Pankaj Oudhia on Amaltas (Cassia fistula): Manuscripts from Medicinal Plant Database

Abstract

Since year 1990 Pankaj Oudhia is writing on various aspects of Biodiversity and Traditional Healing. The regular writing of more than two decades resulted in documents worth millions of pages. Very small part of these documents is online so far. The present series is an effort to represent excerpts of these documents available in Pankaj Oudhia’s Medicinal Plant Database at pankajoudhia.com

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The [[beautiful flowers]i43987] of [[Dhanbaher]e635] have always attracted me. I have taken hundreds of pictures of these flowers but still during flowering season i.e. summer I never miss chance to take more pictures in different locations. This summer I was in [[Keshkal valley]i42807] for the photography. The natives informed that during morning time specific species of birds visit to these flowers. We decided to stay in nearby village whole night. In order to clear up the Dhaba food in stomach using my knowledge I picked matured [[pods]i51251] of Dhanbaher and taken the pulp internally. It is well-known laxative in the rural and forest regions of [[Indian]e103] state [[Chhattisgarh]e372244].  Next morning after one clear motion loose motions started indicating that pulp was taken in larger doses. I tried [[Homoeopathic]g61851] drugs but failed to get the desirable effects. My team members approached to the [[Traditional Healers]t235] considering the situation tense and serious. They told the Healers about the use of Dhanbaher pulp. As first response without any delay the Healers questioned, " Dhanbaher has done wrong then why you are here? Go to Dhanbaher it will cure you." Dhanbaher will cure the trouble? The members requested the Healers for help more humbly. The Healers visited to the same tree from where I collected fruit pulp and instructed the members to harvest handful of Golden flowers. The Healers boiled the flowers in water and boiled flowers are given to me with suggestion to chew it gently before swallowing. I followed the instruction and very soon the loose motions stopped. Later Healers explained in simple words that for the problem generated by Nature only Nature is having sure cure. Boiled flowers are having capacity to stop the loose motions caused by over use of pod pulp but flowers are not effective in case of other types of loose motions. And the most important thing is that the use of flowers alone cause the same type of loose motion as the over use of pulp.

Few years back I was motivating the young farmers to enter in the field of Indian medicinal and aromatic crops. I suggested them long list of crops suitable for different needs and conditions. [[Kevatch]e7832] was one of these crops. The farmers raised the question that the hairs on pods of Kevatch produce irritation and its cultivation in fields means causing harm to farm workers as well as cattle. I was in favor of cultivation of black Kevatch. Black Kevatch is having more irritation than other types but it is having heavy demand in both national and international market. Finally the farmers decided to go for white seeded less irritating Kevatch type. A question came in my mind that if Black Kevatch pod is so irritating then how the Traditional Healers are collecting it? Black Kevatch is used in many popular herbal combinations in traditional systems of medicine. I approached to the Healers with this problem. They said what the Healers of Keshkal said. Take help of nature to solve the problem related to it. They suggested me to examine and list out the herbs growing in surroundings of naturally growing Kevatch plant. I searched and listed out many herbs. The Healers selected an herb and instructed me to chew it. Ten minutes after chewing they further suggested to collect the pods with hand. Without any protection? Yes, yes-they replied. With much fear and question I tried it and surprisingly there was no irritation. Later through surveys I found at least twenty types of such herbs having capacity to reduce the irritating effect of Kevatch pod hairs. These herbs grow in different regions of Chhattisgarh but always grow with Kevatch plants. These helping herbs are having positive effect on human health also. Most of these herbs are used as tonic and the natives use it when they have to pass from dense Jungles full of bad situations. Later I demonstrate the effects of these herbs on Kevatch irritation to the farmers. Many of them got ready to cultivate Black Kevatch. They planted the helping herbs along with Kevatch crop in order to take its helps during harvest.

Aware of rich medicinal properties of [[Aloe vera]e3042] we plant it at home and use it as natural gift for maintaining beauty but very few of us know that the yellow liquid from the base of Aloe leaves is harmful to human skin. It produces irritation and many times its treatment becomes a tough job. It must not be mixed with the Aloe leaf pulp commonly used for face and hair care. If by mistake one gets irritation due to this yellow liquid what is solution? In urban regions the natives try anti-septic creams and in case of failure approach to the modern experts. But in rural and forest regions they simply try to use the wet black soil. In case of failure they approach to the Traditional Healers. The Healers instruct them to use Aloe plant to solve the problem created by Aloe. The patients are suggested to apply Aloe pulp on affected portion. It means the problem caused by the liquid present in lower side of leaves can be treated with the help of liquid present in upper parts of leaves. It is miracle of Nature.

According to the Traditional Healers of Chhattisgarh we know very few such miracles of Mother Nature. Most of the miracles are around us as hidden secret. The Healers of older generations still search these hidden secret but the Healers of young generation want to practice the knowledge without any modification and also without adding any new information in this ancient knowledge. This is not good sign. Not only in case of harmful effects of herbs but also in case of animals these Healers use the secret knowledge of Mother Nature. I have mentioned in previous research articles that how the Healers of Chhattisgarh use the dead scorpion to treat the sting of same scorpion in unique way. Through Ethnobotanical surveys conducted in different parts of Chhattisgarh I have collected much information on this aspect. Most of this information is available in form of written document.

Beside self-experimentation the Healers learn much from the wild animals. These animals consume wrong parts of herbs accidentally. They are not having modern medical facilities. They are aware of Mother Nature's helping herbs to get rid from these troubles. While visits to forest the Healers pass much time observing the activities of wild animals. Many times they take big risks for it but always they get enough by investing much time. The Healers of Bhopalpatnam region have searched the natural way to collect the milk of Tigress through such regular observations. It is beyond imagination for the researchers like me. Like Traditional Healers, herb collectors are also having rich knowledge on this aspect.

Through this research article I would like to request the young researchers around the world to come forward for the documentation of this important traditional knowledge and observation. Our forefathers have done a lot for us. Now it is our turn to work for the future generations. We are already giving new diseases and polluted earth to them. Daily we are cutting forests and damaging wildlife. Larger population is engaged in this destructive approach but I have yet not lost the hope. Only few volunteers can do much work. Even through conservation and protection of knowledge we can contribute a lot. So lets start.      

© Pankaj Oudhia