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One day with the Traditional
Healer of Bhuthia Village, Chhattisgarh, India
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Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved
Above are photographs which will help to illustrate the points in this article
When we got the written complaint from the villagers of Bhuthia against the traditional healer, we, the members of Raipur based non-governmental organisation (NGO), Andh Shradha Nirmulan Samittee (ASNS), decided to visit the village to check the facts behind this complaint. This NGO is working against blind faith and quacks practising miracle treatments. This organisation is working since 6 years in Chhattisgarh and has done a lot of work in the field of awareness. I am associated with this organisation as Joint Secretary. In the complaint, the villagers of Bhuthia have written that the healer is cheating the common people and taking high fees for wrong treatment. According them, the healer is specialised in the treatment of Jaundice and every Sunday from 6 to 9 A.M., he performs special bath treatment to remove the ill effects and to cure the Jaundice. On 24th November, 2002, Sunday, we started from Raipur early morning. The village Bhuthia is about 150 kms. far from Raipur and the nearest city of Bhuthia is Saraipali (Dist. Mahasamund). Saraipali is near to Orissa (neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh) border. At 9.00 A.M. We reached to the Bhuthia village and directly entered to Traditional Healer’s home. In front of his home we saw the long line of cars and other vehicles and over 100 patients suffering from Jaundice were waiting for their turn to take special bath to get rid from Jaundice. After getting our introduction, Mr. Pitamber Nand, the traditional healer, agreed to allow as to the place where special bath was in progress
The healer instructs the patient suffering from Jaundice to get ready for bath and if possible to remove his clothes. After removal of clothes, he advises the patient to enter into the tank filled with Chuna Pani (Lime CaCO3 water) and to stand straight so that the level of water should be upto his heals. After this , the healer enters in special room having several pictures of Hindu Gods and take permission from these Gods to start the treatment. In the meantime, his assistant arrange pieces of burning coal and put it at some distance from the patient. Suddenly the healer appears uttering mantras. He offers some herbs in burning coal, put his hand on fumes for a while then touches the patients’ body with his palm. After this, his assistant starts empting jars filled with plain water on patient’s head. When water reaches to the contact of lime water, suddenly the white colour changes into deep yellow colour. The traditional healer told me that the deep yellow colour is a clear indication that the patient is suffering from Jaundice. In case of healthy person the colour of lime water remains white. According to the healer, one or two special baths are sufficient to cure the patients. That was unbelievable for us. After this special bath, the healer gives herbal mixtures to patients and advise them to take it regularly till next bath. We observed this treatment continuously up to four hours. The queue was still very long, so we decided to meet the villagers who have complained us against this healer. The two main complainants Mr. Suresh Pradhan and Mr. Rishi Pradhan told us that there is nothing special in this bath. According to them, when the healer enters in the special room in the name of taking permission from Gods, he smear special powder on his hand. The use of burning coal is just a show. In fact, before starting the treatment, the healers ask the patients whether it is first time visit or he has visited last week. On the basis of patient’s answer, the healer decide to smear the powder in hand. The villagers told us that the healer is taking very high fees from the patients. He decides the fees on the basis of social status of patients. The patients coming by bicycles were charged less as compared to the patients coming by cars. According to the villagers, in very short time the healer has became the most rich man in the village. The most important information was the content of special powder used to smear on hand by the healer. The villagers say that it is powdered bark of Aam (Mango; Mangifera indica) tree. In order to confirm this use, they showed practical demonstration among us. Later the villagers informed that the increasing use of Aam tree bark for the treatment, is becoming a curse for the local tree population. We observed over 20 trees that have died due to removal of bark. After confirmation that the healer was cheating the common people, I decided to talk separately in detail to him and to ask why he is cheating the common people? As admirer and promoter of traditional healing practices and traditional healers, this incidence was a shock for me.
After treating his last patient, the healer agreed to sit with me for detailed discussion. I informed him about my work, research and feelings to wards traditional system of healing. We shared a lot of information about herbs. From his collection, he showed many rare herb roots useful in many ways. I was surprised by both, his knowledge and also, why he is cheating the patients. He told me that his Guru was from Jabalpur and he spent over 10 years with his Guru and surveyed almost every dense forests of Madhya Pradesh in search of herbs. When I repeated his special bath treatment in front of him, he surrendered, and ready to explain the reasons why he is cheating the common person? Although Chhattisgarh is declared as "Herbal state" but nothing has been done to protect the rights of traditional healers. You will be surprised to know that in Chhattisgarh, according to rule, treatment practices the traditional healers are adopting, are crime. And on complaint, the police take strict action against healers and their struggle ends in prison. They are still considered as quacks. The qualified doctors having formal education have the licence to treat the patients, in the state. Many institutions engaged in providing Ayurveda education are also active in the state but it is a bitter fact that most of the Ayurvedic practitioners are practising allopathy in Chhattisgarh. During my ethnomedico surveys, in different parts of Chhattisgarh, I have noted that the traditional healers are not in good position. In general, they charge no money for the treatment, in this way, they are doing a great social work. Many healers complained me that the local police harass them and ask to give fines (unofficially) if they want to continue the practice.
The situations are the same for Mr. Pitamber Nand, the traditional healers of Bhuthia village. He told me that he is practising herbs from 20 years but the villagers never made any complaint against him , but when he started earning from his knowledge, due to the jealously, many of them are now opposing and blaming me that my method of treatment is wrong. The healer disclosed that he have to pay regular fine to local police in order to continue his practices. He is a father of two married sisters. He is depressed because both of his son-in-laws do nothing for their families, and live with the healer as family member. He told me that he is aware that the special bath is not enough for the treatment of complicated disease Jaundice. In early days, when there was no burden on him, in form of police fines and responsibilities of family, he frequently visit to nearby Sishupal Pahad (Pahad - Hills). Bhuthia village is surrounded by these hills and according to the healer these hills are rich in herbs. But now due to old age, he is unable to visit the forests and hills frequently. He has no faith in his son-in-laws and this is the reason he has yet not disclosed the secret formulas to anyone. According to him, the special bath is nothing but a psychological treatment. The change of colour gives enough courage and generate self confidence in patients that all pathogens have washed away. The actual action was done by the herbs given by the traditional healer.
This placebo treatment in form of special bath is essential in this treatment. Due to lack of herbs, the healer now gives herbal mixture to very limited patients. As the visits are not in progress, he have to purchase the herbs from Padampur city and he told him the rates are increasing day by day. When I asked him why he charge high fees from his patients, as most of the healers charge no fees in the state ? He replied besides fines and family burdens there are other reasons. According to him, it is general tendency among patients, that they do not take the drugs seriously, if they are getting it free of cost. For treatment, the qualified doctors charge thousands of rupees and patients still get no relief in most of the case, then what is wrong in charging the nominal fees from his patient He told me that he charges according to social status of patient. His charges varies between 50Rs. To 200Rs. (1 US$ - 48 Rs. Approximately). His Guru has also instructed him to not to charge fees for this treatment, the healer is still agree with his Guru and he told that if any organisation or government takes, the responsibilities of him, He is ready to give his services free of cost. Although his special bath is considered as fraud by our members and villagers, the reference literatures support this bath. After coming back to Raipur, when I consulted the reference literatures and talked to the traditional healers of Mudpar and Durg, they confirmed that use of Am tree bark is mentioned even in Ayurveda. They agreed that to some extent it is a psychological treatment but regular bath using Aam tree bark is beneficial for the Jaundice patients. After getting the details regarding contents of herbal mixture used by the traditional healer of Bhuthia village, I feel confident that he is a genuine person. As main ingredient, he is using Bhuiaonla herb in this herbal mixture.
The beneficial effects of Bhui aonla (Phyllanthus niruri) have been well studied through systematic researches around the world. He uses over 30 herbs in order to prepare the mixture and according to him, all herbs are easily available in Sishupal hills. I suggested him to start growing this herbs in his own land, in order to get genuine herbs without much effort . I also assured him that I will inform the world community about your problems and I am thankful to Botanical dot com team for providing me the stage to present the "voice" of traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, India among world community. Mr. Pitamber Nand informed me that he is expert in treatment of many diseases and he frequently uses Devnashini roots for this. When he showed Devnashini roots from his collection, I identified it easily as Bach roots (Acorus calamus). He told that the Sishupal hills are full of Bach but he is unable to visit the hills due to old age. I presented him my latest book on "Aushadhi Phasel Bach ki Vyavsaik Kheti Kaise Kare ? (How to Cultivate commercially, the medicinal crop Bach) and instructed him how to start the cultivation of this herb in paddy fields ? After knowing the facts, we ended our meeting. I disclosed these facts in front of villagers and team members, eagerly waiting outside the healer’s home but unfortunately, they were not ready to under stand the facts, in democracy the majority rules. They decided to warn the healer to stop the practice, and if he still continues then they will start legal action. This is really sad .
After reading my previous articles hopefully you are now well aware of the rich traditional medicinal knowledge and traditional healing practices in Chhattisgarh, India. The problem of Mr. Pitamber Nand is the problem of almost every traditional healer in Chhattisgarh. Only the timely and strong steps, can protect the rights of these healers. The bad behaviour of society with the healers, is discouraging the new generation of healers and they are deciding to change this work. I personally feel that there is a strong need to encourage, give recognition and honour these traditional healers because only thy are the true Bhumi putras (The true sons of mother earth) whom can save they mankind from incurable diseases in future.
