'Indians are known for native medicines'

“We Indians were recognised by westerners with high regard for pour native and traditional medicines and practices. But, in our race to catch up with the modern world, we have forgotten them all. We should make people aware of bio-medicines and their uses,” said Mallappa, president of Paaramparika Vaidya Parishat.

Addressing a gathering at a conference on yoga and naturopathy organised by Vijay Foundation in association with Global Alliance of Traditional Health Systems(GATHS) and Paaramparika Vaidya Parishat here on Thursday, Mallappa said, “Our traditions have scientific reasons. We should save our environment and ancient medicines for coming generations.

Dr R Balasubramaniam, founder of Vivekananda Youth Movement, who has practiced medicine in tribal areas shared his experiences. “ Their beliefs have meaning, but we call them superstitions as we don’t understand their science. ,” he said.

He explained how a ‘jeenu kuruba’ declined to undergo surgery for a fracture he suffered in his leg but recovered and became normal later. “We (doctors) would have left a scar of operation with cuts and stitches, but he underwent native treatment which spared him of scars, which is amazing,” he said.