My Inocluation Experience

Recently read a news about health workers giving vaccines to children in Afghanistan are targeted by Talibans. A medieval midset considering the fact that vaccinations save life. I have a very faint memory of small pox vaccine which was tattooed on my hand during my childhood. Its scar is still visible. But my first vivid memory is getting a shot (injection) of cholera  vaccination when I was in primary school. I was afraid to death of being pierced by an thick needle. I mistakenly assumed that the ordeal would be over once I got the shot. But it started soon after. By evening I had fever and I could hardly lift my arm. The pain subsided after couple of days. All I got in lieu of all the pain I incurred was a piece of paper called the Inoculation Certificate. Little I knew that this Certificate will come handy a few months later when I was on a bus to Puri days before RATH YATRA ( Chariot festival). On the outskirts of the city near Chandanpur the bus was stopped by a battalion of health officials with syringe on hand. It was time to give cholera shots. I proudly brandished my inoculation certificate. Those who didn't  meekly disembarked and lined up for the shots. A few who tried to flee were immediately chased by the officials who apparently anticipated this. Some escaped by wading over the paddy fields, melting away behind the coconut groves. Those not so lucky were grabbed by their collars and a DAMPHANA ( an Odia term for thick needles used to sew jute sacks) sized needle was stabbed on their bottom with great force. They grimaced in pain and limped back to bus in full view of passengers peeping through the window. I was watching wild wild west enacted on the east coast of India. Vaccinations no doubt wiped out many communicable diseases like small pox and cholera. Half of my father's siblings died of preventable diseases before they reached 5 due to lack of vaccination. My grandfather used to tell me scary stories about how entire families in our village were wiped out by bouts of cholera and small pox. Life then was a matter of surviving next spring (pox season) or late summer (cholera season). During the epidemics the entire village use to shut down after dark. As soon as twilight sets in the villagers liberally filled huge earthen pots outside with PITHA(cakes made from rice and grams), PANA (a sweetened puree made from yogurt and fruits like Banana and Stone Apples or BEL) for the consumption of BADI THAKURANI(the Goddess of Cholera) or MA SITHALA (The Goddess of Pox). Job done, they rushed back home never daring to venture outside till dawn lest they earn the wrath of the Goddesses. Not sure how far the Goddesses were appeased but the stray dogs of the village had a field day. They put on a lot of weight and seemed healthier and happier than their human counterparts.