India, March 26 -- We humans fear pain and try to prevent injuries, whether it's a scratch, bruise, deep wound, fracture, or burn. Yet, we all encounter pain, and every individual reacts to it in his/her own way. Once in pain, all wisdom, such as, 'Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional', evaporates into thin air.

Three months ago, as I was discharged from hospital after the bilateral knee-replacement surgery, the orthopaedic surgeon said, "Your recovery will depend on your capacity to endure pain."

For once, these words unsettled me. Notwithstanding the YouTube videos, long discussions with the people who mattered, and understanding the pros and cons of the operation, I found myself in a nightmarish zone. My capacity to tolerate pai...