Sir,

Your ‘Abracadabra’ about a Mandya man (Star of Mysore dated Mar. 23) has prompted me to narrate my experience with the people of Pandavapura taluk in particular.

My memory goes back to 1970 when I started my practice as a surgeon in Mysore. I recall and appreciate the services of late Dr. J.S. Raman and Dr. Kamala Raman for starting a full-fledged surgical unit in their nursing home in Krishnamurthypuram for the first time in the private sector in Mysore. My first patient to be operated there was Karimalle Gowda from K. Bettahalli which you have referred in your article. Here the alphabet ‘K’ stands for Kurubara as many of them were engaged in sheep business. They were buying them in far off places in Chitradurga district and used to bring them by road!

Karimalle Gowda and his brother had the hair on their head cut in a semi-lunar fashion as a custom. He had to be operated for a prostatic problem. General surgeons those days in the true sense of the term were doing urological, orthopaedic and other surgeries except heart and brain. In the absence of obstetrician in the private field (Government doctors were banned from private practice then) I had to do some emergency Caesarian section too.

Pandavapura was known as Hirode earlier to independence. There are about 20 villages within a radius of 10 kms from the town. The patients from these villages used to come to Kamakshi Hospital where I shifted my practice. I feel  indebted to the people of this taluk as I developed my practice all because of the patient load from the villages. To name a few — Haravu, Kyathanahalli, K. Bettahalli, K. Settyhalli, Chikkade, Kennalu, Kadithanalu, Harohalli, Yelekere, Pattasomanahalli, Damarahalli, Hiremarali, Katteri and some more to add !

It is not a matter of exaggeration if I mention here that at any point of time there used to be at least 8-10 patients in the general ward of Kamakshi Hospital from these villages.

One Sidde Gowda was a regular patient from Harohalli. He was accompanied by his nephew Nanjude Gowda who incidentally became the Municipal President later. Mandya district, a hot-bed of politics from the days of Independence and Pandavapura is no exception for that. C. Anne Gowda from Chikkade was a prominent politician. He and his brother Swamy Gowda’s families were my patients. So also Basave Gowda, who was the Chairman of the Pandavapura Sugar Mill.

Water from KRS canals practically feeds the entire Pandavapura taluk. Paddy and sugarcane are the cash crops. People are quite cordial and trustworthy. Their paying capacity was good.

One of my colleagues Dr. R.S. Achar, who was working with me as an assistant, started a clinic near the hand-post which is also mentioned in your write-up. But due to some reason he could not continue there for long.

Two practitioners one Dr. D.C. Thammaiah near the P. Pura Railway Station and the other Dr. Mayee Gowda, a localite, used to send me their surgical cases. While the former is no more the latter has wound up his practice.

As the time rolled by and with the available medical facilities all around, the influx of patients from Pandavapura has dwindled but the memory is indelible.

Lastly, a word about the medical practice in Mysore in the 70s. My contemporary consultants in the city were Dr. C.D. Sreenivasamurthy, Dr. B.V. Rajagopal, Dr. S. Bhaskar and J.V. Narayan, all physicians. Dr. K.B. Subbaiah joined us in late 70s leaving Mission Hospital. Of course, Dr. Kannan and Dr. N.M. Srinivas had their Pathology and X-Ray labs. Our consultation fee would be Rs.5, never beyond Rs.10 and operations like Hernia repair and appendicectomy would cost Rs. 500 inclusive of surgeon’s and hospital charges !

– Dr. C.G. Narasimhan, Mysuru, 24.3.2017