To beat stress, docs take off stetho, wield painting brushes & cameras
Times of India | 28 July 2024
Kolkata: They can wield the brush as deftly as the scalpel or the scissors or debate intensely on subjects as varied as the war in Ukraine and the diminishing tolerance level in our society. Others can strum the guitar and sing passionately. Some are keen photographers, while some climbers and adventure-trekkers who have waded through the rugged terrains of Ladakh and Garhwal.
And, none of them are professionally trained for these but happen to be qualified medical practitioners with a busy schedule that barely permits them to take a break from treating people and indulge in their favourite hobbies. A group of medics at Manipal Hospitals in Mukundapur displayed their paintings and photographs at an exhibition inaugurated on Saturday. More than 100 works by 20 to 25 Manipal doctors were on display at the visitors’ lounge that turned into a gallery.
For many of these medics, painting and photography are stress-busters. Ranjan Sarkar, consultant nephrologist at Manipal Broadway, has been clicking wildlife and nature photographs for two decades. Several of his photographs are displayed at the exhibition.
“I travel far and wide on vacation and never return without clicking a bagful of pictures. I have clicked lions at Maasai Mara and the Everest from Sandakphu. The entire experience takes away the stress. For instance, getting to see wild animals from such close quarters at Maasai Mara in itself was an elevating experience,” said Sarkar.
Gastroenterologist Sanjoy Basu of Manipal Mukundapur paints for three hours every night. “I finish off my clinical engagements by 7pm and escape to the world of painting. It helps to rejuvenate and lifts up my spirit since we have to take in a lot of stress and deal with pain and sufferings throughout the day. At times, it can be depressing,” said Basu, who has held several solo exhibitions.
The idea of holding the exhibition on hospital premises is to lighten the atmosphere, said Sarkar. “This exhibition should help patients, their families, doctors and other staff to divert their attention for a while ,” added Sarkar. Manipal Broadway critical care consultant, Chandrashish Chakravarty, displayed two of his paintings at the exhibition. Like most of his colleagues, Chakravarty is not trained but has been painting since childhood. “One of my paintings here depicts the Monikornica Ghat at Benaras, while the other is that of a tribal woman,” he said. Doctors at Institute of Child Health (ICH) Kolkata conducted a similar exhibition of paintings some months ago. Their artworks were displayed along with paintings by renowned artists and the sale proceeds went towards expansion of the hospital for children. A new building that can accommodate more patients is being constructed.
“The ICH exhibition allowed me to rediscover my painting passion,” said Sushmita Banerjee, who deals with paediatric kidney diseases. Cardiac surgeon Kunal Sarkar is an ace debater who ‘loves to keep his neurons active through arguments on the stage’.