Yesterday I travelled to Kushalnagar in Kodagu to see a friend in an eye hospital, “Lopamudra Eye Care,” who was undergoing a procedure for cataract. While in the waiting area, I noticed a number of framed certificates, citations, testimonials and photographs about the doctor. Being a private, personal hospital, such displays are expected and understandable.

However, what interested me was a couple of framed displays that seemed unique and modestly appropriate for a doctor who is a native Kodava and the hospital is in Kodagu.

I took the photographs of some of these displays to study them later. There was a photograph of a native Kodava of the early 20th century in his ethnic ceremonial attire (see picture). He is the grandfather of Dr. M.M. Ponnappa of Lopamudra Eye Care. He was honoured by the British Masters of the Colonial days with the title Rao Bahadur. So, he is Rao Bahadur Mukkatira Aiyappa. Could be, his grandson, this doctor Dr. M.M. Ponnappa, is so proud of his grandfather, he chose to honour his memory by hanging his photograph in the front office area.

And, again most appropriately, the legend of this legendary coffee planter and a philanthropist of those days (who had, no doubt, cultivated the company of the British Officers in Kodagu) as written in a newspaper was also displayed. The text details about the great gifts of this Kodava man. Curiously the news must have originated from Karachi (now in Pakistan) and taken from the newspaper ‘The Madras Mail’ (which was published by the British from Madras, now Chennai).

Reading its contents I was thrilled. Let me reproduce it:

The Madras Mail

Pluck Office, Karachi

M. Mukkatira Iyappah

Devanageri Virarajendrapet

Virarajendrapet is now embellished with a clock tower, erected in front of the post office.

The foundation stone of the building was laid by Sir Hugh Daly, the Chief Commissioner of Coorg on 5th February, 1914, when he visited the town, during his tour in Coorg. It is the gift of Mr. Mukkatira Iyappah, a successful coffee planter in commemoration of the coronation of the King-Emperor at Delhi. lt has already proven to be a boon to the public.

Mr. R.K Ellis, I.C.S., the District Magistrate of Coorg, performed the opening ceremony on the  16th of January and handed over the building to Virarajendrapet municipality.

Mr. Mukkatira Iyappah has also gifted the outpatient block of the civil hospital of Gonikoppal and an inspection bungalow of Fraserpet (now Kushalnagara) which has immensely benefited the people and district administration of Coorg.

Those who visit Virajpet in South Kodagu could not miss to see the famous Clock Tower at the junction of three roads in the busy down-town area built in red-brick. By the way, history records the location of the Clock Tower was selected (in 1914) for the reason that it was the place where General Abercromby, the General who marched with his troops from Malabar via Kodagu (to reinforce the British and allied forces fighting Tipu Sultan in May 1799 at Srirangapatna), met the Maharaja of Kodagu Virarajendra Wadeyar and signed a peace treaty. The Kodagu Raja founded the city Virarajendrapet to commemorate the occasion.

Be that as it may, the Clock Tower was a gift of Mr. Mukkatira Iyappah (Aiyappa) in commemoration of the coronation of the King-Emperor at Delhi. The opening ceremony of the Clock Tower was held on 16th January (1915), just one year after its foundation was laid.

Iyappah had also gifted an Outpatient Block of Government Hospital at Gonikoppal and an Inspection Bungalow of then Fraserpet, now Kushalnagar.

It is said, what one gives often goes round and round and comes back multi-fold to the giver — or to his progeny. The same seems to have happened to Dr. M.M. Ponnappa and his brother Dr. M.M. Amrit Nanaiah, who is running the Lopamudra Medical Centre in Gonikoppal.

It is inscrutable that both these brothers are today successfully running their hospitals, one in Gonikoppal and another in Kushalnagar, the towns where their grandfather Aiyappa had generously built two valuable facilities for the good of the public. Vedic values and Sanatana Dharma are seen working in a mysteriously subtle way as reward for Mukkatira Aiyappa’s selfless service to his fellow men. Let it be.

But as I scanned the wall, I noticed two boards with closely written text which read like pedagogy and a lesson in morals. Let me produce them here for the benefit of those who are on the path of virtuous and even spiritual life:

Keep it simple

Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.

Don’t burn bridges. You’ll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.

Live your life so that your epitaph could read, No Regrets.

Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them. Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you.

Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.  (Well, I guess I have followed this advice by visiting this hospital !)

Forgive quickly. Life is short.

Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million dollar ideas sometimes strike  at 3 am (I agree, I do follow this even to this night!).

Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.

Count your blessings.

Wave at the children on a school bus.

Remember that 80 percent of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.

Don’t expect life to be fair…

Have a firm handshake.

Look people in the eye.

Keep Secrets.

Never give up on anybody.  Miracles happen everyday.

Avoid sarcastic remarks.

Choose your life’s mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 percent of all your happiness or misery.

When playing games with children, let them win.

Be romantic. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.

Don’t allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It’s there for our convenience, not the caller’s.

Be a good loser for your loved ones. Be a good winner of Hearts.

When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.

Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.

And finally, a board with some information from the Indian Penal Code (IPC) with penal sections. I’m sure Dr. Javeed Nayeem, our weekly columnist, Over a Cup of Evening Tea, who was the President of MAHAN, an Association of Doctors and Hospitals, to protect themselves from the vandals, will love this.

Yes, protection to doctors    and hospitals from people who attack them for different reasons, are there in the law books. But, in our too liberal a Democracy these laws are more often subverted, sabotaged and violated with impunity rather than enforced. Hence, this reminder of IPC to the patients. Examples are many, but the recent one is in the rape and murder of a duty doctor at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal.

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