Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The Greek Oath


It took me some time to adjust back to my old surroundings, same old office, same city, same pollution levels, same electricity cuts..

The first few days had been real tough...wherever i went, be it the malls, the cafeteria, Sec-15 roads, Galaxy mini mall, juice corner..the old memories flashed back everywhere..

I could see people lacking a certain degree of sophisticacy and analytical reasoning,
something that i too terribly missed an year back...i used to be driven more by emotions than intelligence..

But the exuberant joy of being back to the old soil is also at its peak..most importantly, I dont have to cook ....also its easier to spend in INR than Euros..)

Taxis, rickshaws are easily available...though i must confess that after seeing the rash way people drive here, it will take a lot out to me to re-establish my driving skills..

Chemists, doctors can be easily consulted even after normal working hours and also lots of channels to surf on the television...

I could see some new channels coming up in the last one year..one channel had a strange name " Lok Sabha"..

I was somehow attracted to a Bengali movie being telecasted on that channel. As i switched in-between, i missed the name of the movie, but could somehow make out the plot..

It was about an ill-fated girl, who lost her mother at a very young age.Her father was always absconding and unwilling to take house-hold responsibilites.

She was married at the age of 19 and within a year, her husband died.

The society cursed her and sent her back to her father's house, where she looked after her teen brother and ailing father...Nobody in the village was willing to help them, rather a lot many opportunists tried to exploit her miserable state.

One day, a city doctor who happened to pass by that village, felt pity on her merciful state, and tried his level best to cure her father.

Though eventually he could not save her father, but as a monetary support he offered her the job of a nurse in his clinic.

When enquired by his friends the reason for showering excessive generosity on a poor stranger, he admitted that it was all because of that Greek oath he had taken during his graduation....!

I was really curious to search that Greek oath on the net:

I SWEAR by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius, and Health, and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of medicine, but to none others.

I was equally excited to see if there exist any oaths for the other professions.

Oath for Engineers:


Oath for Lawyers:


Oath for Scientists:
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/resource/bio/pledge.htm

Oath for Policemen:


Oath for Civil Servants:


The movie served as an eye-opener for me, i just realized that i too owe a lot to my engineering profession and even under the worst of circumstances, i should not give up.
.
.
My dear friend Geeta had been motivating me a lot on this front in Germany.
Thanks a ton dear, i have slowly started understanding the depth of your words!!


I should strive my best to develop my brain and provide easy solutions for the benefit of everybody!
Lets hope i keep the diva of knowledge, hard-work and innovation forever burning in my mind..

13 comments:

Jas said...

Hmmm so u r going through the same emotions i was going thru an year back :)
I know how exactly it feels, as i commented in ur earlier posts, u will see a lot of change in ur perspective and realise u never thought about these! its realising how others see us and how the two lenses are so so different!
I never knew such a pledge existed!! Thanks for bringing it to us.

Anjali Damerla said...

I grew up in IIT, Bombay (my dad used to work there) and have attended some Convocations but somehow don't remember the Oath that the students took. My husband had 2 Convocations (B.Tech and M.Tech) and when I asked him abt the Oath after reading your post, his reply was ," Hmm.. I am not sure. Don't remember" :))

Nice post, Pooja. BTW, I was able to view your comments on my blog. Hope you can see them too. Let me know.

Unknown said...

Wish there were an oath of humanity for all of us that we had to take when we became adults, irrespective of profession, religion etc....but again we would have conveniently forgotten it!!
Good information, Pooja.

Rita Loca said...

It is always hard to return to your home and find you have changed a bit. But oh so good to be home!

Jas said...

Hmm i agree with Sandy, u r really on an words expression ride! :)
Kudos!!!!

Vibhu Rishi said...

Great thought process. I did not know that a Hypp Oath for Engineers existed !

Pilot-Pooja said...

Jassi, you r absoultely right..

I can feel a paradigm shift in my thought process for small small things, be it the need to be polite to your colleagues to not bargaining for 10-15 rupees for a ride in a 3 wheeler!!

Thanks a ton for reading the pledges!

Pilot-Pooja said...

Hi Anjali, it was really interesting to know that you had your budding years in IIT Bombay campus..
I have been there just once and was really amazed to see how huge the campus is..A mini city itself..)


Some net issues here..Will surely let you know soon about the visibility of my comments on ur blog!
Thanks a ton for being so thoughtful!

Pilot-Pooja said...

Really agreed Sara..Such an oath would have done wonders..

But yes you are quite right, we wld have conveniently forgotten that too..!

Pilot-Pooja said...

Hi dear Jungle Mom!

So true, often you start realising that things have changed so much in ur own home, even if you are away for a short time..

It really takes time to be in sync with the modified old things..)

Pilot-Pooja said...

Same here Vibhu, i never ever had an idea that there could be an oath for engineers..!!

It is really interesting to see one for our profession!

Jas said...

after so many fatafat posts, where are thou?! :)

Pilot-Pooja said...

hey Jas, i ws busy following the engineering oath...)

Had gone home this weekend, got no time to blog..!!

Hope to post soon!
Cheers!