>From medicine to microbiology, alternative treatments and wine By Lisa Monteiro [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[Gomantak Times] Many of you know John Carmo Rodrigues, as the wine maker who bagged the first prize for his ambado wine at the Konkan Fruit Festival held last month. You'd be surprised to know that ambado wine is just one of the forty exotic wines he makes. His list goes on to include custard apple wine, mul-berry wine, chickoo wine, cocum wine jambul- grape wine, cashew wine, caronda wine, guava wine, onion- garlic-ginger wine, muskmelon wine and bimblim wine. Although selling wine could fetch him a large sum of money, he is not driven by profit. He doesn't make highly sophisticated wines with the perfect taste and clarity but concentrates more on the health benefits of it. It's easy to categorize him as just a wine maker, however this unassuming 75-year-old is actually a multi-faceted personality that doesn't have any fixed ideas. He is a sort of free bird who works on intuition. John Carmo has a PhD in Alternate Medicine and is a microbiologist by profession He holds a postgraduate diploma in yoga therapy and a doctorate in holistic healing. He worked for thirty years as a senior management member of Hoechst, a multinational giant dealing with the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, veterinary products, pesticides and chemicals. He chose early retirement to spend time with his family and start something of his own in Goa. This led to the development of his yoga center in Margao. He was also the first to use an aerial spray against the pest 'heliopeltis' in 1973 to pro-tect the caju crop. The three books that he has to his credit, 'Amaroli', 'Energy Healing' and 'Damar Tantra Shivanbu Kalpavidhi' are at tangents to each other and only prove his wide scope of knowledge. While 'Amaroli' presents the prehistoric practice of urine therapy, ' Energy Healing' deals with the basic concept of curing through bio energy, which is the basic principle of healing of all alternate therapies like ayurveda, homoeopa-thy, unami, reiki, siddha, acupuncture, magnet therapy, pyramid therapy, yoga. 'Damar Tantra Shivanbu Kalpavidhi' is an English translation of a five thousand year old document that deals with the use of human urine along with herbs and minerals to enhance spirituality and combat diseases. John Carmo believes in giving back all that he can to society. "Happiness comes back in many forms when you give generously", he says He was the founder-Director of 'Konkan Sevadham', a social organisation working for the upliftment of landless labourers. Along with Car-itas he held alot of medical camps helping mal-nourished children and pregnant mothers. He also opened a carpentry center in Chinchinim to provide them with alternate means of livelihood. Inspite of his stature he maintains a low profile and chooses to live a simple life. "Although I have lived in some of the best hotels in the world and dined with princes, I have chosen to move with beggars." A person who cherishes every moment of his life, living it to the fullest and isn't the wee bit conceited, John says, "I am happy every minute of the day and my happiness is unattached." Where does he get his happiness from? John replies, "Happiness lies in building relationships with people." He believes in living the present moment and doesn't have any regrets as a result of his positive attitude to life. His advise to youngsters is, "Always chase the permanent things in life, those that will bring you eternal happiness."
