ETHNO MEDICINAL PRACTICES AMONG THE BINJHWAR TRIBE OF CHHATTISGARH, INDIA

Abstract

This present article deals with the Ethno medicinal practices, among the Binjhwar tribe of Raipur division of Chhattisgarh State, India. The objective of this present article was to document the oral tradition of medicine, mode of treatment, awareness towards modern medicinal system and toxic effect of herbs used by the Binjhwar tribe. The information were collected, by using various anthropological techniques of data collection. The most frequently occurring diseases among the tribe were skin infections, fever, eye infection etc, which is being treated by using medicinal plants as well as magico-religious performances. Traditional healers use herbs, shrubs, climbers, trees, animal remains and minerals for the preparations of medicines for common ailments.

Headnote

ABSTRACT

The present paper deals with the Ethno medicinal practices among the Binjhwar tribe of Raipur division of Chhattisgarh State, India. Objective of the present paper was to document the oral tradition of medicine, mode of treatment, awareness towards modern medicinal system and toxic effect of herbs used by the Binjhwar tribe. The information were collected by using various anthropological techniques of data collection. The most frequently occurring diseases among the tribe were skin infections, fever, eye infection etc. which is being treated by using medicinal plants as well as magico-religious performances. Traditional healers use herbs, shrubs, climbers, trees, animal remains and minerals for the preparations of medicines for common ailments.

KEYWORDS: Traditional medicine, Magico-religious practices, Binjhwar, Chhattisgarh

INTRODUCTION

The tribal of India have preserved a huge knowledge of traditional medicinal uses of plants growing around them. Since the vedic times, importance of medicinal plants always has the same graph. Medicinal plants play a vital role in traditional as well as modern health care system. Ethno medicine (traditional) is the mother of all other system of medicines. Ethno medicinal study consists of evaluation of health outcomes and results from the exercise of traditional beliefs and behaviors. Traditional herbal medicine is practiced in several parts of the world especially in Australia, Africa, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Caribbean states, Europe, Spain; North and South America, Russia, Pacific islands where large ethnic communities still live. The World Health Organization (WHO), 1978 has estimated that 80% of the populations of developing countries rely on traditional medicines, mostly plant drugs, for their primary health care needs. In India 65 % of the population relies on ethno medicine which is the only source of their primary health care needs (Rajasekharan et al., 1996).. The Indian traditional medicine can be categorized into two streams; I. The Classical Health Traditions like Ayurveda and Siddha which are highly organized, classified and codified and has a sophisticated conceptual and theoretical foundations and philosophical explanations; II. The oral health tradition which is very rich and diverse, but not codified or organized (Rajasekharan et al.,1996). The present study on Ethno medicinal practices among the Binjhwar tribe, conceptually comes under the second stream of Indian Traditional Medicine. Some sporadic studies are available on the Indian tribes such as; the Abors (Dunbar, 1915), Folk medicine of Bastar has been carried out by (Hemadri et al., 1975), The Vaidus of Maharasthra (Kurian et al., 1980), Oraon and Korwa tribes of Sarguja and Raigarh district, Madhya Pradesh in central India was carried out by (Maheshwari et al., 1990), Khairwars of Siddhi district Madhya Pradesh (Pandey et al., 1999), The Birhors of Madhya Pradesh (Pandey et al., 2000), The Munda of Bangladesh (Sharmeen, 2005), Traditional Health Practices of Raj-Gond (Shukla et al., 2006), Health seeking behaviour among Santhal of Orissa (Sonowal et al., 2007), Indigenous medicine for Gynecological Disorders by the tribal of Chhattisgarh (Shukla et al., 2008).

Binjhwar is a civilized Dravidian tribe found in Raipur and Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh and adjoining Orissa state. They are landholding sections of Baigas, like Raj-Gonds among the Gonds. Binjhwar is derived from the Vindhya hills; the tribes still worship the goddess Vindhyabasini. They have four sub-divisions; Sonjharas, Birjhias, Binjhias and Binjhwar proper. Binjhwar have separate Jyaati Panchayat headed by Jyaati Panchayat President at Rajadeori, governed by number of rules to solve disputes and problems within the community. The total population of Binjhwar in the state ranges from 1,00,692 to 1,04,718 (Naik, 1972).

The present study aims to document the oral traditions of tribal health, attitude towards modern or allopathic medical system, identify and document plants, animals and minerals used for medicinal purposes and identify the plants having toxic and harmful effects used as folk medicine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For the present study survey was conducted in 13 tribal villages during September 2003 to January 2005. During the course of the study regular field visits were carried out in the study area. Various methods of sampling were used for area selection and primary data collection. Purposive sampling method was used for village selection from Kasdol, Sankra and Pithora blocks of Raipur and Mahasamund District of Chhattisgarh, India. Binjhwar dominating villages of three blocks were selected for the present study and 275 households were surveyed randomly. Interview schedule was used for household survey to collect information related with education, food habit, health, occupation and social structure of Binjhwars. Information about the use of medicinal plants, mode of administration, dosage and technique of diagnosing the diseases were collected through interview from the traditional healers (Baiga, Vaidhraj and priests). Secondary data were collected from journals, books, reports and government offices to verify the health infrastructure facilities provided by the government.

RESULTS

Ethno-medicinal practice among the Binjhwar is complex containing different treatment patterns i.e. herbal medicine, rituals, magico-religious treatment and allopathic medicines. They have their own concepts for a disease, cause of illness, diagnosis of disease and treatment of ailments.

The most frequently occurring disease among the Binjhwar is cough and cold i.e. 21.82%, skin disease 14.91 %, fever and eye infection 10.55 % and tuberculosis and stone (0.73 %) each and other diseases like jaundice, dysentery etc were reported. shown in fig. 01. Specialists like herbalists, bone setters, mid wives and pujari / priest are ethno-medicinal service providers among the Binjhwars. Traditional healers are expert in diagnosing the disease by calculating pulse from various body parts, observation of eye colour, tongue and neck. Local traditional healers may be categorized into two types according to their nature of work; first, the people performing magico-religious acts for diagnosing the disease who are called pujari and second, use organoleptic observation and also they may or may not use some magical formulae for diagnosing the disease.

Treatment among Binjhwar consists of herbal remedies, magico-religious acts and modern medical facilities available nearby. A variety of medical specialists co-exists whose services may be availed by the Binjhwar. These healers are expert in treating various ailments like fever, tuberculosis, asthma, jaundice, gynaecological disorder and so on by using different plant species given in Table 01. The healers collect various parts like root, tuber, rhizome, stem, bark, leaf, flower, seed and whole plant for preparation of medicine. Healers use 34 % roots, 13 % seeds and 12 % barks and some animal remains or body parts and minerals in trace quantity i.e. 05 % in addition to herbs. For preparing of the medicines, 52 Plant species belonging to 35 families are used by Binjhwars. Some species are used in multiple medicinal preparations, Keo-kand (Costus speciosus) in 7 ailments, Arjun (Terminalia arjuna) in 5 ailments, Mahua (Madhuca latifolia) in 6 ailments, Dhaora (Anogeissus latifolia) in 3 ailments and tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon) in 2 ailments. Besides these wild plants several spices are also used by them such as; Elaichi, Bade-elaichi, Fenu greek leaves (Methi), Black pepper, Garlic etc. are also mixed in trace quantities.

Binjhwar first approach the traditional medicine men for primary health care i.e. 47.64 % followed by 25.82 % people approach either traditional or allopathic medicine and only 10.18 % people access allopathic treatment for primary health care. The reasons for non utilization of modern health care system are low literacy, poor economic status, and lack of awareness, cultural factors and distance of health centers, doctor - patient relationship and health facilities available from the administrative side.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that the Ethno-medicinal practices of the Binjhwars are more affordable, acceptable, culturally appropriate and available as compared to modern medicines. Even today Binjhwars accept traditional medicines in remote or inaccessible villages due to their dependence on and confidence in traditional medicine men. Therefore, proper education and mass communication might be helpful in creating an awareness of the Binjhwars towards modern health care system. The Binjhwars have a pluralistic medical situation in which allopathic, ayurvedic, homoeopathic and indigenous system of medicine exist side by side.

In the present study some plants have been selected which have ethno botanical significance. During the course of field work the therapeutic and toxic effects on the users were recorded. It could be concluded that users of mentioned plants for treatment of various kinds are not aware of their toxicity and toxic chemical constituents. Terminalia bellarica Lam., Phyllanthus niruri Lam., Melia azedarach L., Madhuca latifolia Koenig., Plumbago zeylanica L., Semecarpus anacardium L. were considered to know their toxic effects.

Community based awareness programme should be organized to protect this community with the over dosage, accidental poisoning and chance contamination of these drugs. Local government officers should also establish a team of subject experts including local vaidhya, medical practitioners, botanist and anthropologist so that they can prepare a list of such plants giving details regarding their vernacular names, botanical names, toxicity of the particular plant part, method of reducing toxic effect (Sodhan) and dosages. Authors would recommend that a bridge should be developed between Binjhwars traditional medicine and Modern medical system, which will help us to protect and conserve the traditional medical heritage as well as improve the utilization of modern medical facilities. Phyto-chemical or pharmacological investigation, nutritional analysis and clinical trials should be carried out to validate the claims. These informations may help the policy makers for adopting the proper healthcare measures and may provide a lead in the development of new drugs.

Note: This paper is presented in the International Conferences on "Conservation, Marketing and Patenting of Medicinal Plants" organized by Chhattisgarh State Medicinal Plant Board Raipur, India. 14-15 March 2010.

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Cite this article:

Shukla Rajesh, Chakravarty. M., Goutam.M. P., (2013), ETHNO MEDICINAL PRACTICES AMONG THE BINJHWAR TRIBE OF CHHATTISGARH, INDIA, Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med., Volume 2(7): 525-531

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Source of Support: Nil Conflict of Interest: None Declared