There is a verse in Kannada ‘Vaidyo Narayano Harihi,’ which means doctors are the Gods in disguise.

But on Saturday (Sept. 30)Doctors were in the disguise of poets and poetesses singing some very rarely known and sung verses by the country’s finest poets like Varakavi Da.Ra. Bendre, K.S. Narasimhaswamy, Vedavyasa Joshi, Y.S. Louis, Kuvempu, by the versatile H.R. Leelavathi herself, who curated this thematic evening.

This beautiful evening of poetic mood began with invocatory, followed by lighting up the lamp by H.R. Leelavathi, Founder of Sugama Sangeetha Academy Trust, Mysuru, T.R. Harish, President, Sugama Sangeetha Academy Trust, Mysuru and Dr. Jagannath Shenoy, industrialist and art patron, who was the chief guest on the occasion. Bhava Kusuma, a unique Sugama Sangeetha (light music) programme, held at Mysore K. Vasudevacharya Bhavana on JLB Road in city, began with a felicitation by Sugama Sangeetha Academy Trust to philanthropist Dr. Jagannath Shenoy.

He has associated himself with Sugama Sangeetha Academy Trust for many years, through yet another poetically curated evening of music by doctors, who have passion for singing. It is the 39th year of this Academy successfully conducting various cultural programmes for various sects of society and professions, therefore continuously working for the betterment of society through the art form as a whole.

City’s most reputed doctors such as Dr. Sushma Krishnamurthy, Senior Consultant Surgeon and Endoscopist, Dr. Dr. Snehashree Nirmala Kumar, Dental Surgeon, Dr. Somnath Vasudeva, Neurologist, Apollo Hospital, Dr. Seethalakshmy Somnath, Apollo Hospital, Dr. A. Jayaram, Senior Dental Surgeon, Dr. N. Kuldeep, Consultant Surgeon, Narayana Multispeaciality Hospital, Dr. Ravikumar, Professor & HoD, FDC, Dr. G.V. Bharathi, Physician, KSIC, Dr. K. Nagendra Prasad, Family Physician, Dr. Nandini Murthy, Qualified Nutritionist, Dr. J. Rashmi Rani, Qualified Yoga & Naturopathy Counsellor, Ayurvedic Practitioner, continuously worked and practiced for two months to make this evening of music a successful one.

They performed soulfully to the wonderful music ensemble, on flute L. Sameer Rao, on rhythm pad Vinaya Rangdol, on keyboard Sanmukha Sajja, on tabla Atmaram. Sukumar S. Raghuram aesthetically compared the entire musical programme through his poetic narrations.

The doctors, though being busy  24×7 treating their patients, this evening they were surprisingly busy treating the art lovers, through their qualified professional singing and musical attempt for one of the finest verses such as ‘Shodasha Chaitrada Sundari Neenu’ by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu, ‘Kabbina Jalle Donku’ by Varakavi Da.Ra. Bendre and so many more, just flowing like a sweetness of sugarcane.

The script and presentation of the programme was by Sukumar S. Raghuram, an Engineer.

The programme concluded with the Doctor-students who not only sang their heart and entertained their rasika patients but also made their Guru H.R. Leelavathi proud by felicitating her and also dedicating the song ‘Shodasha Chaitrada Sundari Neenu’ which literally matched the ever youthful Leelavathi.

A recipient of Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award for Sugama Sangeetha in 2022, Leelavathi has thanked each and everyone who encouraged the Academy and her musical work through their constant support through these years and sought the same from all the rasikas in the coming days too.

—Abhinavashri