Where
Myths And
Superstitions Heal…….
By Anil Gulati
07 October, 2006
Countercurrents.org
If child has pneumonia–
a hot saddle shaped iron dipped in a oil is paced on navel of the little
one – with a belief that it will cure it ! Well this is true that
too in very heart of India in Shivpuri. Shivpuri is a district of state
of Madhya Pradesh. Though it is district of Madhya Pradesh but is bounded
by Jhansi in east, which is a district of Uttar Pradesh, and on the
west by Kota district of Rajasthan.
Shivpuri mostly has laid
out small hilltops covered with deciduous forests where the slope is
gentle with verdant vegetation and good forests round about, the landscape
is generally pleasing.
It has a population of about 11.5 million predominantly of which is
in rural sector. National highway pass through Shivpuri so has better
road connectivity on the main line but the moment you turn inside the
roads get quite bumpy. Sometime back I had chance to visit there. I
was in a jeep about eleven kilometers from the main highway, suddenly
the driver turned left. I was bit amazed and saw the driver with suspicion
as I could only see rubble of sandstones on the hilly slope –
absolutely no road. But driver exuded that confidence and was more courageous,
he just went ahead and after about three kilometers of non-motorabale
hilly lane we were at village Dwarka. Dwarka is village in Pichore Block
of Shivpuri. It had an inhabitation of about 60 houses mainly of which
were from Sahariya tribes (plus) some from the upper caste mainly Thakurs.
Seeing a jeep coming in the
tribals from all over village started gathered near the jeep. I had
some one known to the villagers with me so introduction was bit easy.
We all gathered outside house of Ranjiraam. It was a typical feudal
style; I was offered a charpoi to sit while all of them were on the
floor, quite uncomfortable for all of us. I did prefer to stand for
some time and then grdaullay sat down on the floor; well it was easier
for my heart.
Ranjiram had lost his four
children because of measles but when asked what you did when your children
had measles he said initially they take their children to temple and
they are made to lie down there and devotional songs were sung by group
of villagers in favour of god. Measles is called as mata and the firm
belief is that this due to ‘god’s wish’ and he only
can take care of it. In addition to it, the already malnourished child
is given very less to eat with a belief that prayers will have mystic
role. By the way what do they eat – either cooked roti alone or
sometimes with cooked grass. If they get some work then local vegetable
or dal. Dalia – for school children used to come and for last
few months that too was missing. I did meet number of children with
protruding bellies (a sign of malnutrition or worm infestation) but
which they believe as sign of healthiness.
During the discussions I
suddenly noticed a child who had some marks around his navel, were bit
surprised and even curious. Rather than just exploding with questions,
which they could have been risky as they might take it as offense, I
felt that there was a need to explore further. I drifted a bit and slowly
asked the question what that mark was?
The belief in village is
that if the child suffers with high fever (pneumonia), and if hot horseshoe
shape iron dipped in oil is kept at the navel of the child - fever will
come down and the mark on the child that we saw was the same mark. On
hearing this, I could feel chill in my spine – it may be called
as ‘navel branding’. Where are we – if child suffers
from measles it will go on it own, if child has pneumonia – navel
branding is the treatment, where children may not get all three meals
and even if they get some it is the cooked grass – so called dalia
for school had not come for last 3 months…
Though westernisation and
way of life have affected the dress, may be to some extent daily life
however social life and customs and supersitions stil remain engrained
with us. Though the silver lining is that young ones who are getting
eucated are trying to drift away from the set patterns but still we
have a long way to go in many parts of India. This also present a real
communication challenge to our efforts of bringing in changes in scenario
in some of the social indicators like infant and maternal death rates
which are among the highest in these parts of the country and may be
that is the reason we need to look at the way we address these areas
differently ?
Anil Gulati
email- [email protected]
(The opinions expressed by
the writer are his personal)
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