Central Institute of Psychiatry

Ranchi Express left Howrah station sharp at 10pm on a February evening as we headed for the Jharkhand capital. In 10 years, we have not been able to induce a single school in West Bengal to change their infrastructure and introduce inclusion. But 300km away, the enterprising Alka Nizamie, a clinical psychologist, has opened a special school Deepsikha in Ranchi. She had invited us to present a workshop on inclusion.

We held a two-day workshop at Deepsikha. The teachers there were very keen to know more about autism, dyslexia and the concept of inclusion.

We shared our experiences and received a positive response from the participants. We were also invited to visit Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), once referred to infamously as “Kanke Pagal Khana”. I was curious to see what a ‘pagal khana’ would look like.

The lush green campus of CIP sprawls over 210 acres. Surrounded by high walls and security guards, the institute has an enormous gate that leads into the premises. Nizamie’s husband, Dr Haque, is the director of CIP.

The British established the hospital on May 17, 1918. Tall trees surround the compound, almost touching the sky. There is also a well-laid garden. The inmates were clad in their winter uniform —blue or red checked shirts, trousers, red blazers and shoes. Though the blazers were slightly faded from constant use, they looked smart enough. The dress code identifies the sections they belong to.

CIP has a separate wing for women. A few of them sat on benches, under trees, some loitered aimlessly, sang Hindi songs, while a few looked at us passively. They seemed oblivious to their surroundings. We visited several departments. While most were well-maintained, the children’s wing was a bit shabby. But we were told that a new building was coming up for them. A new guest house adjoining the children’s department is also under construction. Parents can avail of the guest house facilities during their child’s treatment.

As a special educator, I come across parents who visit clinical psychiatrists to know why their child behaves in a certain manner. Brain disorders are not curable, but it is important to know the reason for their condition. Most parents go to Christian Medical College, Vellore or NIMHANS, Bangalore for screening, assessment and intervention for their children’s behavioural problems like hyperactivity, seizure and for a common IQ test. But travelling so far is expensive, not to speak of the difficulties of travelling with an autistic or hyperactive child. But Ranchi is close by and easily accessible from eastern India. CIP, Ranchi is well equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to assess brain disorders. Their departments includes:

mental health
neuropsychiatry
addictive disorder
schizophrenia
mood disorders

The departments treating brain disorders are divided into sparkling clean and well-lit cubicles, fitted with modern equipment.

I was also awe struck by the collection at the library. It had books on schizophrenia, mental disorders, moods and autism. From the librarian we gathered that the huge collection was due to the untiring efforts of the institute director who takes personal interest in the library.

We also visited their carpentry and weaving departments where training is imparted as part of extracurricular activities for patients.

The mission of CIP is to diminish the burden of mental illness through treatment, research and training. CIP also conducts postgraduate courses in psychiatry and behavioural sciences. They have an outpatient department that serves 53,000 patients in a year.

Seek help from them if you have to. I am sure parents will not regret the experience.

Contact Dr S. Haque Nizamie, professor of psychiatry, at 91- (0651) 2451113, fax: 2233668 or mail him at www.cipranchi.nic.in.

Send your queries to ttmetro@abpmail.com or krishnaroy_2000@yahoo.com

THE DIARY

Welcome showers

Trickling drops of spring’s shower
Have long run down my heart.
O rain! When will you come?
Decked in your kaleidoscopic
bounty,
Those afternoons of saturating downpour…
In monsoon. When will thou come?
It has been long since the frogs croaked,
Long since black clouds roared.
It has been long since we have cried, together.
You and I on a shore at the hour,
When the horizons vaporise…
I miss the shocking ironies of pursuit,
The jolting rhythm, as you fall
On my skin,
Leaving a sublime impression
That too will soon die.
A chill remains when you touch and leave,
I wither and I yearn,
To wash my limbs against the blotted sun
After you have drenched it…
I can almost feel the caressing of falling leaves
When I walk with thee in the canopy,
Dormant drops come to perch on drowsy eyelids.
Why do I love most dearly when thou art far away?
Am I a romantic?

Torsa Ghosal
Second year, English,
St Xavier’s College