Healers Grow 100 Rare Medicinal Plants In Odisha’s Mali Hills To Treat Patients From 45 Villages

By Prativa Ghosh

Koraput: Malyavant or Mali hill range is everything for the people of 45 picturesque villages nestled in it. The hills, belonging to Odisha’s forest department, are the provider of herbal medicines in the villages located just 5 km from Semiliguda town in Koraput district.

From minor skin infections to heart diseases, neurological disorders, high blood pressure and paralysis, jadibuti (herbs) from the hills are traditionally seen as the perfect cure. Taking this idea forward, 10 disharis (traditional healers) jointly started the Sri Gupteshwar Herbal Medicine and Traditional Technology Research Institute in 2000.

“We are not qualified doctors. My elder brother and mother also work as disharis. My grandfather’s father was a dishari in the court of Maharajah Vikram Dev of Jeypore Kingdom. We have come this far by practising the knowledge that our forefathers passed on to us… This facility will ensure that the traditional knowledge we possess will not fade away once we are gone,” Sri Gupteshwar Institute’s director Hari Pangi (52) told 101Reporters.

The disharis collect herbs from Iswaramali, Deomali and Hatimali that form part of the Mali hill range. They turn tree branches, leaves, roots and flowers into valuable medicines. Some are dried at a specific temperature and stored.

According to Kishore Hantal (46), jadibuti collection starts at a particular season and time.

“We call it amrit bela. Most of the herbs and plants are collected in the monsoon season (early June to early October), whereas some specific tubers and shrubs are collected before the fire season (February to May). We worship our tribal deity and pray for the good health of all villagers before setting out to find jadibuti in the morning or evening on a fixed day, as per Sushruta’s chikitsa sastra,” explained the dishari, who claimed there are many secret treatments that cannot be publicised.

Ramani Ranjan Mahapatra of Kakarigumma attests the efficacy of herbal treatment.

“I suffered from Guillain-Barré Syndrome for many years. My condition gradually got worse and I reached the stage of partial paralysis. Medical treatment at hospitals in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam did not help, before I came to Gupteswar healing centre. After six months of regular treatment, I feel fully healthy,” said Ramani Ranjan.

Raghunath Bhumia of Maliguda said he prefers herbal medications for arthritis because they have ‘no side-effects and come cheap’.

His doctor advised surgery that would have cost Rs 35,000, but he was not in a position to spend so much money. A few months later, he contacted Pangi, who promised a cure for his three-year-old condition.

“I kept coming to the centre and took medicines hoping for a cure. In fact, I am feeling good now!” revealed Raghunath.

Semiliguda native Tarulata Paraja strongly believes in Mother Nature and her abilities.

“All tribal people trust their traditional knowledge and practitioners. I’m no different, and encourage others to follow suit. Moreover, herbal medicines are inexpensive,” Tarulata said.

Losing plant diversity

“Previously, around 80% of our requirement of herbs was met by these hills. Kasturi haldi, nilakantha kedar, jingiberi, gunjrimali, deosandha, bhumipal, kiktas lemon and penu karla are some of the local varieties that have disappeared due to climate change, illegal felling and mining. Therefore, we have to depend on various hills in nearby Rayagada and Malkangiri districts, and also Shunki hills on the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border,” said Kalpanga-based Dishari Singru Hantal.

He said that the institute has treated cases of diabetes, appendicitis, sickle cell disease, heart disease, neurological disorders, paralysis, oral cancer, osteoporosis and sinusitis.

“More than 20,000 people consult us every year,” he added.

“Most of the trees with medicinal properties have disappeared from the Mali hills only in the last 20 years. Unsustainable harvest practices are the main reason,” said Kartik Lenka, senior scientist, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF).

Lenka blamed disharis of tweaking time-tested harvesting practices.

“Earlier, fruits, flowers and roots were collected at a specific time and season. However, it is done in an unskilled manner now, harming the trees in the long run. For example, removing the bark and leaves in dry months gradually kills the trees,” he alleged.

In some cases, after the unseasonal harvest, roots, leaves and tubers are exported to Andhra Pradesh or Chhattisgarh.

Though there are strict rules under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (Section 41(3), Chapter X), Lenka contended that the forest department is not interested in implementing them properly.

Learning curve

Dambarudhara Tading said proudly that he and other disharis have managed to preserve around 100 rare varieties of medicinal plants in the four acres of land that the forest department donated to the community. They have not got any other incentive from the government so far.

“We also provide free training to young healers who are enthusiastic about this profession. Even researchers from the MSSRF, Koraput Central University, Odisha Biodiversity Board, ayurveda colleges, State Medicinal Plants Board and the National Innovation Foundation come here for training. Researchers learn the ropes from us, but do not give us any credit when publishing their findings. So, we now hesitate to speak to or teach them in-depth,” said Tading.

For protection and conservation of medicinal plant resources and associated traditional knowledge, it is critical to document the locally available resources by registering them under the Peoples’ Biodiversity Register at the respective gram panchayat, block, district, or urban level.

In case they need to bring about any changes in their practice, the healers sit together and reach an agreement.

(Prativa Ghosh is a Bhubaneswar-based journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters)