Plant-based medicines can cure chronic diseases, says Kerala’s tribal healer

Tribal healer Lakshmi Kutty (second from left) speaking at a national seminar on ‘Resilience and Reconstruction of Tribal Knowledge System’ at Central Tribal University in Vizianagaram on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Padma Shri awardee Lakshmi Kutty, a well-known tribal healer, urged people not to carry plastic bags, mobile phones, laptops and other gadgets during their visit to tourism places in forest areas. They should enjoy themselves in the nature’s lap and be able to listen to the silent words and expressions of trees, lakes and mountains, she said.

She was the chief guest for a two-day national seminar on ‘Resilience and Reconstruction of Tribal Knowledge System’ organised at Central Tribal University here on Thursday. Ms. Lakshmi Kutty provides treatment with medicinal plants to thousands of people near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

She said medicines prepared with plants ensured quick healing for patients suffering from chronic diseases. The healing rate was almost 98% in her method of treatment. The remaining two percent people would also get relief if they were able to shun bad habits like consumption of tobacco and alcohol, she added.

Vice-Chancellor T.V. Kattimani said it was the responsibility of every person to protect environment and make forests free of garbage and plastics. The university was trying to make a few villages near Araku free from plastic in association with the Union and State governments, he said.

Experts on medicinal plants Rathnamma and C. Madegowda of Karnataka said that preservation of tribal knowledge was the need of the hour.

The Hindu Special Correspondent Madamanchi Sambasiva Rao said that resilience and reconstruction of tribal knowledge would be possible with concerted efforts of academicians, people with expert knowledge of medicinal plants and tribal affairs and the government officials from the departments concerned.

Department of Social Work convener M. Nagesh, co-conveners of the seminar K. Divya, Debanjana Nag, and Balumuri Venkateshwarlu were among those present.