Pankaj Oudhia

Personal Health schedule that protects from diseases

“Aak chhi, Aak chhi” When these initial symptoms of cold and cough started affecting my daily life I was shocked. I was free from it from two years. By adopting special schedules suggested by Traditional Healers and extra measures based on my experience, I remained free from all types of seasonal troubles during this duration. But suddenly I found myself in grip of cold and cough. I opened my field diary and started reading the precautions to be taken during such attack.

According to the NIH website there is no cure of common cold and cough. One must take complete rest, take plenty of liquid, gargle with warm water and can take throat medicines if required. This trouble will be over in 2 to 14 days. The recommendations in Traditional Healing are different. Instead of taking rest my Healers suggested me to work as daily routine and ignore that you are suffering from it. I followed it.

 I met the visitors (with distance) and enjoyed exercise and table tennis in evening. Like NIH recommendation, the Healers suggest intake of water in sufficient amount. They give emphasis on taking warm water. “You must remain free from constipation during attack. When you stop movement and start taking unnecessary medication, problem of constipation starts and as you know it is root cause of many health problems.” They suggested.

During attack I never miss the chance to adopt Naturopathy tool Jal Neti. It gives immense relief and three to four times in a day results in slowly disappearance of trouble. If you have read my suggestions on Swine Flu prevention, you must have read about the efficacy of this simple tool. It is in use since time immemorial in one and another form. Modern Naturopaths use it in different way than the Traditional Healers but approach of both is same. Cost involved in Jal Neti is nil. There is no chance of earning money from this recommendation. This is the main reason that no one suggested this simple use to the natives of Swine Flu affected areas.

Gargle with warm water is really good and recommendations of NIH and Traditional Healers are in same line. In general the patients start taking different types of herbal tea specially Tulsi and Zinger based herbal teas as well as many home remedies during attack but the Healers say that it must be used carefully. They suggested me to avoid it as much as possible. “Let the body fight with trouble. Instead of suppressing the symptoms, help body to fight with disease. That’s why we suggest continuing routine life. Eat well and work well.” They try to explain.

I got this trouble many times during forest surveys in early days. The Healers recommend many types of wild herbs specially wild tubers as treatment. Its consumption gives extra power to body to fight with germs.

In general, senior natives believe in India that if you take no medicine for common cold and cough you will be free from it within five days. But my Healers claim that by adopting their schedules round the year one must get rid from this trouble in two to three days.

They are right. I got much relief in one and half day. But I was in search of reason responsible for this attack. I was adopting the schedules sincerely. On suggestion of my mother I tried Olive oil for my hairs. I applied it on hair at night and washed it during morning. I was aware that application of any oil up to long time results in this trouble in my case but I ignored it while using it this time. But it was not the only reason. I decided to meet the Healers.

“You are lucky as you remained free from this common problem up to two years. This time your body failed to defend but it is good sign that you recovered from it within two days. There is no need for worry. Continue the schedules and enjoy healthy life.” They assured.

You will find the word “Health” in my personal diary. In the said schedule there are thirty health measures present. I get one star when I complete any twelve measures, two stars in case of any eighteen measures and three stars for all measures in a day. I have planned to get at least a star up to twenty days in a month.  During forest surveys it is difficult to follow it but I am trying hard to follow it in any condition.

I will try to present this schedule through this series, if readers are interested.

Let the Tiger live in forest

“Sir, please take photograph. Why you are worrying? We are inside the vehicle and safe from attack.” Fellow visitors were shouting. We were in Barnawapara wildlife sanctuary, Chhattisgarh and our vehicle was standing so close to Tiger.

Tiger? Tiger in Barnawapara? Are you joking? Are you talking about Leopard? You may ask these questions but the creature present in front of us was Tiger. Time was 6.30 PM.. Officially it was not allowed to remain inside park after 6.00 in summer days but guide was new and not aware of roads. Visitors are allowed in buffer zone only but due to guide we were in core zone. We crossed three dry nallah and suddenly driver saw a tiger sitting in middle of road. He stopped the vehicle. It was enough dark to horrify us. Tiger turned face towards us and ignored our presence. Fellow visitors were excited but I was in worry because of mood of Tiger. We were in Scorpio vehicle and window glasses were open. After few minutes we heard loud roar and Tiger started movement towards us.

No one was having experience to handle the situation. Driver tried to start the vehicle but due to fear he failed. In this fear he made the headlights off. Now we were in dark and Tiger was somewhere around us. Obviously, we closed window glasses. Every minute was passing like hours.

Tiger came near to my window.  I was full of fear. Camera was in my hand and fear clicked it. Sharp flash tried to end the darkness of surroundings for a while. It was odd for Tiger, he returned back few steps in fear. By that time Driver tried to start the vehicle again and this time he succeeded. Without any delay we left the place and said bye to curious Tiger.

When we retuned to barrier no one believed that we have seen the Tiger. Later villagers said that we were lucky that Tiger has done nothing. Mere window glasses are nothing in front of its strength.

The villagers confirmed that Tiger is present in forest. After that I visited to Barnawapara many times but failed to see the Tiger. Last year the villagers said that Tiger “was” in the sanctuary. When I shared this information with Dr.Jadhav, he confirmed the presence of Tiger in that region. He was a lecturer in Kasdol college. Every evening the roar from nearby forest was reaching to his ears.

I always avoid disturbing wild animals in their natural habitat. Already we humans have done much to disturb them.  Now they are limited to small forest pockets. Tourists reach to such pockets in open gypsy cars and disturb without understanding their pain. This summer I visited to Kanha National Park.

Everyone was eager to see the Tiger. It is general trend in this Park that when Tiger is located dozens of open gypsy car loaded with tourists try to surround it. All vehicles stand at one place and move only when Tiger moves. It disturbs Tiger much. When authorities fail to locate Tiger through vehicles, specially trained elephants are arranged. I was informed about dozens of mishaps when wild animals have injured the tourists. Such news are buried as it affects tourism business. After returning from Kanha, I wrote long Hindi series on less known but important aspects of Kanha. 

Last month I got a call from tourist guide in Kanha that Tiger tried to attack the gypsy car. This vehicle was standing in front of path coming from dense forest. Suddenly Tiger was seen coming. Other vehicle owners shouted and forced the vehicle standing in path to move forward but in search of “Best Shot” no movement was done. Tiger was reaching close and closer. The tourists were expecting that Tiger will change the path but he was the King of forest. He charged. Luckily no one injured but they understood that they retuned from jaws of death.

Local newspapers as well as other media were not aware of this incidence. Fortunately a visitor shooting this scene from far vehicle uploaded it in Youtube. Now related authorities are discussing on it.

“If you are in forest then honor the wild animals.” The Traditional Healers always instruct the visitors before starting visit to forest. “You must keep Pepper spray, sharp knife, wooden stick and meat pieces when you are going for photography in forest.” A famous wild photographer suggested me.

“Don’t keep any such thing. You are not going to forest to fight with wild animals. Try to avoid them and in case of emergency use cool mind and traditional methods to keep them at bay.” The Traditional Healers say. I visited to forest hundreds of times but never kept anything for self defense. I met wild animals but always Healers protected with easy methods without harming wild animals.

Few years back I was traveling with wildlife photographer. He was interested in monkeys. For good shots he started feeding them meat pieces. The Healers traveling with us strictly opposed it and warned to leave the team if they continue to do it. “But Pankaj Ji, all wild photographers do it in his or her life. There is nothing wrong in it.” He tried to explain but Healers refused to discuss further on it.

I always remember the meeting of two male Tigers with Traditional Healers of Gandai-Salewara region. “We were on foot and suddenly two tigers crossed the road in front of us. Instead of climbing on tree or showing fear we remained firm and continued our movement. Very soon we reached out of danger zone. Always keep it in your mind that if you run in forest with fear even deer will enjoy chasing you. So, remain confident.” The Healers remembered the incidence.

I always try to follow their suggestions.

© Pankaj Oudhia