UDUPI: A group of 11 doctors, including Udupi District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Nagabhushan Udupa, came together to showcase their Yakshagana talents as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of Shri Kannika Parameshwari Kala Sangha, Kandlur, on Saturday.
While the performance itself won hearts, what truly stood out was the unique invitation — designed in the format of a medical prescription. The creative invite, which went viral, added a delightful buzz to the event.
Dr Adarsh Hebbar, one of the performers, said the team presented a three-and-half-hour prasanga titled ‘Bhishma’, which was a blend of Bhishma Prathijna, Bhishma Vijaya, and Bhishma Parva. The prasanga was selected by Dr Jagadish Shetty, while the idea to bring doctors together for the performance was mooted by Sudhakar Acharya, secretary of the Shri Kannika Parameshwari Yakshagana Sangha.
“Initially, we were apprehensive, but most of us are passionate about the art form,” said Dr Hebbar, who played the role of Bhishma from Bhishma Vijaya.
“We even had two women doctors who performed exceptionally well. We managed to practice twice before the show,” he said.
Dr Nagabhushan Udupa said the initiative was also a tribute to the late Dr Y Chandrashekar Shetty, a former medical officer and Yakshagana enthusiast who used to pen Yakshagana prasangas. “When I got the opportunity, I didn’t want to say no. Balancing our duties with art practice was challenging, but I gave it my best. After retirement, I would love to continue performing as a hobby,” he said.
Dr Jagadish Shetty said that once the doctors committed to the performance, they wanted a creative way to promote it. “Since prescriptions are symbolic for doctors, industrialist Uday Shetty Padukere came up with idea and art teacher Raghavendra Chatramakki designed the invite in a prescription format, with even the time of the event marked as ‘001′ — suggesting a post-dinner dosage,” he said.
Doctors from across Udupi district participated, including three from the govt sector. For two of them, it was their first stage performance, making the evening even more memorable, said Dr Shetty.
