Baigas and their interrelationship with Diseases
The Baigas have a world's worth of interpretations with regard to the simplest things in life. Even their understanding of diseases is comparatively different from how we observe them.
A man first catches thanki (gonorrhea); if untreated it becomes garmi (syphilis).
Other manifestations are parmi, sujag, or dhat. Final stage is pathari or stricture.
They fear most from the venereal diseases. They also believe that supernatural beings give them disease such as witches etc. They also believe in the concept of mata or mothers of diseases.
Cure - The Baiga mostly uses supernatural charms that are reinforced by jungle herbs. Most of the herbs are not used directly to cure but are first made into a charm.
1. Bach is worn around the neck in a little bundle to stop fever.
2. Black pepper- for syphilis(garmi)
3. SYPHLIS- roots of ban semar(galactia tenuiflora), hasiyadaphar (baliospermum axillare). Grind the two and eat the pills with gur.
4. Bel (Aegle marmelos), bark of dudhia (holsrrhena antidysenterica), seeds of ghol (portuculata oleracea), black pepper. Grind , drink in milk.
5. Gums of dikamali (gardeni lucida) on wounds.
6. Root of kachnar (bauhinia purpurea), black pepper.
7. Rhizome of kurkoti
8. Root of bhawarsal and fruit of dhanbakler( cassia fistula)
9. Seed of chandarjot (jatrpha curcas)
10. Other plants include ramdatan (smilax macrosphylla), khamer (gmelina arborea), bahera, tendu,
11. ITCH- sarai (boswellia serrata)
12. DIARRHOEA- bark of saj (terminalia tomentosa), tinsa (ougeinia dalbergioides), kachnar, chew bark of karikorai.
13. SLEEPINESS- twig of pipal.
14. IMPOTENCE- kali musri, fruit of aoonla.
15. COUGH- juice of harra fruit.
16. HEADACHE—leaves of amli, and of jhunjhunia (phoenix malabrica),
A man first catches thanki (gonorrhea); if untreated it becomes garmi (syphilis).
Other manifestations are parmi, sujag, or dhat. Final stage is pathari or stricture.
They fear most from the venereal diseases. They also believe that supernatural beings give them disease such as witches etc. They also believe in the concept of mata or mothers of diseases.
Cure - The Baiga mostly uses supernatural charms that are reinforced by jungle herbs. Most of the herbs are not used directly to cure but are first made into a charm.
1. Bach is worn around the neck in a little bundle to stop fever.
2. Black pepper- for syphilis(garmi)
3. SYPHLIS- roots of ban semar(galactia tenuiflora), hasiyadaphar (baliospermum axillare). Grind the two and eat the pills with gur.
4. Bel (Aegle marmelos), bark of dudhia (holsrrhena antidysenterica), seeds of ghol (portuculata oleracea), black pepper. Grind , drink in milk.
5. Gums of dikamali (gardeni lucida) on wounds.
6. Root of kachnar (bauhinia purpurea), black pepper.
7. Rhizome of kurkoti
8. Root of bhawarsal and fruit of dhanbakler( cassia fistula)
9. Seed of chandarjot (jatrpha curcas)
10. Other plants include ramdatan (smilax macrosphylla), khamer (gmelina arborea), bahera, tendu,
11. ITCH- sarai (boswellia serrata)
12. DIARRHOEA- bark of saj (terminalia tomentosa), tinsa (ougeinia dalbergioides), kachnar, chew bark of karikorai.
13. SLEEPINESS- twig of pipal.
14. IMPOTENCE- kali musri, fruit of aoonla.
15. COUGH- juice of harra fruit.
16. HEADACHE—leaves of amli, and of jhunjhunia (phoenix malabrica),
