I was born to a Hindu family – and therefore, I call myself a Hindu, based on the cultural exposures that I have had through my family and my religious community. And yet Hinduism for me is like a foundation, one on which I have built my own perceptions of God and religion, based on my own life experiences. My particular views may therefore seem unique at best, blasphemous at worst – but they will have a great impact on how I act as a patient, and as a physician.
Like many Hindus, I believe in reincarnation. Traditionally, reincarnation means that after death, souls are reborn many times to repay their debts, to right their wrongs, and to rid themselves of their past karmas, or deeds, until they are ready to become one with God.…