Pankaj Oudhia

Returning Bonesetter’s Traditional Medicinal Knowledge to his son

“We were seeing much crowd in this village earlier. Now no one is here. Where is the bonesetter?” I asked to the natives traveling with me. “The senior Traditional Healer is no more and now his family members are treating patients. Everything is same but when they apply herbal paste after setting bone, patients feel much irritation as well as itching. To solve this problem they give special oil but this oil is not effective in all cases. As result now very few patients visit to them.” They replied.

I turned my car to the Healer’s home. The family members were aware of me. After formal discussion I asked about the decreasing number of patients. After initial hesitation they said the same thing. “Are you using all herbs in herbal paste or modified it as per ease?” I asked. “We are using all herbs but senior Healer was bringing it from forest and we grow it in Badi.” They replied.

 “May I see the herbal combination?” I further asked. “No, it is trade secret. We don’t share it to anyone.” They replied. “OK, in that case I will not say anything. Your father has informed me about the combination as you know and also we were visiting the forest quite frequently.” I tried one more time. Then we returned back.

I showed interest in meeting the patients in nearby villages having the problem of irritation due to treatment of bonesetter’s family. After getting complete details I visited to nearby forest and with the help of natives prepared herbal paste. I presented it to the patients with instructions for use. I returned back.

Many weeks after this visit I got a phone call from bonesetter’s son. “I want to meet you and say sorry as we ignored your expertise” He said and invited in his village. Next week I was there and checking the herbs they were collected for preparation of paste.

 “Only 15 herbs!!! Your father was using 16 herbs. Where is one herb?” I questioned with surprise. “We tried to grow this herb in our Badi but failed. That’s why we are not using it. It is added in formulation in least amount. Hence, we thought that it plays minor role in Healing.” They explained.

“Here you are wrong. In general, Traditional formulations are complete in all sense. It contains no herb having no role in Healing. By ignoring the wild tuber you have done big mistake. It was in formulation to manage irritation caused by other herbs. How many times you have visited to forest for collection of herbs?” I explained and asked one more question to his son.  

“I was not taking interest in this work. That’s why after all efforts by my father I never visited to forest with him. His followers visited with him. After his death, the followers returned to their villages. I took education and tried for job. When failed I found that there is good return in bone setting business. I retuned back and started this work.” He replied.

“Whether your father was aware of this bone setting business?” I asked with anger. “Yes, he was aware of it and this is the reason in life time he never told me the complete formulation. After his death I got it from my mother. She gave it with oath that I will never earn money from this Healing. I promised but as I have no source of income, I am taking small fees for it. Due to irritation the patients are not coming. That’s why the chance of earning is decreasing.” He said in dull voice.

“I helped you in this regard with hope that you will continue the social work initiated by your father. Whether to earn from it or not, is you family’s decision but if you continue it as pure Healer I will suggest the authorities to arrange honorarium for you.” I proposed. He accepted the proposal.

“The 16^th herb grows in marshy place. You can plant it in your Badi in place from where water is drained. It can flourish well in such spots. If interested, we can visit to the spots in forest where it grows in abundance. I will demonstrate the way of collection as well as to enrich it with medicinal properties through Traditional Allelopathic Knowledge. I have learnt all from your father. I will be fortunate to return to it.” I disclosed every thing.

“I will inform you about ten more potential formulations for it with advantages and disadvantages so that you can decide which formulation is best for the patients. “ I said further. He jumped with joy and thanked me.

I am expecting that this Traditional Healing will survive up to one more generation. When I was discussing with the bonesetter’s son, his own ten year old son (bonesetter’s grandson) was taking much interest in it. Before the reply of his father, he said,”I will go with you to forest for collection of herbs.” 

I felt satisfied and assured.

Wild Boars and Pangolins are not safe in my forest

“I want to meet that brave man.” I said to the villagers visiting Raipur for marketing. I was told that a person from their village informed the authorities about illegal killing of Barha i.e. wild boar. As result severe action was taken against the responsible persons. I was eager to meet that brave man.

In next visit I reached to the village and found him working in crop field. I appreciated his effort and took pictures. “I am sure wild boars and other wild animals are safe till brave men like you are with us.” I said. I found no reaction in his face.

While returning back I decided to meet the persons held responsible for killing. I was informed that now they are in bail. “You are reacting on the basis of half information. If interested we can tell you remaining half truth.” They said. “Your brave man was in our gang but when we hunted wild boar he asked for meat. We gave them one kg. meat but he wanted ten times more. It was not possible. We refused and as revenge he complained to the authority.” They disclosed. This truth was eye opening. Villagers confirmed it. Even when I retuned to that brave man he also accepted it shamelessly. I later found that no official complaint was made and authorities showed false action just to extort money.

“Sahab, we never kill this animal for scale. We know how to protect forest and wild animals. These scales are from dead animal. If you wear it in painful parts it will make you free from pain. It is very useful for joint problems.” A middle aged person said when I objected the animal part seller in Sirpur market. The seller was selling scales of Pangolin locally known as Sal Khapri. In my region due to use in traditional medicine its population is decreasing at alarming rates. The official records claim that efforts to stop its killing are in full swing but still its body parts are available for sell in open market. I warned the seller in Sirpur market and also tried to inform the authorities but nothing happened.

Many years after this incidence I was in dense forest at night in search of nocturnal insects. I decided to stay near village and parked my vehicle with the permission of village head. The villagers were taking keen interest in my work. They suggested me to visit near by perennial stream for special type of fireflies.

“You must go on foot. After crossing small patch of forest you will find that stream. Take torches with you and team of 8 to 10 villagers. Only sloth bear visit to that region in late night. By seeing light it will remain at bay.” The villagers suggested and I decided to visit the spot. Instead of 8 to10 persons, I deiced to go with four persons. We were equipped with torches, bows and arrows. Villager’s country dogs were also with us.

While crossing forest our dogs started behaving abnormally. The villagers stopped and tried to smell the air. “May be some poachers are around us. They are cooking meat. Let us see where they are.” They tried to move forward in direction from where smell was coming. The villagers staying with me guessed that it is smell of Sal Khapri’s meat. Suddenly we heard a call. We walked in direction from where the villagers made call. The scene was shocking. Many armed men were there. They were poachers and after killing Pangolin enjoying meat. Their guns turned toward us. I found sharp light on my face. “Oh, it’s you.” I heard the voice.  When I saw the faces I recognized the animal part seller of Sirpur market. They released the villagers and offered us to join the party. Villagers refused. “I am vegetarian.” I said.

“This is our breeding season and that’s why we are consuming Pangolin’s meat.” The seller said shamelessly. I remembered the saying of Traditional Healers that many people kill Pangolin for meat. They consider it as promising aphrodisiac. It is also common belief that regular consumption of this meat results in healthy children. But we consider it wrong. The so-called miraculous effects they claim can be achieved through commonly available wild tubers. Then why they kill innocent endangered Pangolins?”

I informed the seller about wild tubers having same effects like this meat but they make fun of me. We were helpless. They released us and we moved forward. Next day I informed the authorities about it. They checked the record and replied that Pangolin is not reported from that area. Your claim is wrong.

“Malaysian authorities rescue 130 Pangolins.” I read this news today. Those 130 Pangolins were lucky enough but wild boars as well as Pangolins of my forest are in great trouble.

I am in much worry.        

© Pankaj Oudhia