as if earlier the borders were unmanned but now they need tight security. Face masks are the border security force that that guard our entrances (nose and mouth).

If nose and mouth are guarded then still the virus may lurk in, seeking to enter when the guard is down, viz when the face mark is removed. People do remove face masks when they feel that there is no virus around. Virus lurks in the air, on the person, on clothes, exposed part of the body etc. If a person touches something (on his person or any object containing virus) and then touches his nose or mouth, this is the opening that the virus needed. It then enters the respiratory tract of the body. Now you know why there is so much stress on sanitising objects, hands etc. This also shows us what is the importance of six feet distance. If people stand far off, then the chances of virus getting transmitted from one person to another reduces considerably.

If despite all precautions, some virus enters the respiratory system, its quantity (viral load) will be low. If we are outright careless (no mask, no social distancing) then our respiratory system may receive a heavy viral load.

What happens when the virus manages to enter the respiratory system dodging the mask? It depends on the preparedness near the border.

Masks at the nose are like BSF who guard the border. If the terrorists cross the border, then they have to face the army, who are stationed near the border. In case of covid infection, the army that confronts the virus is known as body’ immunity system. It is basically white blood cells of blood. These WBC are the army soldiers to deal with the infiltrators. These WBCs are trained to tackle known viruses that they have tackled in the past. As soon as they come across a previously known virus, they are immediately able to mobilise anti bodies to tackle that virus. The antibodies can be readily and rapidly deployed. On the other hand, when a new virus, viz covid 19 virus enters about which the WBCs have no previous information, then WBCs take some time to get prepared. As WBCs gather more information about the new virus, they begin to create anti bodies to tackle the virus. But for a new virus, especially if a heavy viral load had entered the respiratory system, the WBCs response may turn out to be slow and inadequate. In the meanwhile the virus is able to do considerable damage to the respiratory system. By the time the WBCs begin to create antibodies, it may be too late.

So, If the viral load is less, then the virus is stopped there itself. If viral load is heavy and the person is not vaccinated then the virus may overwhelm the immunity system and enter further into the body, namely the lungs. Lungs are like the different states of the country. The terrorists have now spread throughout the country, and now they can wreak severe damage. The security in the interior of the country is in the hands of police, which is far too ill equipped to deal with such security threats than the army. Same is the case with the immunity system of the body, which is helpless if the virus gains access to the lungs.

Let us say that the person was already vaccinated. In that case, the immunity system was familiar with this virus. So as soon as the virus entered the respiratory system, the WBCs, being already aware about the nature of the virus, will be able to deploy antibodies immediately. So a vaccinated body is like a country with a strong well trained and well prepared army near the border. In that case most of the infiltrating virus would get neutralised there itself.

If the immunity is weak and person is not vaccinated, then the virus overwhelms the resistance at the entrance and invades the lungs. In that situation, the virus starts rapidly infecting the lungs that are unprotected and are now at their mercy. The virus damages the alveoli (tiny air sacs). The function of the alveolus is to transfer oxygen to the blood vessels. These blood vessels or capillaries carry the oxygen to the RBCs (Red blood cells). It is the RBCs that finally deliver the oxygen to all the internal organs in the body.

The virus works by damaging the wall and the lining of the alveolus and capillaries. The debris from the damage(exudate) , which is plasma protein accumulates on the alveolus wall and thickens the lining. As the walls’ thicken, the transfer of oxygen to the red blood cells is impaired. The thicker the wall gets, the more difficult it gets to transfer oxygen to the red blood cells, which causes difficulty in breathing as the body is running short of oxygen. And the lack of oxygen to the internal organs results in a deficit in the body and impairs the functioning of the organs. At this juncture, the body fights to increase oxygen intake.

And the first response of the body is to destroy the virus and prevent its replication, but if the individual has weaker immunity then the body is unable to stop the virus, and this aggravates the crisis.

As the air sacs are damaged, there is an influx of liquid which is mostly inflamed cells and protein and this fluid build-up leads to pneumonia. This further impairs the oxygen intake by the lungs and hinders the oxygen exchange. Due to the novelty of the Covid 19 strain, there is no immediate treatment to directly cure pneumonia in Covid 19 patients and they are mostly given supportive care.

There are some key indicators that the doctors use to judge the onset and severity of this severe condition called Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in infected individuals:

(1)Hypoxia – Low oxygen levels in the blood, due to damage to the alveolus

(2)Breathing difficulties and shortness of breath

(3)Chest x-rays of the lungs exhibit an opaque and glassy look against the black background

(4)Worsening symptoms over the course of time, from the day of detection of the virus

Is there no hope if the virus reach the lungs ? There is ! And it is this fact which is the most important thing to understand about this virus. The ammunition of the virus gets exhausted in nine days and so the virus gets ineffective nine days after it enters the body. If the damage to the body can be kept as low as possible though medication and other means then after nine days the recovery process begins. So the patient must be kept alive for nine days. If it can be achieved then he or she will survive. Forget low damage, even patients who suffered over 80% damage to their lungs have survived !

Virus may have become ineffective but it may have taken a heavy toll on the lungs by that time. The patient must lie prone on his/ her tummy and try to clear the contents of the lungs by coughing them out. Coughed up exudate (phlegm) would be variously coloured when the infection is severe. After a few days the colour would keep changing, from catechu colour (most severe) to black color (less severe)and finally as the infection reduces, the phlegm would become white. Finally phlegm would stop.

As the phlegm comes out, space is created in the lung and that makes breathing easier. Patients who are hospitalised and they have oxygen fitted on them mistakenly believe that they only have to keep lying down passively without doing anything. Not taking any proactive action to clear up the phlegm in their lungs is a mistake because in that case the situation will keep getting worse because the oxygen being pumped into their lungs will have no place to go in the lungs. If oxygen cannot reach the lungs then naturally they cannot be sent to RBC and from there to various parts of the body, and that would lead to serious complications.

It is seen that not just patients, even medical practitioners are often not very helpful (mainly because of their lack of experience). For instance, when a patient goes for chest x ray or HRCT, the report just states the facts, without any expert and helpful comments. A typical (and actual) HRCT report stated- “CT severity score of -36/40”

What will a normal patient do on reading the above ! He/ she will most probably die of shock if not covid because it indicates that the damage to the lung is over 80 %. Fortunately, the above patient happened to be the sister of my wife. My wife told her sister that she did not have to worry. The virus had done all it could and now the lung condition was only going to improve. To make space in the lungs, she advised her sister to do exercises that would expel the phlegm (technical term for this substance is exudate) stuck in her lungs. My wife’s sister followed the advice scrupulously. There was noticeable improvement in her condition. After a couple of weeks, her scan showed perfectly clear lung condition !

It was not the first case where my wife helped save a life. Last year, her brother too had suffered from covid and he too had delayed getting himself checked and treated, leading to a lung condition that was even worse. Even there, correct and timely advice by my wife helped save the life of her brother.

In my wife’s opinion, Rohit Sardana, the news anchor faced a similar situation as faced by her brother and sister and he could have been saved if he had received correct medical advice of the kind that she gave to her brother and sister. In Rohit Sardana’s case, he was in home isolation and he was making good recovery and was feeling better. It was on the advice of some well meaning colleague that he got his HRCT done. The HRCT showed similar severity as in case of my sister in law. But Rohit Sardana did not have the advantage of a good doctor’s advice who would tell him that the worst was over for him. Looking at the severity of his lung report, he went into shock and got himself admitted to a hospital, where he died soon thereafter.

So, to summarise all the above discussion, it can be said that the best protection against covid 19 is a properly worn mask. Do all in your ability to ensure that the virus cannot enter your respiratory system. The virus can enter your respiratory system only through nose and mouth (and in exceptional cases through eyes). Protect these entrances to your respiratory system with your life. If in rare cases virus does get in, only a light load of virus gets in if you have taken precautions, so that your present immunity system can deal with it. Do not be foolhardy to offer a free passage to the virus by going around without mask. Allowing a huge viral load to enter your respiratory system believing that you have a great immunity system is nothing but suicide. Such people will be mercilessly shown their mortality by the virus. Once the virus attacks your lung, then you will be forced to run around from pillar to post, but all these efforts will largely be fruitless. A mask costing a few rupees, and a disciplined lifestyle is more effective in preventing covid than all that desperate scramble clamouring for hospital beds, oxygen, remdesivir etc, and all that at black market prices.

And please get yourself vaccinated at the first opportunity available. India is one of the few countries that can produce its own vaccines and so India is not dependent on foreign supplies (which are difficult to come by). Most people are getting it for free in government facilities. but if some private hospitals are offering it against payment, then pay for it, avoid long waiting lists of government hospitals and get yourself vaccinated. Paying a few hundreds, or even a couple of thousands of rupees for the doses of this vaccine is fully worth it as will protect you from this deadly virus.

While discussing this deadly respiratory disease, I had decided that this article should be accompanied by a song dealing with “Saans”. The first “saans” song that I was reminded of was this song of “Aashiqui”(1990) but I thought that this song was already covered. On checking up, I heaved a sigh of relief (pun unintended) because this song was not yet covered in the blog.

Produced by Gulshan Kumar and Mukesh Bhatt and directed by Mahesh Bhatt, “Aashiqui”(1990) had Rahul Roy, Anu Agarwal, Reema Lagoo, Deepak Tijori, Avtar Gill, Tom Alter, Mushtaq Khan, Javed Khan, Sunil Rege, Homi Wadia, Anang Desai etc in it. Two songs from the movie have been covered in the past.

This movie turned out to be a musical blockbuster. The story of the movie was quite run of the mill and no great shakes, but the music made the movie a super duper hit.

The song under discussion has two versions. THe movie begins with the male version sung by Kumar Sanu. This song is picturised as a hotel/ club song. Rahul Roy lip syncs the song. Sameer is the lyricist. Music is composed by Nadeem Shrawan.

The female version song is sung by Anuradha Paudwal. Its video does not seem to be available. I had watched this movie in New Delhi and I vaguely recall having seen the female version also. But its video does not seem to be available now. In any case, it was the male version which was the more popular.

The song likens the need for a “sanam” to the need for “saans”. We take “saans” for granted, but not any longer, seeing the clamour of medical oxygen in these times. One never imagined that a time may come when one would be willing to pay money to be able to breath oxygen artificially. God has given us the ability to breathe this air for free. Let us hope that we will continue to be able to avail of this gift of being able to breathe naturally.

Today (12 May 2021) is also International Nurses’ day. On this occasion, let us all hail and appreciate the great service that they and other medical personnel are rendering in combating this pandemic.

Audio – Male version

Video – Male version

Audio – Female

Song-Saanson ki zaroorat hai jaise zindagi ke liye(Aashiqui)(1990) Kumar Sanu/ Anuradha Paudwal, Lyrics-Sameer, MD-Nadeem Shrawan

Lyrics

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Male version
—————————

ho ho ho ho
ho ho ho
ho ho ho ho
ho ho ho

saanson ki zaroorat hai jaise
saanson ki zaroorat hai jaise
zindagi ke liye
bas ek sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
jaam ki zaroorat hai jaise
jaam ki zaroorat hai jaise
bekhudi ke liye
haan ek sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
bas ek sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye

waqt ke haathhon mein sabki taqdeeren hain
waqt ke haathhon mein sabki taqdeeren hain
aaina jhoothha hai
sachchi tasveeren hain
jahaan dard hai wahin geet hai
jahaan pyaas hai wahin meet hai
koi na jaane magar r
jeene ki yahi reet hai
saaz ki zaroorat hai jaise
saaz ki zaroorat hai jaise mausiqui ke liye
bas ek sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye ae
haan ek sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye

Dialogues
————————————-
ladies and gentlemen
aaj hamaare beech mister and mrs Peston jee
apni shaadi ki pachcheesvin saalgirah mana rahe hain
let us give them a big hand
—————————————
ho ho ho ho
ho ho ho
ho ho ho ho
ho ho ho

manzilen haasilen hain
phir bhi ek doori hai
manzilen haasilen hain
phir bhi ik doori hai
bina humraahi ke
zindagi adhhoori hai
milegi kahin koi rehguzar
tanha katega
kaise ye safar
mere sapne ho jahaaan aan
dhhoondhhoon main aisi nazar
chaand ki zaroorat hai jaise
chaand ki zaroorat hai jaise chaandni ke liye
bas ek sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
saanson ki zaroorat hai jaise
saanson ki zaroorat hai jaise zindagi ke liye
bas ek sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
bas ek sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
aashiqui ke liye
aashiqui ke liye
aashiqui ke liye

——————————-
Female version
——————————–
hmm hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa

saanson ki zaroorat hai jaise
saanson ki zaroorat hai jaise zindagi ke liye
bas ik sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
shama ki zaroorat hai jaise
shama ki zaroorat hai jaise raushni ke liye
haan ik sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
bas ik sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye

baaghbaan ke dil mein har kali khilti hai
baaghbaan ke dil mein har kali khilti hai
har lahar saahil se ik din milti hai
jahaan chain hai wahin bebasi
jahaan ashq hai wahin hai hansi
gham ke kaanton se chune ae usiko milti khushi
honthon ki zaroorat hai jaise
honthon ki zaroorat hai jaise baansuri ke liye
bas ik sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
bas ik sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye

hmm hmm hmm hmm
hmm hmm hmm
laa laa laa laa
laa laa laa

har haseen dhadkan mein pyaar ki baaten hain
har haseen dhadkan mein pyaar ki baaten hain
har jawaan mehfil mein yaar ki baaten hain
jahaan nazm hai wahin hai ghazal
jahaan dhoop hai wahin hai kanwal
seene se lipte rahe ae kisi ke yaadon ke pal
dost ki zaroorat hai jaise
dost ki zaroorat hai jaise dosti ke liye
haan ik sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
saanson ki zaroorat hai jaise
saanson ki zaroorat hai jaise zindagi ke liye
bas ik sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
bas ik sanam chaahiye ae ae aashiqui ke liye
aashiqui ke liye
aashiqui ke liye
aashiqui ke liye