Connecting to Your Roots: Explore the Country of Your Ancestors

We have moved out of our hometowns in search of education or livelihood, or have just been forced to relocate because of some factors that we haven’t been able to control. And for most of us, life has been a tsunami ever since, from where we have been moving from city to city, from one country to the other. As I was browsing through a group in Facebook formed by my batchmates in school, I was awed by the wide diversity of our present locations. Until a few years ago, we used to sit next to each other; meet up at lunchtime and after school; growing up gradually.

This has been the story of our parents and forefathers. Someone, somehow, moved out somewhere in pursuit of something that seemed lucrative enough. With him, came his family. His children studied in the new town, and with time, had families of their own. As children, some of us have been told, “we are from this and that place”, but we could not relate as we had no memories of our own. Well, perhaps, we are the lucky ones as some of us would not even be aware of our origins; having lost touch with even our mother tongues.

India has always been a “land of emigrants” and an Indian can be found in practically every corner of the world. A UNDP report has estimated The Non-Resident Indian (NRI) and Person of Indian Origin (PIO) population across the world is estimated as over 30 million.

The Indian diaspora has grown out of many causes and several crossings. Large proportions have migrated to British colonies like the West Indies, British Guyana and Mauritius in the early years of indenture system. After 1860, Government of India allowed movement of migrants to other British colonies in Asia (Ceylon, Burma and Malaya), Oceania (the Fiji islands) and Africa (South Africa and Kenya). Many of them came back to home country, but large portion of the migrants opted to stay back. The next generations have learnt British history, European history, Ancient history, but hardly ever heard about the indenture system and have any idea about how their parents arrived in a foreign land.

Indians around the world, 2009

(Figures in Million)

With the development of communication systems and technology, opportunity has opened for one to find their roots, and know about the history and culture of a race one belongs to. Many people have come back to India, centuries after their forefathers left for other shores.

If you wish to rediscover your roots, and taste a flavor of the life you have heard so much about, come back to India. You can find out details of your ancestors through digitized records in Indian offices. Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) launched a new scheme called “Tracing the Roots” in October 2008. Under this scheme, the Ministry facilitates Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) in tracing their roots in India. For this purpose, the Ministry has signed an MOU with an organization called “Indiroots”. An applicant is required to fill up a form and deposit it with the Indian mission concerned along with a fee of $500. In case of a failed attempt, 50% of the fee is refunded to the applicant.

The process of locating ancestral villages is a not a simple search on the map; it entails a good deal of field work. Village addresses are usually obtained from the indenture documents of migrants. Many villages have grown larger over the years and been bifurcated, others have had their names changed and even the districts have changed. To make the task even more difficult, the old documents used archaic spellings that bear little resemblance to present-day names. We, at The Other Home, promise to help you to the best of our ability to assist you in identification of your belonging.

God forbidding, even if your forefathers cannot be traced, you can still connect with the culture and its heritage through visiting the town and staying in the comfortable and homely atmosphere of ahomestay.  Enjoy traditional food, cultural programmes and visit the popular and not so well known tourist destinations to capture the spirit of the town that defines your soul. Check out the homestay locations brought to you by The Other Home in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala,Karnataka and Goa.

Some of the inspiring stories are:

Shobha Rae, a Canadian yoga teacher: Shobha migrated to Canada in 1970 from Fiji Islands, where her grandfather Bhairon Rae and father Ram Naresh Rae spent their whole lives. In 2004, when she wished to revisit her roots, she contacted a social organisation in Canada, who helped her hire a researcher in India to search the family’s village in Uttar Pradesh. The researcher located Baijudhia village and sent her the address for another relative in Gorakhpur, Banwari Rae. The family reunion was indeed a great affair.

Basdeo Pandey, Ex-prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago: Basdeo Pandey was born in St. Julien Village, Trinidad where his parents, Harry “Chhote” Sookchand and Kissoondaye Pandey, had arrived when they missed the boat going back to Fiji during their younger days. Fate brought him to India as the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in 1997 and he managed to trace his roots to Azamgarh district in Uttar Pradesh.

Mattias Hoebeke, a Belgium constitutional law teacher: Mattias was adopted by Belgian couple in 1978 from the Missionaries of Charity in North Delhi, where he had grown up after being abandoned as a newborn outside an orphanage in Uttar Pradesh. He grew up in Bierbeek and currently working as a constitutional law teacher living in Louvain, Belgium. He had been contemplating to find out his biological parents but could manage to visit India in 2008. Although he could not trace his family, he met Sister Alfonsa, who had handed him over to his adoptive parents.

Balliram and Leela Maharaj, Trinidad and Tobago : Balliram Maharaj and his wife, Leela, came to India in 2010 to discover their roots.  Leela’s grandfather, Paltu Prasad left India in 1910 to work on the sugarcane plantations in Trinidad as an indentured worker where he became friends with Changa Maharaj, Balliram’s grand father who had come to Trinidad from Channauli. The common link was that they hailed from the same district in Uttar Pradesh. Leela and Balliram’s families had lost touch with the relatives in India, and they had very little information about their ancestors. So, they hired a prominent genealogist, Shamshu Deen, who carried out searches from Trinidad and helped Leela and Balliram to contact their relatives in India.

Shazeda Amzad, United States: Shjazeda’s great-great grandfather Amir Amzad, his wife and two sons moved from Parsa village, Basti (Uttar Pradesh) to Guyana in 1889 to work as indentured labour. Shazeda’s grandfather Mohamed Amzad had migrated to New York from Guyana. In 2007, Shazeda started the mission to find out her roots and got the passes that were issued to her great-great grandfather the Guyanese authorities. However, it was not easy for her to locate Basti in India. However, with the help of Indiroots, she finally reunited with the family in the Parsa village in Basti.

Evelyn Swamy, Canada: Born in Guyana, Evelyn Swamy had shifted to Canada. She had always wanted to visit her ancestors’ home and to meet her relatives. Evelyn came to India in 2009 to search her ancestors and family members. Through ancestral search programme, she managed to find out the ancestral village of Jamuni from where her maternal great-grandmother had made the journey to Guyana. Part of the family has now moved out of the village and one distant cousin lives in Panipat, Haryana. She visited him as well.

If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.

Jive and jazz at the Goa Carnival Festival 2011

The mesmerizing sands of time in Goa are a sure treat for all those looking forward to spend quality refreshing time. Goa, long known as the paradise for tourists, has carved itself a prominent position in the history of tourism. The sunrise and the sunset at the beautiful beaches, the wine and the dine at exotic locations serving you with the best and the novel, the party flavors that makes you night and day happening and much more lures the traveler to Goa.

The Goans have inherited a lot of their merry-making from the Portuguese culture making it a culmination of both foreign and Indian culture. The ambience embracing people from all cultures and countries makes every tourist feel at home in Goa. Keeping this in mind, the tourism industry has been constantly promoting Goa providing comfortable stay and various activities to keep the visitor’s interest glued to the place. The Goans are famous for their hospitality that adds to the fun during your stay there.

Do you love taking a break and making merry? Did you just say, ‘Oh God, who doesn’t love it’? Then you are totally the person who would enjoy watching the enchanting parades, dancing extravaganza, the ‘tongue-licking’ food and much more of the mesmerizing festivities. The air full of celebration will sweep you off your feet. Yes, I am talking about the festival of Goa, one of the most awaited festivals of the year –the Goa Carnival Festival.

The festival was initially conducted by the Portuguese who ruled Goa for a long time. When they were overthrown, the Goans continued celebrating it adding a little essence of their own culture. The celebrations are a rare sight and cannot be found in any other state of the country. The festival caters to all sections of the society. Whether you are a couple seeking for a romantic holiday or a family wanting to spend some time together or a group of friends excited about your reunion, the festival will give you enough and more opportunities to have fun and celebrate.

During the three day festival, Goans put fancy clothes and dance like the early Romans making the atmosphere jazzy. When you explore the villages of Goa, you could see people dancing around an oil lamp celebrating their version of the Goa Carnival Festival. The villagers relish their own unique way of celebrating the Goa Carnival Festival in their traditional ways. The music from the Spanish guitar and the sound drums will make anyone dance to their tunes. The city becomes lively with fortune tellers, acrobats, clowns and even plays during the three days. Celebrated since the 18^th century, the Goa Carnival Festival starts with the grand entry of King Momo to the streets accompanied by floats and pageants. The whole city turns out to be a playground where people from across the globe pops in to relish the enchanting feel of Goa and its happening events.

Casino Carnival in Goa

So essentially, the Goans will be partying hard for three days non-stop this year from March 5^th to 8^th, 2011. The colourful float parades will be winding through the streets of Panaji, Margao, Vasco and Mapusa as King Momo, leading the celebrations with music, dancing and revelry. The details of Carnival Float Parades are: 5^th March, 2011 – Panaji 6^th March, 2011 – Margao 7^th March, 2011 – Vasco 8^th March, 2011 – Mapusa

Accomodation in Goa

Beach Homes, Candolim, Goa

Since accommodation prices are really high during these days, an affordable solution is the serviced apartments at Dona Paula Apartment and Goa Beach Homes, or homestay at Arco Iris provided by The Other Home. Their warm hospitality and comfort offered will make your Goan experience more memorable.

If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.

Kerala - A hot destination for Medical and Wellness Tourism

Is the daily home-work-home cycle stretching you out too much? Is age showing on you? Is your health buckling under the demands of your lifestyle? Deny it as you may, these are common problems in today’s working population; whatever be the age, location or profession. If you feel its time to rejuvenate, find some time and plan a visit to Kerala, known popularly as “God’s own country” because of its picturesque landscape. The soothing climate, natural abundance of forests having a wealth of herbs and medicinal plants takes one into paradise.

Kerala has established itself as a prominent destination of world leisure tourism for its natural beauty and cultural assets. The growth of tourism in the state has been mainly buyer driven. The collective marketing effort through the Tourism department had been limited till the recent past. With the growing awareness of Medical, Health and Wellness Tourism, the facilities and infrastructure available in Kerala have now gained a fare share of the limelight.

The golden opportunity has been recognized by private players, particularly the Ayurveda sector, who took some collective effort to convert Kerala as source for Ayurveda treatment. Then came Dentistry and Modern Medicine. A combination of many factors has led to the increase in popularity of medical tourism in Kerala.

The state of Kerala has more than 15 world class hospitals equipped with the best of all advanced facilities for health care, medical and paramedical education and research. Defining qualities of a world class hospital are professional expertise and technology of international standards, streamlined efficiency of service, courteous personal attention and meticulous cleanliness. Capitalizing on these assets, today Kerala has emerged as one of the most popular destinations for Health and wellness tourism.

Traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda and Siddha are widely popular in the state, and draws increasing numbers of tourists. With ease and affordability of international travel and Improving technology and standards of care, visitors from across the globe throng to Kerala for exclusive sessions.

Traditional Indian practices of healthcare and beauty treatment from natural herbs and plants have been rediscovered and brought forward in new packages. Alongwith, medical tourism facilitators and travel agencies offer exclusive post treatment tours to the natural forests, backwaters, lakes and other beautiful tourist attractions in the state. A stay in the Houseboats adds to the experience.

The major specialties of Medical Tourism in Kerala are the following:

Modern Medicine: Cardiac Care, Orthopaedic, ENT, General Surgery, Cosmetic Treatment, Urology Ophthalmology, Fertility Treatment, Neuro Surgery, Dental care, etc

A leading Healthcare institute, Kerala institute of Medical Science (KIMS)

Alternate Medicines: Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha, Naturopathy, Aroma Therapy. The patronages received from different countries are presented below:

Alternate Medicine		Modern Medicine
Germany	22.20%	Middle East	26.46%
France	13.14%	UK	18.41%
Switzerland	12.88%	Germany	13.41%
USA	12.29%	USA	12.44%
UK	7.29%	Maldives	11.46%
Italy	7.20%	France	7.32%
Russia	6.78%	Australia	3.54%
Middle East	6.36%	Spain	2.44%
Denmark	5.08%	Switzerland	2.44%
Japan	4.66%	East Africa	1.83%
Spain	1.69%	Kenya	0.24%
Kenya	0.42%

(Source: Medical Tourism in Kerala—Challenges and Scope, Joseph M. Cherukara and Dr. James Manalel, May 2008).

Adam Wood House-Cochin, Kerala

The Other Home offers you a pleasant stay in the backwaters of Adams Wood House (Fort Cochin),Summerhouse Holiday (Kollam) and Coconutcreek Kumarakom Homestays (Kumarakom) from where you can enjoy the breathtaking views and enjoy ultimate relaxation and comfort. If you have come to Kerala for medical purposes and need specific care, we shall ensure the best of individual care for you as prescribed by the doctors.

If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.

Medical Tourism – Answers to Some Frequently Asked Questions

Today, many people travel great distances to exotic locations or health care facilities in faraway countries, in search of medical treatment and care. Medical Tourism is an age-old concept that has gained popularity in the recent times.

Many developing countries are emerging as hot medical tourism destinations capitalizing on low cost advantages and emergence of several private players. 

According to a study report prepared by Research and Markets (Asian Medical Tourism Analysis 2008-2012), the Asian medical tourism industry is growing at a double-digit growth rate. It estimated that Thailand, India, and Singapore controlled more than 90% share of Asia’s medical tourism industry in 2009. India has been envisaged to emerge as the front leader in medical tourism industry, accounting for around 26% of the region’s industry by 2012 capitalizing on competitive advantage in terms of availability of trained doctors and physicians. With economic growth, the medical infrastructure & technology is also improving at a fast pace. Government of India has also boosted private investment in medical facility with the social economic zone (SEZ) in healthcare sector like BioPure Integrated Health SEZ, Realtech Medicity and Mediville Medical City.

India, known so far as an offshore destination for IT and ITeS, would soon emerge as the medical capital of the world. The medical tourism market in India was estimated at $333 million in 2004 and projected to reach $2.3 billion by 2012 (CII & McKinsey Study). India’s forte lies in Dental Tourism. As dental work in India is good, yet economical, dentists receive patronage from people from SAARC region, Middle East Africa and the West; for dental check-up, tartar cleaning and teeth replacement. An extraction in India would cost around $3, whereas the same procedure in US or a European country would cost approx. $100 or €100 respectively.

According to Center for Medical Tourism Research (2010), it was estimated that 1.12 million Americans traveled for medical treatment in 2009, including dental and cosmetic surgery patients but not spa and wellness travellers. The ‘Survey of Health Care Consumers’ done by Deloitte & Touche 2008 (online survey of more than 3,000 Americans) expects medical tourism to grow at a rapid pace over the near future. The key reasons includes increase cost of health care in developed countries, availability of safe and quality care in developing nations with international accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI) and others and last but not the least, saving of more than 50% in medical expenses.

Medical Cost Comparison (in %)

(Source: “Patient Beyond Border” by Josef Woodman and Global Benefits Options). Note: Costs are for surgery, including hospital stay only.

On prima facie, Jordan may appear as the cheapest country for medical treatment, followed by Colombia and India. However, different countries have different cost advantages for the medical tourist. It is important for the medical tourist to identify the country which offers clear cost advantages in comparison to other country, offering at par level of services.

Surgery	Cheapest	Second Lowest	Third Lowest
Heart Bypass	India	Jordan	Singapore
Angioplasty	Jordan	Colombia	Thailand
Heart Valve Replacement	India	Colombia	Jordan
Hip Replacement	India	Jordan	Colombia
Hip Resurfacing	India	Jordan	Colombia
Knee Replacement	India	Jordan	Colombia
Spinal Fusion	Mexico	Jordan	India
Dental Implant	Jordan	India	Mexico
Lap Band	Jordan	Colombia	India
Breast Implants	Colombia	Jordan	Costa Rica
Rhinoplasty	Colombia	India	Jordan
Face Lift	Jordan	South Korea	Colombia
Hysterectomy	Colombia	Jordan	Singapore

Although cost of travel or treatment isn’t the first thing that comes to mind while seeking medical care, going abroad for an operation can be a harrowing experience if not organized correctly. With the right planning, it can be an incredibly positive experience. However, there are few inhibitions pertaining to hygiene and infrastructure in third world countries. Some of these issues are due to lack of knowledge about the foreign land and can be resolved through high quality medical or dental care offered by medical tourism agencies.

Seeking medical care is never without concerns whether sought at home or overseas. However, through proper planning and preparation you can get around these concerns and enjoy a happy, safe and successful medical travel experience. Some common issues have been addressed below:

Difficult to Mange Things Directly: Often, patients cannot organize all the tasks themselves like finding top quality hospital and arrange other things. It is always advisable to appoint a medical tourism facilitator specializing in finding top quality hospitals and providing valuable services like detailed information about hospitals and surgeons, online medical records transfer, free surgery quote, pre- and post-consultation with the overseas hospital, medical and dental loan financing, immigration document services like passport and visa acquisition, airport pick-up and drop-off, hospital escort, language translation, air tickets booking, travel insurance, hotel booking, tourism services in the destination country, feedback and testimonials from previous patients, and many more.

Simplified information of medical services: Awareness of medical procedures, medico-legal law and accreditation systems, pre-and postoperative arrangements are of utmost importance. This requires the medical tourism facilitators to have a basic understanding of the medical subject so that they can confidently explain their offered services with all the technical details, thereby providing better medical/healthcare experience. Tie ups with prominent doctors, experts in various fields, leading hospitals and nursing homes are mandatory aspects of the medical tourism agency.

Unfamiliarity with the Overseas Provider: Travelers may feel lack of confidence in obtaining medical care in an unknown land with unfamiliar rules & regulations. This is a practical problem and has a logical solution too. Patients should spend some time and collect information like hospital profile, its accreditations and affiliations, facilities available, surgeon qualifications, ask for previous patient testimonials, and so on. Patient can contact some medical tourism facilitators to provide these details.

Follow-up care in the Foreign Land: Aftercare is very important for a patient, especially when one is in a foreign land, away from your family and friends. The advantage in new medical tourism destination countries is that foreign patients can stay for longer duration in the hospital without causing much financial burden. The patient can recover under the full supervision of the physicians and medical staff and be in touch with the local surgeons after going back to his native country.  It is always important to remain connected with local providers at home for any follow-up care needed.

Physical Distance: The physical distance between the home country and host country, where the patient is looking to avail medical services is very important as it is often difficult for the patient to take long flights after treatment. The practical solution is that the patient can choose a destination which is closer to his home country and secondly, travelers can keep some extra budget for flights so that one may avail the comfort of business class travel, at least for the return leg of the journey.

Away from Family and Friends: Patients in foreign countries are also concerned about the absence of family and friends at times when one needs them the most. It is always advisable to plan a medical treatment trip with a companion. This will ensure that you feel comfortable in the company of your companion in the foreign country. Now days, it is possible to remain connected back home through revolutional communication mediums such as internet, calling cards, video conference and emails. In medical tourism countries, you can avail the service of personal attendant at a reasonable cost.

Local Accommodation for Longer Treatment: In certain cases, the patients are required to stay for longer duration in the host country. In these cases, it is difficult to stay in a good hotel for longer stretch as it will burn a big hole in your pocket. The solution to this problem is staying in a service apartment, villa or home stay. It is not only economical but also ensures that the patient gets full comfort, individual care and privacy round the clock. It is possible to use the furnished kitchen to cook the food as per the patient’s preference and requirement of the medical prescription. Also, once the patient has recovered fairly, some trips may be organized for upliftment of his spirits and complete recovery after seeking medical consultation.

Weak or Malpractice Laws: Legal system in the emerging medical tourism destination countries is perhaps the black sheep in these developing countries leaving foreign patients with little or no legal help available in case of any medical problem. However, the best way to minimize this risk is to avail only high quality healthcare services and select healthcare service providers only after checking the track records. So, if you have selected the right provider and surgeon after thorough research, you will definitely get quality services.

If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.

Medical Tourism: India is the best destination

There are number of buzz words in today’s tourism industry such as rural tourism, village tourism, adventure tourism, eco-tourism and above all medical tourism. Contrary to popular belief, the concept of medical tourism is no new term. It has, in fact, been in vogue from historic times.

People from countries like Europe, Middle East, Greek and Egypt have been travelling to hot springs, baths and remote retreats during 18th and 19th century to cure ailments. The concept is gaining popularity with recent times. Medical tourism is a term where people from all around the world are traveling to other countries to obtain medical, dental, and surgical care, while at the same time, they can enjoy a vacation and enjoy the tourist attractions of the countries. It has become a common form of vacationing, and covers a broad spectrum of medical services.

Previously medical tourism was dominated by cosmetic and dental procedures. But nowadays everything from knee replacements to major heart surgery can be obtained in developing countries where internationally accredited health centers provide high-quality treatment with lower costs and shorter waiting periods. Many developing countries are emerging as hot medical tourism destinations such as India, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Thailand, and Malaysia etc. Factors such as overburdened healthcare infrastructure, high costs and stringent visa formalities in the West and Middle East have opened up avenues for hospitals, travel companies and companies offering medical services in various Asian countries to promote medical tourism. The cost incurred in travel, treatment and holidaying combined is perhaps a fraction of the charges of treatment in those countries.

According to the University of Delaware, a heart-valve replacement priced at US$200,000 or more in an American hospital can cost less than $10,000 in India, including airfare and a post-operative vacation package.

India has the golden opportunity to emerge as a leader in Medical Tourism, with advanced medical services paired with exotic natural bounties, a boon for medical tourists.. The country has developed, efficient and safe health services, and also has major tourist attractions, some of which are world renowned.

According to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and McKinsey study on healthcare, the medical tourism industry in India is poised to be the next big success story after software. It has predicted that the industry will grow to earn additional revenue of $2.3 billion by 2012 and would account for a major share of the country’s revenue soon. In 2004, about 150,000 medical tourists visited India. The Indian medical tourism industry is growing at a whopping rate of 30% annually, catering to patients chiefly from the USA, Europe, West Asia and Africa.

However, the industry is still struggling with few issues, before it becomes a full fledged sector, viz., lack of public awareness, empanelment of professionals and hospitals, regulatory control, transparency and quality, etc. Ministries of Tourism and Health and Welfare would have to work in collaboration to prevent organ smuggling and similar unethical practices.

Medical Tourism

Medical tourism not only creates jobs in the tourism industry, but has brought about the emergence of medical tourism agencies, which are connecting patients and specialized physicians. The key tasks of these companies include finding hospitals, scheduling surgeries, buying airline tickets, reserving hotel rooms, and planning tours for patients. It provides wide clientele to specialized companies which are offering non-hotel accommodation options like service apartment, holiday home and homestay for longer period for the patients. Some of the countries are offering incentives to lure medical tourists like South Africa plays up the possibility of combining surgery and safaris, Hungary boasts that it has 100 thermal springs and 12 medicinal baths, and Thailand entices potential patients with photographs of beaches, temples and the famous Bangkok waterways.

At The Other Home, we offer individual care to patients whom we have as guests at all our homestays. The different packages have been designed through expert medical consultations to meet the specialized needs of different categories of ailments. Also specific prescriptions of individual doctors are taken into consideration for the absolute comfort of our guests.

We welcome you to join our family.

If you want to be notified next time, subscribe to the RSS feed or say hello via Twitter @theotherhome. You can plan your dream holiday with us, visit The Other Home.