It was early 2004 when an unexpected opportunity knocked on my door.
One of my patients from Gurgaon referred his relative from Moradabad for homeopathic treatment at my clinic. As time passed, this patient’s family shifted to the DLF area in Gurgaon, and we developed a good rapport over the months.
In November 2004, he mentioned something intriguing—his brother-in-law, residing in the USA, was exploring the idea of developing homeopathic patent medicines for the American market. He was eager to organize a meeting with eminent homeopathic doctors in Kolkata to discuss this vision.
The patient invited me to a one-day meeting at a good hotel in Kolkata (I forgot the name), assuring me of boarding and lodging arrangements. He asked me to book my tickets and promised reimbursement upon arrival. It was to be held on November 20, 2004, and I was thrilled about visiting Kolkata, a city rich with history and homeopathy. I had even booked my Rajdhani Express tickets for the journey.
I was excited, as this seemed like an incredible opportunity to connect with the homeopathic community and great legends and stalwarts of homeopathy in Kolkata.
However, as the event approached, I started having second thoughts.
My postgraduate exams, initially scheduled for June 2004, had been postponed to December, leaving me with limited time to prepare.
The looming responsibility of my exams and the patients at my clinic made me reconsider my plans. Attending the Kolkata event meant four days away from clinic and home, time that could be crucial for my studies.
On Wednesday, with a heavy heart, I decided to cancel my tickets, hoping the decision would bring some relief. I requested my tickets to be cancelled. But that evening, a sense of doubt crept in, and I wondered if I was missing out on a golden opportunity.
I debated whether to go, but when I checked on Thursday, I learned my tickets had already been cancelled, and there were no alternatives for Friday to go to Calcutta.
Reluctantly, I resolved to stay back, with my mind made up I decided to focus on my clinic and PG exam preparations.
On Friday evening, while attending to patients, my phone rang—it was Dr. Bimal Gosain, a classmate from my Jaipur PG days and a fellow resident of Gurgaon.
On picking the phone, he asked “Kal chaloge Jaipur”. I asked what happened.
He had completed his thesis and planned to submit it in Jaipur the next day. He asked if I would join him on the trip, and, for me, there was no reason to refuse.
After all, since 2002, Dr. Bimal, Dr. Pankaj Aggarwal, and I had been regularly traveling to Jaipur together for our PG studies. Moreover, the trip to Jaipur would only take one day, unlike the Kolkata event.
Given our history of traveling together for studies, I agreed.
And so, on the morning of November 20, 2004, I found myself heading to Jaipur with Dr. Bimal. We met at our usual spot—Hero Honda Chowk—and began our journey.
Whenever we used to go to Jaipur, when he used to drive from his house in Sector 14, and used to call me to meet at Hero Honda chowk. And at the same I start walking to highway as my house was just one kilometre from that point. So, without wasting time, we used to reach that point at the same time.
On 20th morning, when I reached that meeting point, I asked when he reached there. He told me that he forgot to call me when he started driving, actually he called me when he reached our meeting point. He waited there for 15 minutes or so. This was not usual on that day.
During that period of 2003-2004, NH8 was re-built by a Swedish company ‘Swedala’ I think. From Delhi to Jaipur, it was 6 lane road – kind of non-stop, and very smooth road. On that day he drove Car to 140-150 km speed, and when dashboard started rattling he slowed down.
As usual we had our breakfast at Highway King midway restaurant. And finally, between 9 to 9:30 AM, we reached Dr. MPK Homeopathic College, Jaipur.
Despite my initial plan to be in Kolkata, I was now in Jaipur, accompanying Dr. Bimal as he had to meet his guide to submit the thesis.
The day seemed ordinary until it wasn’t.
There were some last-minute changes suggested in the bound thesis, and with the heavy hearts and disheartened, we began our journey back to Gurgaon.
However, the day was far from over.
As we were driving back on a narrow, winding road, we had a horrific accident. The car collided with a state roadways bus.
In a split second, the windshield shattered, sending small glass fragments into our mouths. The seatbelts tightened painfully against our chests, and we immediately realized we had been in a serious accident.
The front of the car was completely smashed, and we were fortunate to escape with minor injuries. The cause was unclear—whether it was a mistake by the bus driver or a tire burst—but at that moment, it didn’t matter.
We were alive.
A crowd gathered around us, asking if we were okay.
With the help of a friend of Dr. Bimal in Gurgaon, he managed to arrange for the car to be towed back.
As bus driver pleaded for his job, we avoided a lengthy police process and returned to Gurgaon late at night, almost mid-night, shaken but grateful to be alive.
The car, beyond repair, was claimed by insurance, but the real relief was knowing that we had survived.
In the aftermath of the accident, I couldn’t help but reflect on the events of the day. I had initially planned to be in Kolkata, attending a promising event, but fate had brought me to Jaipur instead, where we narrowly escaped a potentially fatal accident. What was the meaning behind this twist of fate? Was this fate’s mysterious design? A divine intervention? Or simply coincidence? It was a question that lingered in my mind.
As November 20, 2024, approaches—marking 20 years since that fateful day—I still ponder its significance.
Was it divine intervention or mere coincidence?
Perhaps the accident was a reminder that life can change in an instant, or maybe it was a lesson in fate’s mysterious ways.
Life is unpredictable, and each twist and turn shapes us in ways we might not immediately understand. Perhaps the accident was a reminder of life’s fragility, urging me to cherish each moment. Or maybe it was fate steering me away from a path I wasn’t meant to take.
Regardless, it was a day that reshaped my perspective on life and its unpredictability, making me realize how grateful we must be for every breath we take.
Life is filled with moments we cannot control, but how we respond to these moments defines us. Reflecting on that day, I learned these valuable lessons:
– Gratitude for Life: No matter how chaotic life gets, the mere act of waking up each day is a blessing. Appreciate the little things—your health, relationships, and opportunities to grow.
– Trust in the Journey: Sometimes, plans don’t unfold the way we expect. Yet, each detour teaches us something valuable. Learn to trust the process, even when the path seems unclear.
– Preparedness and Reflection: Life’s challenges often strike without warning. While we cannot prepare for every eventuality, maintaining a mindset of resilience and reflection helps us navigate uncertain times with clarity.
Let this story remind you that every experience, even the difficult ones, carries a lesson. Take a moment to reflect on your own journey. What are you grateful for? What has life taught you recently? In the end, it’s not about the destination—it’s about how we embrace the twists and turns along the way.
P.S.
Later, that patient visited me and enquired why I hadn’t made it to Kolkata.
He shared photographs of the event, titled “National Seminar of Homoeopathic Specialists 2004.”
Seeing those images made me wonder about the alternate path I had taken that day.
Yet, reflecting on the accident and its lessons, I felt that perhaps life had brought me exactly where I needed to be.
Thrilling story..🙏
Thank you, Dr. Suvendu!
Delighted it gripped you – more travel notes soon. 🙏
Best regards,
Dr. Anil Singhal