Assamese Women Using Herbs as Traditional Medicine for Hair and its Scientific Undertone

Authors

  • Jayanta Dutta, Gitashree Saikia, Chayanika Chetia

Abstract

In Indian medical treatment, traditional practices to cope up with diseases have significantly contributed to the health status of the people. From very ancient times, Ayurveda tradition has grown up as an alternative medical practice which is now globally recognized. This medical tradition typically prescribes herbal compounds from where our body can extract metal as well as mineral substances. Its health implications are so profound in now-a-days that as has been reported by WHO, almost 60% of total population of the world and 80% of Indian population have become usual practitioners of this system. Because of its commonly available resources and inexpensive medicinal procedures, this form of treatment has increasingly drawn the attention of the common people. Moreover, its prescriptions are like nature nurtures our body from all its odds and are accessible to all ranges of people unlike the modern sophisticated treatments of allopathic treatment. India has always been a boon to its emergence and many classic texts like CharakaSamhita, SushrutaSamhita, AstangHridaya, SharangdharSamhita etc. have offered a glimpse into Ayurveda as a living scientific medical tradition. As its historical root can be traced to Indian origin, the indigenous people of India have, to a great extent, relied on these herbal practices to nourish our body from all contaminants. Our forefathers are likely to believe on transmission of such medical knowledge to the posterity and even, in the present times, we practise these home remedies for a well functioning of human body. The present study selects Assam as a particular site to cast an impressive look on our discussion i.e. to show how indigenous notions of heath maintenance and health care practices prevailed in Assam bear a strong compliance to ayurveda in its usage of herbs as a significant traditional yet most scientific treatment practice. 

 Keywords- traditional; scientific; medicine; health; indigenous

Published

2021-01-24

Issue

Section

Articles