BENGALURU: Musuem for herbs, with 15 to 20 species, were not seeing many visitors. To make it more popular and medicine more approachable to the general public, the management is organising a herb trail. Children and adults can walk around the campus of St John's Medical College and spot local herbs and trees along with storytellers and musicians.The idea is to make Nature and the museum fun for children. So games on identifying herbs through five senses will be played.
“Though the idea is to have fun and to humanise medicine, we are also focusing on the ethics of medicine,” says Radhika Hegde, a lecturer of the college. The programme is not only about how medicine works but also how important is the interaction of a doctor with a patient. “Hence, with herb trial, we are focusing on social interactions,” she adds.
It is being organised by SL Bhatia History of Medicine Museum. The museum was set up in 1960 but it was opened for public only two years ago and ever since an attempt is being made to make medicine more appealing to people. “In the trail walk, we will spot medicinal plants and experts will be there to provide insights on them,” says Radhika who is also a person-in-charge of the museum.
Regular herbs such as aloe vera, lemongrass and chamomile will be talked about in depth. Ganeshram, a naturalist and a musician, will share insights on plants and trees with music. He is the founder of Manpuzhoo, an organisation that conducts Nature tours with music. Priya Muthukumar, founder of Storipur, will weave mythical stories around it. This particular trail is structured around a journey of a witch on the lookout for Indian herbs to make potions. She says, "I play the role of a witch who is introduced to local herbs. Children will run barefoot in the grass for a multi-sensory story telling session on medicinal plants.”
The event will be held on September 16, 10.30 am.