Are you looking for an alternative to modern treatment? Just don’t waste time hunting for the best traditional healers. The details and contact numbers of as many as 250 tribal healers across the state will soon be available just a click away.
In a bid to save dying traditional and indigenous treatment in the state, the Kerala Institute for Research, Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Tribes (KIRTADS) is adding a directory of indigenous healers to its official website.
The details of the healers were collected during a traditional healers’ camp organised by KIRTADS on its campus in May.
Says Bindu, director of KIRTADS, “The sound knowledge of traditional healers astounded us. As the number of patients relying on traditional healing is increasing day by day, we thought of bringing out a book on the healers during the healers’ camp. Now we feel that it is time to introduce them to the public across the world.”
Immediately after making some corrections in the details of the healers the list will be included in our website.
The details of healers from tribal communities such as Kanikkar, Mala Arayan, Muthuvan, Ulladan, Oorali, Hill Pulaya, Malayan, Irulan, Mudugar, Kurumbar, Cholanayikkan, Kurichyan, Adiyan, Mullu Kuruman, Paniyan, Kattunayikkan, Thachanadan Mooppan, Mavilan and Mala Vettuvan in 12 districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod have been included in the list.
Fifty-five-year-old traditional healer Saradha Madhavan of Paravoor in Ernakulam district embarked on the healing field around 10 years ago and 28 couples were the beneficiaries of her in depth knowledge. “Infertile couples experiences an emptiness in their life and struggle to overcome the feeling of unworthiness,” says Saradha. “I am happy that I have been able to bring back smiles on their faces.”
Another tribal healer, Ujaru of Koraga community is an expert in post-delivery treatments. “We came in contact with KIRTADS when they conducted a 10-day camp to bring back the old glory of our traditional Koraga dance form. “We are happy that they are taking an initiative to save our healing methods also from dying.”
“When an elderly person dies in our community, we lose not only a relative but a healer also,” says Poomali aka Devaki of Oorali community in Idukki district.
“With the KIRTADS’s new system, we hope our traditional knowledge will be preserved for future generations,” she says.