Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 2(4), October 2003, pp. 346-356

Use of and products in traditional health care systems in District Kachchh,

Leena Gupta, C S Sil ori *, Nisha Mi stry and A M Di xit Guj arat Institute of Desert Ecology, P.B. No. 83. M undra Road Opposite Changles hwa r Temple, Bhuj 370 00 I Email : [email protected]

Received 20 Janua ry 2003

T he prese nt arti cle describes the trad itional knowledge of local com munities on et hn ozoology in district Kac hchh. Through struct ured ques tionna ire survey a total of 194 responden ts from 29 villages we re interviewed across di fferent co mmunities and socio­ economic stra ta of the sampled villages. Res pondent s listed about 34 animal and bird spec ies, including 28 wild and 6 domes ti c, which are used in pri ma ry hea lth care needs of human be ing s and li vestoc k and for other purposes also. Blood and flesh are mos t commonly used animal products to treat diseases such as asthma, cough, rheu matism and hea ling of extern al injuries. Of th e wild animal and bird spec ies, Indian Wild A ss and Common Indian Monitor L iza rd are listed as endangered while Chinkara, Indian Flap Shell Turtle and Pea fowl are listed as vulnera ble in th e Reel Data Book of Indian A nimals. The findings are more important in view of th e fac t th at if th e remedial meas ures, for which these animals are used, are not proved sc ienti fi ca lly. the com mon man shou ld be made aware of thi s, which in futu re will signi fi can tl y help in conse rva tion of ra re and endangered animals.

Keywords: Traditional kn owledge, Ethnozoology, Eth noveterinary practi ces, Kac hchh.

3 7 Since time immemorial ex tensive use of animal based medi cations - . lt has been pl ants, ani mals an d minerals has been documented that in Un ani system of made in trad itio nal med icines. A lot of medi ci nes about 200 drugs of animal efforts has gone into documentati on, use, ori gin are described whi ch are claimed to identification and va lidati on of plant be beneficial fo r the treatment of various 8 based traditi onal medi cines but studi es on ailments . Similarly in Ayurveda also most of th e animal based medicin es are there is desc ripti on of use of several sporad ic, despi te th e fact th at traditional ly animal based drugs parti cularl y fro m many animal based drugs are cow, bu ffa lo, elephant , camel, ass, 9 ad mi nis tered all over th e world u . In and . Entire organi sms or their Unani and Ay urvedi c system of fl es h, fat, excreti ons, bones, teeth, medi cin es th ere are descriptions of many fe athers, hair, horn s and shell s are used as medi cines and in oth er purposes. These *Correspondent aut hor are used either sin gly or in compound GUPTA eta!.: USE OF ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS IN KACHCHH 347

11 formulations and prepared in a varfety of plant species , while the faunal diversity forms i.e.: powder; ash, soups, syrup, is represented by about more than 300 ointments, liniments, etc. birds, 51 mammals, 44 reptiles, 7 amphibians and about 115 fishes and 12 The present article is an offshoot of an prawns • ongoing study on the ethnobotanical From socio-cultural point of view, documentation in district Kachchh of district Kachchh exhibits great ethnic and Gujarat. While documenting traditional cultural diversity. According to 2001 knowledge on plant based medicines, the provisional census the total human villagers also refeiTed to the use of population of the district is about 15 several wild and domestic animals and Jakhs. More than 70% of the population birds for curing various diseases. Since belongs to Hindu community, followed no records on this aspect are available in by Muslims, Jains and others. Among the the past, the authors used this opportunity Hindus, Rajput, Brahmin, Lohana, to document the traditional knowledge of Baniya, Bhatiya, Ahir, Kanbi, Lobar and local communities regarding the use of Charan are the chief castes while among animals (ethnozoology) for different Muslims, Sangar, Sodha, Haliputra, purposes, including medicinal, in district Raisiputra are major clans. Around 19% Kachchh. of the total population belongs to socio­ economically weaker section of the Study Area society, including scheduled castes District Kachchh, covering an area of (12%), mainly represented by Meghwals about 45,645 km2 is the second largest and scheduled tribes (7 %) represented by district of the country. It is spread Koli, Paradhi and Bhils. Animal between 22°41 '11" to 24°41 '47" N and husbandry, dry land agriculture, fishing, 68"09'46" to 71 °54'47" E in the western mining and daily wage labour are major state of Gu jarat. Kachchh falls in the arid income sources for the locals. tract of the country and covers about 73% of the total arid area of the state. About Methodology 2 51 % (23,310 krn ) of the total area of The structured questionnaire survey di strict is covered by saline marshes method was employed in the selected known as Greater and Little Rann of vi ll ages to collect information on the Kachchh. Because of the predominance traditional knowledge on the use of of arid region, district Kachchh has been animals and their products as medicines classified as a separate biotic province in primary health care system. A total of '3A' i.e, Kachchh Desert of Indian Desert about 194 respondents from 29 villages 10 Bio-geographic. Zone . The were interviewed to generate the topographical variation in the district has ethnozoological information. The resulted in to the diversity of habitats and respondents belonged to wide range of flora and fauna. The floral diversity of the communities, including Scheduled Tribe district is represented by more than 650 represented by Koli, Paradhi, 348 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDG E, VOL 2, No.4, OCTOBER 2003

Wandhakoli, Bhils, Bhil-paradhi, and other purposes. Rest of the Scheduled Caste, Muslims, Darbar respondents knew only about the use of (Rajput) and Brahmins across different domestic animals for medicinal and other age groups ranging from 15 years to purposes. Majority of the 30 respondents, above 85 years. Through questionnaire mainly belonging to ST, Muslims and SC survey, the information was gathered on communities, were either actually various aspects of ethnozoology, catching or killing wild animals and birds including basic socio-economic structure or using them for medicinal and other of the respondent, the knowledge on the purposes (Table 2). Of these, 13 ( 42%) use of the animals, type of animal/animal respondents claimed that they catch or parts used for medicinal purposes, other kill the wild animals using their purposes, catching of wild animals, and traditional skill, although none of the the manner in which the medicines are respondents disclosed the traditional administered. Based on the local names, methods of animal catching during the identification of animals and birds interviews. Majority (62%) of such was confirmed by showing the coloured respondents belonged to the ST 13 14 plates to the respondents ' • communities such as Koli, Bhil and Paradhi, while some of the Muslims Result (23%) and Harijan (15 %) respondents Ethnozoological knowledge also responded positively on the catching Of the total 194 respondents, 69 (35%) or killing of animals and birds. responded positively about having traditional knowledge on ethnozoology. Use of animals for treating human Among these, higher proportion of ailments knowledgeable respondents was recorded The respondents listed a total of 34 from Scheduled caste (SC), Scheduled animal and bird species, including 6 tribes• (ST) and Muslims communities domestic and 28 wild which are used by (Table I). Of the total 69 respondents, 30 the local people. Maximum of these (43%) responded positively about having animals belonged to mammalian group the knowledge of use of wild animals, ( 16), followed by birds (8), marine besides domestic animals for medicinal animals (7), including crustaceans and

Table I - Ethnozoological knowledge across different communities in di strict Kachchh

Community Total respondents No. of respondents having knowledge

Scheduled tribes (ST) 37 19(51 %) Scheduled caste (SC) 22 12 (55%) Darbar 53 II (21 %) Muslims 62 25 (40%) Rabari 20 2 (10%) Total 194 69 (35%) GUPTA era/.: USE OF ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS IN KACHCHH 349

Tabl e 2- Kn owledge status of the respondents regarding use of wild anim als

Kn owledge status Communi! ):' Total ST sc Muslims

Catching/killing and usin g themselves for medi cinal and other 8 2 3 13 purposes Depending on others for animal/animal products but having 4 6 5 15 knowledge of usin g them for medi cinal and other purposes Neither catching. nor using but ha ving kn owledge of using for 2 0 0 2 medi cinal and other QUrQoses fishes, and the rest were reptiles (3). (locally known as Ranai) on marine Regarding the ethnomedicinal use, 29 fishes is used with oil for treatment of ear animals and birds and their body parts are ailments of human beings. Cuttle Bone of used for treating human and Sepia, a Cephalopod, locally known as ailments, while 10 species are used for 'Samudrafin' is used in powder form to other purposes, described later. Local cure wounds. The Crustaceans have very people use different parts of animal body high protein contents specially the free for medicinal purposes in different ways amino acids; therefore their consumption (Table 3). Blood and flesh are most is likely to invigorate the body thus acting commonly used animal products to treat as a good medicine. various ailments in human being and livestock. Excreta of some birds are also Use of animals for veterinary diseases used for treating diseases like asthma and Besides treating human diseases, cough. Some of the common disease respondents also mentioned about the use treated using animal products included of animals and animal products for asthma, cough, rheumatism and healing treating various veterinary diseases. of external injuries. About II animal species, including 8 Besides various parts of animal body, wild animals and fishes are used for pathological products formed on the body treating various veterinary diseases. In ·of animals are also reported to be used in majority of such cases, blood was most the preparation of different traditional commonly used product for treating body medicines. For example, the stones found pain, arthritis, and healing the fractured in gall bladder of cows, locally known as bones of animals. Some of the 'Gau-kesar', are used for treatments of respondents also mentioned about the use epilepsy and other gynecological diseases of spider web and powder of Sambar in human beings. Similarly, some marine antler to treat the eye ailments of animals like powdered shell of livestock. Whenever needed, villagers Gastropods - Cypraea sp. are used for purchase the antler of Sambar from local treatment of pimples and other skin market, because the animal is not found diseases. A parasitic Isopod, Cythura spp. in the forests of Kachchh. The boiled 350 INDI AN J T RADI T IONAL KNOW LEDGE, VOL 2, No.4, OCTOBER 2003

Table 3 - Traditi onal knowledge on the use of animals and th eir products in pri mary health care system in district Kachchh

S l. Eng li sh Local name Scienti fic name Part used Method of preparati on and No. Name med icin al use Birds I Bank myna Kabar Acridoth eres Flesh Roasted fl esh is eaten to ginginianus treat whooping cough. 2 Black ibis Ran Kagdo Pseudibis papillosa Blood Blood is massaged for curing burning sensation, nervous di sorder, paralysis and inherent body heat. 3 Hen Maraghi Gallus domestic us Bl ood (V) Blood is extern all y massaged on the aching part s of body. Blood is app li ed externall y for healing arthriti s and fractured bones of cattl e, 4 House Crow Kagado Con ;us splendens Flesh Roasted or boil ed fl esh is eaten to treat whooping cough 5 House C hakali Passer domesticus Droppin gs Ash of excreta is used fo r sparrow treatment of asth ma in children (three times a day with water fo r couple of days) 6 Peafowl Mor Pavo crista/us Legs Legs of peafowl are boi led with o il , whi ch is used to treat the ear pain 7 Pi geon Kabutar Columba Ii via Blood The blood is massaged externall y to treat paralysis. Mammals 8 Bat Chamachidiu Cyanopterus sphinx Fl esh Raw fl esh havin g bl ood is rubbed on th e external injuries for healing and also eaten to treat whooping cough. 9 Buffa lo Bhens Bubalus spp. Blood (V) Blood is applied externa ll y on the neck of cow to reduce the body heat. 10 Camel Unt Came/us Dung T he dried dung is burnt dromedarius and ash is applied extern all y on sto mach for treating constipation.

Contd. GUPTA eta/.: USE OF ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS IN KACHCHH 351

Table 3-Traditio nal knowledge on the use of animals and their products in primary health care system in di strict Kachchh--Conrd.

Sl. English Local name Scientific name Part used Method of preparation and No. Name medicinal use

Blood (V) Blood is applied externally for treating arthritis. Bones (V) Old bones of dead camel are burnt and ash is mixed with water and fed to the animal for healing rheumatoid arthritis II Cow Gay Bos indicus Dung The dried dung is burnt and ash is applied externally to treat urticaria. 12 Dog Kutro Canisfamiliaris Flesh Excreta is applied. and flesh is eaten to treat wounds. 13 Goat Bakra Capra indicus Blood (V) Skin used as cloth after applying turmeric powder on it to treat pneumonia and superficial injury. Blood is massaged externally on the fractured part and tied with cloth bandage. 14 Hyena Zarakh Hyaena hyaena Flesh Fat is applied externally for healing arthritis; blood is appli ed on cloth and the dried cloth is fumigated to cure asthma 15 Indian wild Ghudkhar Equus hemionus Blood (V) Blood is massaged ass khur externally for healing arthritis 16 Jackal Shiyad Canis au reus Flesh Roasted flesh is eaten to cure asthma and sciatica. Blood (V) Blood is massaged externally for healing arthritis in goats 17 Pale hedge Shero Paraechinus Skin (V) Ash of skin is used for hog microlapus respiratory problems and cold. Skin is fumigated for curing mouth diseases of Contd. 352 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 2, No.4, OCTOBER 2003

Table 3 - Traditional knowledge on the use of animals and their products in primary health care syste m in di strict Kachchh--Conld.

Sl. Eng li sh Local name Scientific name Part used Method of preparation and No. Name medi cin al use

18 Porcupine Shedhadi Hystrix indica Squills (V) Squills are fumi gated fo r respiratory problems in childre n; and for curing mouth diseases of cattle.

19 Rufous- tailed Sasla Lepus nigricollis Blood, Tail Blood is appli ed hare ruj icodatum extern all y for healin g swelling; the ash of tail is mixed wi th oi l and the prepared paste is appli ed for curing burning sensati on.

20 Rat Undar Ratus ratus Whole The animal is roasted and ash is mi xed with mustard oil. This paste is the n mi xed wi th the crushed leaves of Rivea hypocraterifon11is (Fangvel) and fl owers of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and applied on the bald head. It is claimed that hair start growing within 3-4 days of appl icati on.

21 Sam bar Sabar/ Harnu Cervus unico/or Antler (V) Powder of antler is applied in eyes for eye ailments of cattle Reptiles 22 Indian flap Kachbo Lissemys punctatus Carapace Carapace is burn t and ash she ll turtle (V) is used for healing of intern al injuries, pruriti s and cough; and for healing superficial blunt injuries of cattle.

23 Spiny tailed Sandho Uro mastix Who le The who le animal is li zard hardwickii body boiled in oil and the oil applied extern ally for joints pain and rheumatism. Cant d. GUPTA et a/.: USE OF ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS IN KACHCHH 353

Table 3-Traditional knowledge on the use of animals and their products in primary health care system in district Kac hchh--Contd.

Sl. English Local name Scientific name Part used Method of preparati on and No. Name medicinal use

Crustaceans 24 Hermit Crab Karachalo Ucapugnex Whole Crab is boi led in water body and then taken for asthma; also, it is boiled in oil and used externally for curing ear pains 25 Sandy shore Kurchal Mututa victor Whole Crab is boiled in water Crab body and then the inner watery part taken for asthma; boiled in o il and used extern all y for curing ear pain s. Crab is eaten for the treatment of tubercul osis. Fishes 26 ? Gorad ? Brain (V) Rubbed with water and Machchhi drank to treat the problems associated with kidney stone. Also used to treat the urinary problems in li vestock in the same manner. 27 Hammer head Magro Zygaena blochii Fat Fat is applied externally shark for treating joints pain.

28 Sea horse (?) Ghoda Hippocampus cuda Whole Dried animal is powdered machchhi animal (V) and mixed with the fodder to cure stomach pain of horses

V- indicates the use of animal/animal products for veterinary purpose al so ?- Confirmation required flesh of some of the marine fishes is also Use of animals for other purposes used by the locals to cure the foot and Other than medicinal uses, local people mouth di sease of li'<:estock, which is a also use animals and birds for other very common disease in the area, while purposes. Some of the animals such as powder of Ghoda Machchh, probably sea Chinkara and rabbit and birds such as horse, is used to treat the stomach ache of grey partridge are hunted for meat by horses. local people in certain parts of the district 354 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 2, No. 4, OCTOBER 2003

Table 4--Non-medicinal uses of animals and their body parts

Sl. En gli sh name Local name Scientific name Part used Uses No.

Birds Grey partridge Tetar Fran colillliS Flesh Food pondicerianus 2 Peafowl Mor Pa vo cristatus Feathers Handicraft items Mammals 3 Goat Bakra Capra indicus Skin Drum sheet 4 Indian Gazell e Haran Gazella gazelle Skin, Flesh Drum sheet, edible

5 Rufous-tailed Sasla Lepus nigricollis Flesh Food hare ruficodatwn 6 Camel Unt Ca111 elus Skin Handicraft items, dro 111 edaries shoes 7 Wild boar Jang li bhund Sus scrofa Whole body Food

Reptiles 8 Monitor li zard Patla gho Va ranus bengalensis Whole body Food

Invertebrates 9 Green Crab/ Kurchal Purtunus pelagic11 S Whole body Food Mud Crab 10 Bi val ves Chhip Mactra sp. Shell Orname nt II Sacred Shell Shankh Xancus pym111 She ll Re li gious purpose

(Table 4). Also the skin of goats and healing practices, magtc rituals, and Chinkara is used for making drum sheets, religions of indigenous and western 15 16 while leather of camel is used for making societies all over the world " • However, various handicraft items in Maldhari as compared to the ethnobotanical dominated areas such as Banni and documentation, the therapeutic use of Pachchham in northern part of the animals and animal products to treat di strict. The Banni region is well known common human and domestic animal for the traditional handicraft items of not ailments have been little researched. only camel leather, but also for other There have been sporadic attempts within kinds of cloth based traditional the country on the documentation of handicraft. animal based traditional medication 9 17 19 system · - . Though the present article is Discussion perhaps the first ever attempt to document The animal based medicines have the traditional ethnozoological knowledge always played a significant role in the of local communities in district Kachchh GUPTA et al.: USE OF AN IMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS IN KACHCHH 355 of Gujarat, further attempts are required study carri ed out by GUIDE23 in di strict to have a better understanding on the Kachchh li sted Chinkara and Indian Wild subj ect. Moreover, it was felt necessary Ass as rare species while Spiny Tailed because during interviews at some places Lizard and Monitor Lizard are li sted as respondents were not very open about the endangered species. Situation like thi s use of :; ome more wild animals, probably emphasizes the need of conservation because o f th eir awareness of such act programme for such spec1es to be being illegal under the forest conservation properly formulated and implemented. laws. The existence of these animals is not onl y threatened by hunting for various Another important aspect of this study, purposes mentioned above but also whi ch needs to be mentioned, is th at the because of the loss of habitats and other findings regarding th e use of animals for medicines are purely based on the anthropogenic pressures. It is more important in view of the fact that if the traditional beliefs of local communities remedial measures, for which these and none of these animal based medicinal animals are used, are not proved prescriptions has been authenticated or scientificall y, the common man should be tested during the course of th e study. made aware of this, which in future will Nevertheless, the healing properties of signi ficantly help in conservation of rare some of the animal products have been 8 16 20 and endangered animals. The local people proved scientificall y in th e past · · , yet thi s aspect of traditional health care who hold the traditional ethnozoological knowledge can be roped 111 for system needs further research not only to implementation of participatory confirm the medicinal value of such conservation programmes for such animal based remedies, but also to animals. facilitate more ecologically and socially 2 sound development . Acknowledgement From ecological point of view, present Authors are thankful to the villagers of study holds importance because some of di strict Kachchh for sharing their the animals used by the locals for traditional knowledge on ethnozoological medicinal and other purposes are uses. Dr. G A Thivakaran, Scientist, vulnerable or endangered OJ" facing severe GUIDE is thanked for helping in threats due to several kinds of identification of marine fauna. anthropogenic pressures operating in the 21 References region • It is important to mention here I Pushpangdan P, Animal and animal products that species such as and in the local health traditions in Indi a, Common Indian Monitor Li zard are li sted Proceeding lind International Congress on as endangered while Chinkara, Indian Ethnobiology, 1990, 189. Flap Shell Turtle and Peafowl are li sted 2 Neto E M C, Traditional use and sale of animals as medi cines in Feira de Santana Ci ty, as vulnerable in the Red Data Book of 22 Bahia, Brazil, Indigenous Kn owledge Indian Animals . On the other hand Development Monitor, 7 ( 1999) 15 . 356 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 2, No.4, OCTOBER 2003

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