On Doctors’ Day at JSS, celebrated writer reflects on literature and role of doctors

Mysore/Mysuru: Writer and Kannada film lyricist Jayant Kaikini described Mumbai as a city of a hard-working community where developing an instant liking for the place is challenging.

He was speaking during the Doctors’ Day celebrations and the seventh anniversary of the JSS DIAL Book Club, organised at Sri Rajendra Auditorium, JSS Hospital on M.G. Road in the city on Monday.

Kaikini shared his special bond with Mumbai, having lived among hard-working people for 24 years while employed there. He described Mumbai as ‘Kaayakada Kailasa’ (Heaven of Work), where every working-class person treats others with respect, which he finds a pleasure.

“Even if anyone hires an autorickshaw to reach home at midnight, the auto drivers won’t charge more than the stipulated fare. It is common for middle-class and lower-middle-class people to live in smaller homes. Despite this, they are large-hearted and treat everyone equally, without regard for caste, religion, or status. It is an ‘Open Hearted’ city, and no other city has such an atmosphere. Hence, Mumbai has a deeper influence on stories and poems I have penned,” he said.

Continuing further, he said that it was only after coming to Bengaluru that he became aware of the caste and creed prevalent in society.

“My father, Gowrish Kaikini, was a litterateur, but I didn’t have much interest in literature during my childhood. Many young writers would come to my father, requesting him to write a preface or blurb for their books, but I didn’t even take a cursory look at those books. It was after reading a poem that I developed an interest in writing and delved deep into the realm of literature, especially after poring over the works of litterateurs like Yashwanth Chittala and others,” he recalled.

Asserting that there is no difference between medical literature, literature, and art, Kaikini described the job of doctors in saving the life of a stranger by operating on them as a spiritual achievement.

Sense of satisfaction

“The sense of satisfaction you (doctors) derive after operating to save a life makes your education and profession distinctly apart from others. Hence, I hold medical education in high esteem,” described Kaikini.

Continuing he said, “The knowledge that makes one arrogant is not knowledge at all. Moreover, the one who brags about possessing enormous knowledge is truly a fool. Real knowledge is that which doesn’t make one arrogant.”

“Having been practising such a profession, if the ills like caste, religion, and inequality have gotten into your head, the knowledge you have acquired will be rendered waste. It wouldn’t be wrong to describe such a condition as the game of snake and ladder in the evolution of mankind,” he rued.

Returning to his love for Mumbai, Kaikini said, “Mumbaikars also have a special way of conveying the news of death to others. If anybody dies, they prefix the word ‘Off’, which is still in practice. If we look at our clothes and food, we should feel indebted to the millions of workers toiling hard behind making our lives comfortable. Hence, we also owe the society.”

When Kaikini was speaking about literature’s power to unite all, citing several instances, a doctor in the audience said, “Now death is also called not reachable.”

The senior doctors participated in an interaction with Kaikini.

Doctors felicitated

As part of the event, senior doctors serving at JSS Hospital were felicitated. They are: Dr. B.J. Subhash Chandra, Dr. B.S. Jayaraj, Dr. M.D. Bharathi, Dr. Veeranna, Dr. (Col.) T.S. Vasan, Dr. B. Narayanappa, Dr. Purushotham Shastry, Dr. H.P. Nandesh, and Dr. Amruthraj G. Gowda.

Principal of JSS Medical College Dr. H. Basavanagowdappa, Medical Superintendent of JSS Hospital Dr. C.P. Madhu, Dr. Praveen Kulkarni and Dr. Mahanthappa were present.

‘Books make you strong’

“If you look at anything with love, it appears beautiful. However, the youth today are only aware of Facebook, Passbook and Cheque Book. For them, this constitutes the entire world of books. In the past, libraries were the means to learn social values. Books are the tools to prepare yourselves for the exams of life.” — Jayant Kaikini, writer