What happens when a cardiologist who has saved thousands of hearts picks up a pen instead of a stethoscope?
In a world where science and spirituality are often seen as opposites, one doctor has spent 43 years proving they are two sides of the same coin. Dr. A. Rajasimha — a Gold Medallist in MBBS, PhD in Non-Invasive Cardiology from Trinity College UK, and a doctor who has pioneered countless firsts in Indian cardiology — now offers something no medical textbook ever could: 30 FREE VERSION PROPOEMS that blend cutting-edge science with timeless spiritual wisdom.
Pestle and Mortar is not a poetry book. It is not a science book. It is a scientific spiritual hybrid — a unique literary form that the authors call “Propoems.” These 30 propoems do not fit into the standard framework of poetry. They are a deliberate deviation from the conventional. And that is exactly why you need to read them.
A Book Unlike Any Other
Propoems: A New Literary Form
What is a propoem? It is a poem that proposes — that puts forward ideas, questions, and wisdom in a format that is part poetry, part prose, part scientific exposition. Each propoem is enabled with illustrations and explications for quick reference, making complex ideas accessible without losing their depth.
Science Meets Spirituality — Without Compromise
This book is stuffed with a plethora of information, drawn from Dr. Rajasimha’s four decades of medical practice, his research, his CME sessions for doctors, and his decades of writing about heart disease for the lay public. But it is not written for doctors alone. It is written for anyone who has ever wondered: What does science say about the soul? What does spirituality say about the heart?
The Wisdom of Yesteryears, for the Digital Era
In a swiftly metamorphosing digital era where time is gold and compressed, this book offers something rare: a pause. A moment to slow down, to absorb newer information amalgamated with the wisdom of yesteryears. The propoems are designed to generate curiosity and interest — not through complexity, but through clarity.
What You’ll Find Inside
30 FREE VERSION PROPOEMS
Each propoem is a self-contained exploration — of science, of spirituality, of the human condition. They are “free” in the sense that they are not bound by the rigid structures of traditional poetry. They are free to be what they need to be: vessels for truth.
Illustrations That Illuminate
Every propoem is accompanied by illustrations that bring the ideas to life. In an age of information overload, these visuals help readers grab the gist quickly — without sacrificing depth.
Explications That Clarify
Ms. Manimozhi Ilango — a tech professional, author, and artist — provides explications that make the propoems accessible to readers from all backgrounds. Her previous books, OMMATIDIUM: Survival in the Age of Algorithms and A Reader’s Compendium, have been well-received across India, and her expertise shines through in every explication.
A Cardiologist’s Unique Perspective
Dr. Rajasimha’s 43 years of cardiology practice — including introducing echocardiography, TMT, 24-hour Holter ECG, 3D AI-enabled Vasculography, and External Counter Pulsation to Mysore — inform every line. This is not theoretical spirituality. It is spirituality grounded in the reality of life, death, and the human heart.
Who Should Read This Book
Pestle and Mortar is for readers who:
- Love science and spirituality— and want to see them in conversation, not conflict
- Appreciate unconventional formats— and are curious about new literary forms like propoems
- Seek wisdom, not just information— in a digital era that drowns us in data but starves us of meaning
- Are drawn to illustrated books— that make complex ideas accessible and beautiful
- Have read Manimozhi Ilango’s previous work— OMMATIDIUM and A Reader’s Compendium — and want more
- Are inspired by doctor-authors— who bring their professional expertise to creative writing
- Enjoy Indian Knowledge Systems— and the integration of traditional wisdom with modern science
- Want something genuinely different— in a literary landscape full of predictable genres
A Note on the Title
Pestle and Mortar — the ancient tool used to grind herbs, spices, and medicines — is a fitting metaphor for this book. Just as the pestle and mortar break down raw ingredients to release their essence, these propoems break down complex ideas to reveal their core truth. Science and spirituality, like herbs and spices, are ground together to create something that nourishes the mind and the spirit.
Why This Book Matters Now
We live in an era of information torrents — but wisdom is scarce. Doctors and scientists rarely write poetry. Poets rarely understand science. Spiritual seekers rarely engage with modern medicine. This book bridges all three. It is for the reader who knows that the heart is both a pump and a symbol. That the brain is both a machine and a mystery. That truth is not found in one discipline alone, but in the space between them.
Ready to read something that defies every category on the shelf? Add Pestle and Mortar to your library today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & EXPLICATOR
Dr. A. Rajasimha
Gold Medallist Cardiologist | PhD in Non-Invasive Cardiology | Author & Poet
Dr. A. Rajasimha is a Gold Medallist in MBBS with distinction in MD from the University of Mysore (UCM). He has been practising Non-Invasive & Non-Surgical Cardiology for 43 years, establishing the First Hi-Tech Heart Centre of Mysore City — Simha Heart Foundation (NABH Accredited). Through this centre, he introduced several pioneering firsts in Indian cardiology, including Echocardiography, TMT, 24-hour Holter ECG, 24-hour ABPM, 3D AI-enabled Vasculography, External Counter Pulsation (ECP), and WI-FI Arrhythmia Detector.
His post-doctoral training in Cardiology spans five years at the esteemed MMM-ICVD Chennai. He has completed PG courses in Cardiology from the prestigious John Hopkins University, USA, and in Advanced Cardiology from Harvard Medical School, USA. He was awarded a PhD from Trinity College UK (CWN) for his pioneering original research work in Non-Invasive Cardiology. He is a Fellow in Cardiology from Medvarsity Singapore.
Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Rajasimha is a dedicated educator and public health advocate. He conducted 15 Free CMEs for doctors, participated in by cardiology luminaries including Prof. B.K. Goyal, Dr. A.B. Mehta, Prof. B.M. Hedge, Prof. Alagesan, and Prof. Cherian. He extended 25 Free Heart Check-up Camps for the poor. In 1988-89, he was the first in Karnataka to organize vital life-saving CPR training using mannequins for the lay public, with American Heart Association (AHA) experts — a landmark achievement at a time when media was sparse and public health awareness was an uphill task.
As a freelance writer, his serial articles on heart diseases for 30 weeks in Karnataka’s most prestigious and largest-circulated daily — Prajavani (2.13 million copies per day) — were a landmark success in 1995, at a time when the lay public had no access to information on heart diseases in the pre-digital era.
Pestle and Mortar is Dr. Rajasimha’s bold foray into scientific spiritual hybrid poetry — a literary form that draws on four decades of medical practice, research, and public health advocacy to create something entirely new.
Ms. Manimozhi Ilango
Tech Professional | Author | Explicator | Artist
Ms. Manimozhi Ilango is a tech professional who has carved a unique niche as an author and explicator. In 2023, she published the eBook “Self-styled Digital Natives”. In May 2024, she authored the physical and eBook “OMMATIDIUM: Survival in the Age of Algorithms”, which was well-received by readers with excellent, encouraging positive reviews across India. The book offers broad-spectrum perspectives on the new-generation society navigating an algorithm-driven world.
In March 2025, a miniature version titled “A Reader’s Compendium” was published, also well-received by readers. As the explicator for Pestle and Mortar, Manimozhi brings her unique ability to translate complex ideas into accessible language — making the propoems understandable and engaging for readers from all backgrounds.
Beyond writing, she is proficient in creating South African Tribal Art in her own unique way, bringing a visual dimension to her creative work. Her combination of technical expertise, literary talent, and artistic sensibility makes her an ideal partner for a book that defies conventional categories.
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