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Kadu Pani : A specially prepared
herbal decoction for body wash used by the natives of 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
Kadu Pani (Kadu - Bitter; Pani-Water) is a specially prepared herbal decoction for body wash which is in use since generations. The natives from almost all parts of Chhattisgarh are well aware of medicinal properties of Kadu Pani. The natives prepare and use this herbal decoction once in a year, at time of Diwali or Deepawali festival (The festival of lights). On the day of festival, the natives worship the goddess Laxmi (The goddess of wealth). It is general belief that before worship one must wash his or her body with the Kadu Pani. The information and identification about valuable herbs used to prepare Kadu Pani are available with the natives. The traditional healers are also aware of this Kadu Pani and according to them, the Kadu Pani is good against skin troubles common in the festive season and to continue its use in future, at least once in a year, their forefathers have associated this herbal decoction with the worship of goddess Laxmi. I am also agree with them. Since my childhood, as native of Chhattisgarh, I am using Kadu Pani. My village is at 23 kms distance from the capital of state and the chief of farm workers (Agua), now crossing the age of 70 years, never misses to send the herbs used to prepare this herbal decoction. In local markets, one can easily see the rural youths selling the ingredients of Kadu Pani during festival season. The dominance of rural youths in local markets clearly indicates that the tradition of using Kadu Pani is still on and natives living in urban areas are also aware of Kadu Pani.
Botanical differences among some Solanum species. Characteristics Solanum Solanum Solanum indicum nigrum xanthocarpum 1) Habit A much branched under shrub, 0.3-1.5 meters high, very prickly, prickles large, sharp, recurved, stem stout, covered with stellate hairs. A variable annual herb, stem erect, much divariatedy branched. A very prickly diffuse, straight, yellow or shining, often exceeding 1-3 cm long. 2) Leaves 5-15x2.5-7.5 cm ovate, subentire or triangular ovate, labed, sparsely prickly and hairs on both sides, base unequal-sided, petiole prickly. Many, ovate-lanceolate, entire or sinuate toothed, tapering into petioles. 5-10x2.5-5.7 cm, ovate or elliptic, sinuate or subpinnatified, hairy on both sides, armed on midrib and nerves with long yellow prickles, base unequal-sided. 3) Flowers In racemose extra-axillary cymes, calyx pale-purple, clothed outside with purple hairs. Small, in extra axillary, sub-umbellate, 3-8 flowered cymes, Calyx divided more than half way into 5 oblong lobes. In extra-axillary few flowered cymes, Calyx purple, lobes deltoid, hairy outside. 4) Fruits Berry, 8 mm diameter, globose, dark yellow when ripe. Berry, 6 mm diameter, usually purplish black (sometimes red or yellow), smoothly shining. Berry, 3.2-3.5 cm in diameter, yellow or white with green veins, surrounded by enlarged calyx 5) Seed Minutely pitted Discoid, yellow, minutely pitted. 6) Flowering time Aug-Oct. Sept-January June For the preparation of Kadu Pani, the natives use Neem leaves, inflorescence of Chirchita, Siliyari, Bariyara, Memri, and Bhachkatiya. Except Neem leaves, all ingredients are common weeds in crop fields and wastelands. From last four years, I am conducting detailed surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh, to list out the ingredients used in preparation of Kadu Pani. In almost every part of the state, the above mentioned ingredients are available in plenty and natives are using it. In some parts particularly in Rajnandgaon and Durg region, natives add one or two more weeds along with these ingredients. For preparation of Kadu Pani, the natives collect the herbs and on previous night of Deepawali, put these herbs in earthen pot filled with water and then put the pot on fire (Chulha). Next morning, the decoction is used to wash body thoroughly. The natives do not use normal water for bath after taking bath with Kadu pani. But due to typical bad smell and for ease, now many natives, dilute this decoction with normal water and prefer to take bath after using decoction. How much herbs are to be used ? What should be the quantity of water to be added in herbs ? Is earthen pot essential or there is any alternative ? the natives have no answer. But fortunately the traditional healers are aware. During my surveys, I have noted a lot of variations in preparation of Kadu Pani. The traditional healers of Bastar, informed me that in ancient times, the natives were not allowed to prepare this decoction. At that times, the healers from each village prepare it for use of whole village and the healers were using special methods for preparation of potential and effective Kadu Pani. Like collection of the other herbs , the traditional healers visit to the targeted herbs one day prior to harvest and after worshipping the herbs, they invite the herbs to be prepare with its full medicinal potential. And after invitation, they apply magical liquid (Combination of aqueous extract or leachate of herbs) on the roots of targeted herbs. I have tried hard to get the secret formula of this magical liquid but still not get the success. I believe that the magical liquid contains some beneficial extracts or leachates that are useful in increasing the medicinal properties of targeted herbs.
The effects of magical liquid can be explained with the help of science of allelopathy. According to the natives, the magical liquid has desired effect only due to the power of traditional healers. Although the healers are not aware of term allelopathy but I am sure that they have in depth knowledge about the facts of this new branch of science since centuries. In modern time, the traditional healers never prefer to collect the herbs from cultivated field or from any developed farm, possibly due to heavy use of weedicides. According to them, if they prepare herbal decoction from herbs having weedicide residue then it can harm the natives instead of curing the skin problems. Unfortunately, the rural youths selling the ingredients of Kadu Pani are not aware of this fact and they are collecting the herbs from farms and other cultivated fields. This is one more aspect on which one can conduct a research for the benefit of natives. The traditional healers always prefer earthen pot but I have noted that the natives use the steel, aluminium and Peetal vessels for preparation of Kadu Pani. Before putting the earthen pot or other vessels containing ingredients and water on fire, the traditional healers perform a small worship ceremony. In general, Lord Ganesha is worshipped. The natives are also well aware of this ceremony and they are still performing it. The traditional healer informed me that among ingredients half part must be of freshly harvested Neem leaves and remaining half part must contain other herbs (mainly inflorescence or flower bearing branches) in equal proportion. The roots are avoided. According to the traditional healers, during use of Kadu Pani, one must protect the sensitive body organs from decoction. This information is also not available with the natives and considering it herbal (as it is belief that herbs have no bad effects) many of them are using it to wash sensitive organs. Before describing the details regarding ingredients, I would like to mentioned one more potential use of this Kadu Pani against agricultural pests as suggested by the traditional healers of Dhamtari region. He advised me to use it scientifically against crop pest. Dhamtari is well known for irrigated rice cultivation. Unlike other parts, the farmers take three crops of rice in a year. Well developed and linked canal systems are responsible for this production. Due to continuous rice cultivation, this region is heaven for both insects and insecticide companies. This region is infamous for heavy use of lethal pesticides. According to the traditional healer of Dhamtari, he has successfully used Kadu Pani, as natural pesticide, against many rice pests. The natives and other traditional healers are still not aware of this new use of Kadu Pani. I personally feel that there is a need of scientific investigation.
As main ingredient Neem leaves are used in Kadu Pani preparation. I have already written much on this useful Indian tree in my previous articles. Here I am describing in brief the details of common weeds used in Kadu Pani preparation. Siliyari (Celosia argentea) is one of the obnoxious weeds (according to weed scientists) in rainy season upland crops. It is also known as Safed Murgha or Safed Murga (due to its white inflorescence) in other parts of India. Many ornamental Celosia species can easily be seen in home gardens in urban areas. This weed is present from centuries in Chhattisgarh. Many villages having severe infestation of Siliyari were named as Siliyari village by our forefathers. You will be surprised to know that there are many villages named Siliyari in different parts of Chhattisgarh. In reference literatures on indigenous medicine not much have been written on this herb but the traditional healers and natives both use this valuable herb for many common diseases. Due to heavy infestation of this weed in soybean crops of Chhattisgarh, the research institution sponsored and benefited by multinational pesticide companies, have started experiments to eradicate this weed though chemicals. The traditional healers and natives are not happy with these experiments. Like me they are also in favour of weed utilization as compared to weed eradication by dumping lethal agrochemicals on the pure and untouched lands of Chhattisgarh. The uses of Siliyari (family : Amaranthaceae) in blood, mouth diseases and also in eye diseases have been reported in many reference literatures. I will describe more uses in my future articles.
Bhachkatiya or Bhatkatiya is a most valuable herb for traditional healers of Chhattisgarh. The healers use this herb in treatment of over 100 common diseases alone or in combination with other local and exotic herbs. For weed experts, it is useless plant and must be removed from crop fields. Here is botanical description of Bhachkatiya (Solanum xanthocarpum). It is a very prickly diffuse, bright green perennial herb; stem zig-zag; prickles compressed, straight, yellow and shining; leaves ovate or elliptic, sinuate or sub pinnatified, hairy on both sides, petiole prickly; Flowers in extra-axillary few flowered cymes. Corolla purple, lobes deltoid, hairy outside(in many parts of Chhattisgarh, I have noted the white flowered Bhachkatiya; the traditional healers prefer this rare variety as compared to purple one); Fruits berry, yellow or white with green veins, surrounded by enlarged calyx. According to Ayurveda, it is bitter, heating, appetiser, laxative, anthelmintic, stomachic, and useful in bronchitis, asthma, fever, lumbago, pains, piles (specially bleeding piles), thirst, urinary and heart diseases.
I have already described Chirchita (Achyranthes aspera), Bariyara (Sida acuta), Memri (an aromatic herb) in my articles. I am searching the reference literatures for Kadu Pani, but yet not got the information. Few days back, during Deepawali festival I have taken bath using this miracle decoction. The typical smell and medicinal properties of Kadu Pani motivated me to write detailed article on various aspects of Kadu Pani. My surveys focused on Kadu Pani are still in progress and I am sure that I will get more information on this herbal decoction in near future.
