A WhatsApp group recently shared the website link of the new The Earth Hotel in Amritsar. The digital photos of beautifully furnished rooms set in serene garden vistas and arches beckon you to visit and enjoy its heritage. But, in scrolling through the images of the hotel rooms there emerged a sense of void – a feeling that something valuable we fondly cherished may have been lost forever. I could not shake off that sentiment for days, and then rationalized that with passage of time all that we leave behind need not be forgotten!
The Victoria Jubilee (VJ) Hospital building was commissioned in 1891, and stood for over 130 years as a center for clinical rotations, providing the necessary training for aspiring young Amritsar medical college students. Starting rotations at the VJ hospital was a milestone for innumerable graduates. Walking the very halls, carrying a stethoscope instantly bestowed on us the doctor status! The VJ hospital was a destination where countless lives were saved and lost… many joys shared and tears shed… dreams fulfilled and shattered…and many a reasons big and small to celebrate with Giani di chaa and samosas!
During one of my trips to Amritsar, we made a special stop to see the VJ Hospital building. Despite its broken façade reflecting the rays of the setting sun in the winter sky, and absent hustle and bustle – the history and importance of the VJ Hospital loomed large! I will always cherish those memories, and the address of The Earth Hotel will remain a symbolic reminder of my roots and training in medicine.
Manu
