Traditional medicinal knowledge about common herbs injured due to lightening, in Chhattisgarh, India

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

Every year several trees get injuries from natural lightening in rainy season. The lightening injures the herbs very badly and in general the herbs are considered as died or burnt herbs. In commercial plantations these injured herbs are cut down and used for different purposes. You will be surprised to know that for the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, these so-called injured herbs, mostly trees are valuable herbs and they use it in treatment of many complicated diseases. Last week , when I was travelling in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh at night when thunder storm was in peak, I saw many healers marking the trees injured from lightening. I stoped in mid way and collected the information on this new aspect. During interaction the traditional healers informed that they use inured herbs in treatment of complicated diseases like cancer, chronic asthma, paralysis etc. that affects the vitality of patients and decrease their natural resistance. They believe that lightening have super energy enough to generate new vigour in patient's body. They feel lucky as soon as they reach to the injured herbs because as the time passes, the herbs start loosing vigour. They consider the herbs most valuable on which lightening occurs twice or thrice, but according to them it is very rare incidence. The healers further informed me that it is not possible to visit all the herbs during thunder storm and in fear their workers also hesitate to visit with them. They still remember that how many of their friends have lost lives in these critical times. In general, the healers visit to specific areas where varieties of herbs grow naturally and wait for lightening. Many times their efforts go waste. As mentioned earlier, the healers collect the freshly injured herbs and keep it with them for future use. They keep it in blue cloth for long use. Many healers use white clothes also. I am trying to search the scientific reason for the use of different coloured cloths, for storing these herbs. According to the healers, they are not aware of exact scientific explanation but they have deep faith in the methods, they are using since generations. Many healers believe that injured herbs collected within 24 hours also give good results. When I asked the healers of other parts of Chhattisgarh they showed ignorance to this unique use. I am trying my best to collect more information on this new aspect.

The healers of Bastar region gave me sad news that the number of the specialists healers is decreasing and with them, the knowledge is also ending. I have done a lot of studies and surveys on herbs but never got this unique information. When I discussed this finding with my expert friends through internet, they showed ignorance and many of them replied, the heat of lightening burn all the tissues immediately and how it is possible to get more medicinal potential from it. Till the correct scientific explanation, it is very hard to face these questions. I have yet not met the patients using the injured herbs or herb parts. As it is very first information. I decided to write a small article immediately, in order to get responses from different experts. In reference literatures related to different systems of medicine in India, I have yet not got any related information. I am proud to write about the indepth traditional knowledge of our healers. In literatures related to Homoeopathy, I got the description of special drug Electricitas (Electricity). The book titled "Key notes and characteristics of the Material Medica with Nosodes' by Dr. H.C. Allen (Pbl. Prakashan Kendra, Lucknow) it is mentioned that "Caspari and his colleagues obtained the symptoms caused by electricity, natural and artificial and were published in Hom. Bibiliot. Every medical man knows the extreme susceptibility of some persons to the electric fluid and the sufferings they experience on the approach of and during, a thunder storm, or the contact of an electric current. The potencies of drug Electricitas are prepared from milk sugar which has been saturated with the current." This can be tried on herbs also in laboratory conditions to evaluate and compare the medicinal properties before and after the treatment.

Since my childhood I am worrying from lightening and thunder storm and in every rainy season, I usually avoid to visit forests but this new assignment is motivating me to forget my fear and to visit forests at the time of thunder storm. I am thankful to mother nature for assigning me this great work.

This article is first written document on this important traditional knowledge. I will write more in near future, on this aspect.

Thank you very much for reading the article.