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A recent video from an Indian hospital showing doctors and staff chanting the Dhanvantri Stotra before a surgery has gone viral on social media. The footage sparked widespread attention and mixed reactions, with some supporting the act, while others, especially medical professionals, raised concerns about the growing overlap of religious practices in clinical settings.
Doctor Responds with Tamil Film Reference
Among the many reactions, one of the most widely shared came from Dr. Jason Philip, a Senior Urologist at Government Kalaignar Centenary Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Known for sharing his views on social and medical issues on X (formerly Twitter), Dr. Philip responded to the video with a post referencing a popular Tamil film dialogue.
He wrote:
“There are 10,000 state-of-the-art mechanical parts in your vehicle. Is that lemon, hanging on your bonnet, going to protect it more than those top-class gadgets?”
He followed it up with:
“This is what a decade of ruin in India has brought medicine to. Years of hard, complex training, decades of experience, hundreds of medical conferences—and some doctors have come to this!”
His tweet drew strong reactions online. While some people agreed with his view that hospitals should stay secular, others felt he was being disrespectful towards cultural or spiritual practices in healthcare.
Public Reactions: Divided Views
Dr. Philip’s post triggered mixed reactions online, though most leaned critical. Some felt he was unnecessarily targeting Hindu practices, arguing that short prayers are not uncommon in clinical settings.
“A lot of Catholic hospitals also allow for a moment of prayer before everything starts,” one user noted, while another added, “If you have the training and ability to do the surgery, I don’t understand why a bit of prayer before the start should bother anyone.”
At the same time, a few users supported Dr. Philip’s stance, agreeing that religion has no place inside an operating room.
“Why the need for doctors then? Bring in the priests and let them chant mantras & take over,” one user said sarcastically. Another pointed out, “Prayer, if any, can be done in his room, not on the table.”
Together, the responses reflected an ongoing debate over how much faith should intersect with clinical care, especially in public healthcare settings.
Doctors Join the Conversation
Adding to the debate, Dr. Munish Raizada, MD, FAAP, a fellow medical professional and President of the Bharatiya Liberal Party, also shared his perspective. In a tweet that drew attention, he wrote:
“Religion is like opium. It drives people nuts. My personal opinion as a doctor is: As healthcare providers, we do not have to instill religious practices into patient care from our side. A secular character of medical practice is the best way forward.”
His comment underscored the view that personal belief systems, while valid, should not influence shared clinical environments, especially when care is being delivered to patients of all backgrounds.
The Debate Continues
The video and the responses it drew have once again opened up conversations around faith and medicine. While some see such practices as part of India’s culture, others believe clinical spaces should remain focused on science. For now, the debate remains open, with different people drawing their own lines on what belongs inside a hospital.
(Rh/Pooja Bansal/MSM/SE)
