Meet 'mother of herbs' from TN in the business of healing lives
ERODE: As many as 15 years of collecting rare herbs for use in Siddha medicine has earned this 66-year-old woman from Modakurichi a Vaidya Bushan award from the International Peace University in Germany. Over the years, Samiyathal’s interest in herbs and their immense healing potential has taken her to many parts of the State, scores of people seeking and providing medical care, and a great many adventures. And she plans on being of service to the society, the herbal way, for the rest of her life.
Samiyathal is also the proud recipient of the Mooligai Thai (Mother of Herbs) award in 2012; it was the late President A P J Abdul Kalam who had given it away in recognition of her work in the field. She is known for collecting many rare herbs like mudakathan, nochi, aad thinnapalai, kallumulliyan, serupadi, eswaramuli, thavasimurungai, gopuramthangi, moongriratti, virali, thazhuthalai, veliparuthi and neela aavarai. She distributes these to Siddha practitioners at fairs, meetings, veterinary camps, etc. She has also helped cure a few disease with the help of herbal medicines.
While her formal education may have ended at the primary school level, she has been honoured by many colleges (including the Puducherry government college), institutions, and Siddha doctors, for her interest and work in herbs collection. All her work would have been lost to the world if not for the untimely death of her husband Shanmugam.
Of death and new beginnings
The woman, who was born in Ganapathypalayam, moved to Saminathapuram after marrying Shanmugam. Though she had been interested in learning about herbs, it took a back seat when her husband asked to stay home and help him with farm work.
Thus went her life through the years of marriage till 2004, when her husband died. Her children Sivanandam (47) and Srinivasan (45), in an effort to help move forward with their grief, gifted her a book on herbs. And there has been no turning back since. Samiyathal dived deep into this fascinating world of high-power flora and travelled to places like Ezhumathur, Arachalur hills, Yercaud, Kolli Hills, Sangagiri and Edappadi to collect them. Soon enough, she started supplying these herbs to Siddha doctors in Erode district. The success led her to extend the service to doctors in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Theni, Madurai, Tiruchy and beyond.
When word got around, doctors from across the State began asking for her to supply specific herbs. Since 2010, this work has kept her busy .
What started as a hobby, quickly grew into a passion that also helped pay the bills. While she does not put a price on the produce she supplies, doctors paid her what they could for the raw material. A few practitioners covered her train fare. This work brings in around Rs 5,000 a month and helps her remain self-sufficient, living alone in the house she had shared with her husband in Saminathapuram.
Just another work day
As easy as it may sound, this work is not without pitfalls. Initially, she met with some resistance when she tried collecting herbs in forest areas. When she was allowed to do so, she had the wild side to contend with. Encounters with snakes are among the chief occupational hazards. She has been bitten by snakes at least thrice.
Another unexpected hurdle she has to negotiate through is the number of people who seek her medical expertise. Though the herbs she supplies and eventually used as medicine and she is well aware of the properties of her collection, she refrains from treating people directly.
Rarest of the rare
Samiyathal specialises in rare herbs. Karisalanganni, seruppuadai, ezhuthanipudu, eswara mooligai, aaduthandapalai, vellai erukku, arasngizhangu, thanneervittan kizhangu, etc., are some of the rare ones doctors demand.