The author while working in HAL was the subject of intense hatred by one worker from coastal Andhra making rounds of his quarters twice a day; once in the morning and again after work hours at night. In the morning he used to find coconuts and lemons smeared with vermilion in front of his quarter. There were no CCTVs in those days and one could not accuse anyone in the absence of any evidence.

One morning that worker sent his eldest daughter to my house to borrow one kg of sugar which is a normal practice among neighbors. But what perplexed me was the reason for him to borrow it from my house which is one km away from his quarter when all his co-workers are living next door. But without further thinking I measured out that sugar from my kitchen and gave her in a plastic bag.

After a week or so, the same girl returned an equal amount of sugar and I promptly added it to our stock in the kitchen.

We started using that sugar and forgot about it.

I started getting boils on my tongue and was unable to chew even bland food. My mouth was constantly on fire and I had to douse the fire with steady drinking of water. Then the inflammation spread to my throat and I used antacids tablets glucose for some relief.

The burning sensation advanced to my esophagus and I was constantly feeling the fire in my stomach. I felt it was time to see the doctor.

I went to the company doctor and he recommended to visit a gastroenterologist. While coming out of the consultation cabin of the company doctor, I saw S N Yadav, the father of the girl sent to my quarters for borrowing sugar. He was eavesdropping at the door to listen to the doctor’s diagnosis. He was roaming in the corridors of the medical center without any gate pass or permission from his HOD. It seems he was dying of curiosity to know the effect of feeding me with the black magic sugar. That person had the uncanny ability to manifest himself anywhere outside the factory premises even during working hours without any authorization from his superiors. Such was his clout with the security department.

The specialist doctor at BBR hospital told me that there was growth of fungus in my stomach which was shocking. I didn’t know the reason for that condition He prescribed some capsules costing 40 rupees each in those days. The dosage was three times a day. Again SN Yadav was found roaming in the corridors of BBR Hospital three kilometres away from HAL. I was surprised by his ability to appear at the most unexpected place at the right time to gather information. Later I came to know that he has a network of informers in the security department to monitor my movements. He was trying to eavesdrop on the doctor’s diagnosis. I was surprised to see him in a private hospital without any gate pass or movement slip only to monitor the power of the sugar he fed me.

After starting the treatment, the symptoms subsided and I was able to take a normal diet. Once I stopped the treatment, the symptoms used to return. The doctor told me that there is no permanent cure and I have to take the medicines lifelong. Money was no problem in those days and I could buy the medicines even without claiming medical reimbursement. There were no generic medical stores and the drugs used to cost quite a lot.

After leaving the job and loss of my factory, my financial condition worsened and I could not afford the treatment. I started to look for alternative medicine but was not successful. There were no smartphones or internet in those days and so I had to rely on traditional sources. I contacted my childhood friend at Bellary and was told to meet one faith healer by the name of Navanakki Nagappa at Gangavathi, a small town in Karnataka state.

So I went to that town and was told that his house is very near to the bus stand. One rickshaw fellow took me to an old house nearby and I was told that the old man sees patients after five in the evening. So we waited.

After five in the evening, one old man with thick glasses came out and cleaned the threshold and the door with a broom. He sat on the raised platform and would make the patient sit in front of him. Then he would ask the patient to spread his hands palm down and stare intently at the face of the patient. Then he furiously does some calculations with his index finger on the floor shifting his gaze from the patient's face to the calculations. Then he pronounces his treatment.

My turn came and I sat in front of the old man. I too spread my hand's palms down and looked at Nagappa, the faith healer. Behind those thick glasses, his eyes looked enormous.

After doing furious calculations, he said I had to observe fast for 21 Mondays. The procedure is to eat to my heart’s content up to 3’o clock in the afternoon of Monday and not to take even a drop of water till 6’o clock of Tuesday next morning. He asked me whether I was willing to start that treatment and I answered yes. He tied a red thread around my right wrist and told me to go. No money was charged and he also did not enquire about my ailment.

I returned to Hyderabad and observed the fast for 21 Mondays with utmost discipline. It was midsummer recording the highest temperature of the year, the fortnight of Rohini before the onset of monsoon. God gave me a way out to defeat that monster and I grabbed it with both hands. I was not ready to give up my life and die at the hands of a proxy punching, free-roaming, boot-legging pimp and give him the crown of victory. B team can wait but I have to survive to defeat this monster.

The burning in the stomach went away and treatment was discontinued. To my amazement that problem never returned in my life ever. Later a Siddha medicine man did a test on my urine and told me that there was a perforation in my intestines and I had to undergo treatment. It can wait as long as it does not kill me.

That was long ago and I came to know that Nagappa had passed away leaving no heir to that great tradition of mysterious faith healing. Navanakki Nagappa is one of the long list of angels sent by God to save this sinner from impossible situations and pray to God to bless his soul in heaven.

Tag words; Gangavathi, Nagappa, fungal infection in stomach. Gastro enterologist, BBR hospital. HAL.

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