Medical mela at Danvantri temple

�I was afflicted with a headache and swallowed a tablet to get rid of it. Once I felt fine, I started wondering how I could repay all those involved in the manufacture and sale of this headache tablet. What about the larger picture of doctors and the medical fraternity? Who will look after their well-being?�

It was thoughts like these that made Sri Muralidhara Swamigal, founder-trustee of the Danvantri Arogya Peedam, Walajapet, plan on a Medical Mela for the medical fraternity.

Doctors heal the people of the world through their education and service and there are no words to describe the greatness of their work, says the swamigal.

He is organising a Medical Mela/Doctors Mela for 10 days from April 30 with kalasa pooja and yaga sala pooja. There would be preliminary homams and Nakshatra homams and Noi Nivarana homam on May 1 and 2.

Basically, the mela means special homams would be conducted for the welfare of the doctors and the medical fraternity and each day would be dedicated to a particular medical science stream:

May 3	Siddha.
May 4	Ayurveda.
May 5	Homeopathy
May 6	Unani
May 7	Allopathy
May 8	Veterinary Science
May 9	New medicine (Naveena Maruthuvam)

These would also include those connected with the world of medicine: like pharmacists, manufacturers, sellers and people dealing with medical instruments.

Feeling that these are a neglected lot, and since nobody has prayed for their health and welfare so far, the swamigal is conducting the mela for the welfare of all doctors of the world and for their advancement.

The mela is being organised for the benefit of the medical fraternity and also for the sake of the local residents who can make use of the medical camps that would be conducted on all 10 days.

Free medicines would be supplied at the medical camps. Since there would be a veterinary camp also, people who have cattle and other animals at home or on the farm can bring them for treatment, says the swamigal.

Calling upon the medical fraternity to participate in lage numbers, the swamigal, who built this temple dedicated to the God of Medicine, Danvantri, said there would be no caste, religion or community bar on those who want to take part in the mela.

He also calls upon �naattu vaidyars� and those practising other forms of medicine to become a part of the mela.

Explaining how the mela would be conducted, the swamigal says there would be 10 homa kundams (fire pits) � one homa kundam for each day of the mela. 108 herbs would be used in the homam every day.

On the 10th day, homams would be conducted in all the 10 kundams and there would be a poornahuthi.

There would be Veda pundits manning the homams; and eminent nagaswara vidwans playing on all days.

The swamigal also plans to hold medical camps on all 365 days of the year. He would be issuing ID cards to doctors who accept to do service in the Danvantri temple and there would be 35 doctors on standby, which makes it a total of 400 doctors on call.

The doctors and pharmacists are welcome to display their products as stalls would be allowed at the mela, adds the swamigal.

Those willing to contribute medicines for the mela, or donate money for the conduct of the mela, would be welcome to, says the swamigal. He says that there would be an eye donation camp, blood donation camp and camps to detect diabetes and blood pressure.

Members of the medical fraternity who wish to participate in the mela, are requested to register themselves with the peedam.

But the swamigal is clear that he will not be able to make arrangements for the participants to stay in Walajapet or pay them for the conduct of the various camps. Since this is the first time the mela is being conducted, we will try our best to make arrangements for their comfort, promises the swamigal.

On May 9 (Chithirai Thiruvonam), there would be a special homam for rain. While the nagaswara vidwans would play the Amruthavarshini ragam for rain, the participants would jointly send up a prayer for rain.

Since a large contingent of volunteers would be needed for the mela, the swamigal sends out a call to people to come forward to do service at the peedam. Those who wish to do so may register with the trust.

Organisations/hospitals/medical colleges that have a list of doctors may send in their names and addresses to help the trust invite them.

�This news can be displayed even at medical shops/clinics and hospitals as an invitation for the mela,� says the swamigal.

Since donations to the mela will have tax exemption under section 80 G of the IT Act, the swamigal calls for generous donations to make the mela a success.

Medical Mela
Sri Muralidhara Swamigal,
Sri Danvantri Arogya Peedam,
Keezhpudupet,
Walajapet,
Vellore district � 632513.
Ph No: 04172 230274 / 230033, 9443330203,
Fax No.: 04172 232288.