Places tell stories. Often, the story and the place are synonymous, as with Nanjanagudu. This town near Mysuru beside the Kapila river is famous for the Srikanteshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, where devotees pray to be cured of disease. The temple earned the reverence of Tipu Sultan, who hailed the deity as ‘Hakim Nanjunda’ for miraculously curing his royal elephant's eye ailment. A variety of banana, Nanjangudu Rasabaale, is also named after the town. Another reason why Nanjanagudu became a household name across Karnataka and beyond is Nanjangud Tooth Powder, a creation of the renowned Ayurveda Vidwan B.V. Pundit.

Pundit’s father died before he was born. His widowed mother raised him in dire financial circumstances. Against great odds, he pursued his studies and graduated from Mysuru Ayurvedic College. In 1913, with his mentor's ble ...