Indi an Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vo l. 2( 1), January 2003. pp. 27-39

Traditional uses of biodiversity from Aravalli hills of *S S Katewa, B L Chaudhary, Anita Jain and Praveen Galav Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Agrosto logy, Department of Botany. College of Science. M.L. Sukhadia University, 313 001, Received 11 Jcmuwy 2002: revised 29 May 2002

A large number of tribals living in remote thick forest areas of the Aravalli hill s of Mewar region depend on nature for th eir basic necessities of life. These people, especially belonging to primiti ve o r aboriginal culture possess a good deal of information about properties and uses of . In th e present paper an attempt has been made to document the precious traditional knowledge about the uses and properties of wi ld plants, which the aboriginals of Aravalli hills of Mewar region possess. The paper also di scusses th e current role of pl ants in the manufacture of traditio nal goods, and outlines some of the speciali st skill, which is involved in the produc­ ti on of such ite ms.

Keywords: Tribals, Traditional Botanical knowledge. Aravalli hills. Folk medicine. Ethnofood plants.

The primitive man, through a process of dom on plant resource utilization to the trial and error, screened in hi s own way posterity. Moreover, the knowledge of the wild growing plants for edible, me­ indigenous people is invaluable in th e dicinal and other material purposes. In­ present day context of biological diversity di genous communities living in biodiver­ conservation and its sustainable utiliza­ sity rich areas possess a wealth of knowl­ tion. The Mewar hills of Rajasthan har­ edge on the utilization and conservation bour vast diversity of vegetation. It in­ of food and medicinal plants. This tradi­ cludes subtropical evergreen forests of tional knowledge developed over years of Boswellia serrata, Dendrocala111us stric­ observation, trial and error, inference and tus and Tectona grandis. These forests inheritance has largely remained with the are inhabited by the major tribes of the state, viz. Bhils, Garasias, Damors, and indigenous people. The knowledge of Kathodias. These tribes are the custodians tribes on the value of plants has helped of local indigenous knowledge. The sur­ th em to have a sense of responsibility in rounding plants form an integral part o r judiciously utilizing the plant resources their culture and the information about and also to conserve and pass on the wis- plants gets passed on from generation to generation only through oral folk-lore *Correspondent author although many times kept secret. 28 INDIAN J TRADIT IONAL KNOWLEDGE. VOL 2. No. I. JANUARY 2003

Deforestation , semi-modernization, vegetation before them the tribals were transmigration, colonization, industriali­ prompted to remark on the utility of spe­ zation and other developmental activities cies especiall y when accompanied by a have threatened not only the biological group. Interviews yielding good res ults resources, but also the traditional culture could also be obtained at the Headman's and ethnobotan ical knowledge. There­ abode or a common place perhaps out of a fore, an urgent need is felt to undertake sense of security in group with their Chief ethnobotanical studies before extinction present. of th e tribal life and culture through ag­ In smal ler groups women folk were gressive modern civilization. lesser in number, but both the sexes were Et hnobotanical studies on Mewar region represented in larger groups and resulted in of Rajasthan have been carried out by heterogeneity of information. The persons 1 Josh i , Singh and Pandey", Karewa and mos tly above the age of 60 ha ve accurate Arora' . Katewa and Guria~, Karewa and information regarding th eir old traditions. 5 Sharma • Katewa and Choudhar/', Karewa Participation in th eir feasts. festivals, other et ot 8 A peru sal of the literature revea ls social events, etc. was of great use in col­ that though a lot of ethnobotanical work lecting information on pl ants and observi ng has been done on Aravalli hills of Mewar how th ey are used. The plants were identi­ region, some ethnobotanical gaps exist in fied according to the Ben tham and thi s region as reported in the present paper. Hooker's system of classification using local floristic works i. e. Bhandari'1 ;.mel 10 Methods of survt'Y Shetty and Singh • The doubtful speci­ Eth nobotanical survey of the Aravalli mens were confirmed in the Herbarium at hi lis was carried out during 1998 to 200 I. the Forest Research In stitute, Dehra Dun. On reaching a village or locality, rapport Voucher speci mens were deposited at the was established with one or two persons Depm·tment of Botany, College of Science, preferably tk Chief, and contact was then M.L. Sukhadia University, Udaipur. es tabli shed with other tribals of the local ­ ity. Enquiries were made on th e plant mate­ Observations rial used in different artifacts. which were seen. and notes taken. l. Wild ethnomedicinal plants Generally two types of interviews were The traditional healers of Rajasthan taken, firstly of indi viduals and secondly of have a commendable knowledge or the groups. or individuals, persons were se­ medicinal properties of plants that grow lected at random on the way or enteri11g a around them (Table I and Pl ates I & 2). hut finding out knowledgeable individuals The traditional usc of plants as herbal from the village or al so the Bhopa (vi llage remedies has further declined due to scar­ pric-.t) or the Headman. In group inter­ city of such plants, which is caused by ' iew'> more than one individual were ap­ multifarious human act ivity coupled with proached, our purpose explain ed and intcr­ natural calamities like drought~ and over­ vielv-, taken . In forests wi th the ambient grazing by sheep. goats and other domestic Table I - Traditi onal clilnom.:dic.: inal plam' used by the tr ibal ~ of Arm'alli hills of Mcw;u· region

Botanical name and family Local name Locality Et iln omedicinal uses

Abrus precatorius Linn. () Chirmi Mehcnduriya (i) are chewed for 2-3 days to cure white and red bli ster in I he mouth. ;:»; )> -l (ii) are used as an antifertility drug both by male as we ll as rn female. )>< Leaves are ground with milk and given orally to cure dysentery. Ahutilon indicum (Linn.) Sw. Talakuchi Railrnagra ~ Decocti on of leaves is given in urinary troubles. (Malvaceae) ~ Alne barbadensis Mill (Liliaccac) Gawarpatha Dariba Pulp of leaves is used in li ver di seases and for reducing unwanted -l ;N deposition of fat in the body. )> 0 Anethum graveolens Linn. Suwa Devar extract is given orally thrice a day for three days to di ssolve =i (Apiaceae) kidney stone. 0 z Aresaema torluosum (Wall.) Schott Kotukand Mehenduriya 25 gram underground bulb of thi s plant is cmshed and given orall y in )> (Araccae) snake-bite. Bulb is fri ed in ghee and given to the patient for cure of r c bone fj·aciUrc. C/l rn Aristolochia hracteolata Lam. Kalipad Rajpura extract is given orall y in snake-bite. C/l (Aristolochiaceae) .,0 "'0 Bombax ceiba Linn. (Bombacaceae) Ham Ia Dudhalia Sugar is mixed in the infusion of flowers and given orally in acidity r )> and urinary problems. Root bark mixed with honey and given as tonic. z gigantea (Linn.) R. Rr. SafedAkro Railmagra Powder of white flowers is mixed with honey and taken orally to cure -l o::l (Asclepiadaceae) mental di sorders. 0 Cassia fora Linn. (Caesalpiniaccac) Puwadia Gorumghat Seed paste is used on ringworm. Tea is prepared from seed and given 0 < to patients of asthma. Leaf ex tract is used to reduce fat. rn ;N Celastrus paniculatus Willd. Malkangni Seed oi l is employed in rheumatic pains. The powdered seeds are used C/l =i (Celastraceac) as a brain tonic and to increase memory. -< Celosia argentea Linn. Kukldi 13 etumbi 20 gram crushed seeds are taken orally for three days against ovatian (Amaranthaccac) and ulcrine di se;t~es. Ceropegia tuherosa Roxb. Khadula Charana Rool. bulb and leaves are eaten by the 1ribals to cure kidney stone. (Asclepiadaccac) ( Comtl) r--.> \0 w 0

Table I - Traditional eth nomedicitn l plams used by the tribals o( A ravall i hil ls of Mcwar region-Cnmd z Botanical name and family Local name Locality Etlmomedicinal uses S2 )> z '- Cae.wlpinia bmrduc (Linn.) Roxb. CuntKamj Kamli ghat Leaves of Caesalpinia bonduc and A;:adirachta indica are roasted and ~ made into powder. This powder is given three times a day for th ree ;;v (Caesalpiniaccac) )> days to cure malarial fever. 0 ::j Chlorophytum borivilwnum Sant & Dh olimusli Gorum ghat Tubers are used in anaemic condition and in rheumatism. 0 Fernand. (Liliaceae) z )> Chrozophora rottleri (Geis.) A . .Juss. Subali PondofM ehcnduriy Crushed leaves arc applied on the face in sunburn and also in r ;:>:; ex Spreng. (Euphorbiaceae) a sunstroke. z Citrus medica Linn. (Rutaceae) Bijaura Kumbhalgarh are sour. refrigerant and digestive. powder is also used for 0 ~ di ssolving iron in the ani mal body. r rn De11drnphthoe falcata (L.f.) Etting. Salarbel Gorumghat The pl ant is parasitic on Boswel/ia serrara. Decoction of stem is give n 0 var.falcata (Lora nthaceae) for menstrual troubles. 0 f'1 Diplocyclos palmata (Linn.) .Jeffery Shivlingi Las ani Crushed seeds of D. palmata and ash of Striga orobanchioides are < 0 (Cucurbitaccae) mixed in jaggery and pallctes are prepru-cd. One pallet is taken thrice a r day by ladies for six weeks after pregnancy for binh of male child. !'-' z Glorioso superba Linn. (Liliaceae) Kalgrui Malikhera Paste of tuber is applied on wound for early healing. Root paste is 9 heated and appl ied on the forehead and neck for seven days to cure :- '- in children. )> z Helicteres isora Linn. Mru·or-phali Thandiberi The powder of dry fruits is taken orally with water twice or thrice a c day for 3 to 4 days to cure stomach ac he. )> (Sterculiaccae) ;;v -< Nymphaea nauchali Burm. f. Kamal Mehenduri ya Rhizomes are crushed in to a powder and applied on piles and taken N 0 (Nymphaeaceae) orall y in dysentery and dyspepsia by Meena tribe. 0 w Typha angustala Bory & Chaub. Eara DaribJ The inflorescence is split in to two ha lves length-wi se and one half is (Typhaccae) tied as dressing over deep wounds for earl y healing. KATEWA eta!.: TRADITIONAL USES OF PLANT BIODIVERSITY 3 1 animals in the state thus threatening the use of them, though rarely, like wild rice diversity and avai lability of the herbal grains gathered and eaten by Brahmins on med icines. It is in this context that conser­ certain days of fast. Aravalli hills of Ra­ vation and scienti fie verification of such jasthan are very rich in floristic wealth. rare and lesser known medicinal plants Besides utility of plants as food and medi ­ assume greater significance. cine tribals and rural people of Aravalli hills also use plants for various purposes Ethnofood plants e.g. ritual s and festivals, in weather fore­ Wild edible plants constitute an impor­ casting, mythological belief, etc. as given tant source of diet of tribal s of southern below. Rajasthan . Even today, the well protec ted forests in thi s region provide a variety of 1. Weather forecasting plants nutriti ous foods as edible tubers, roots, rhi­ I. Acacia nilotica: Luxuriant flowering zome, leaves, shoots , flowers, fruits , nuts, indicates good rains and bumper crop seeds, etc. The wild plants li sted in this of groundnut. paper are used as food by the tribals not 2. Bombax ceiba: Luxuriant fruiting only at the times of food scarcity but also indicates good rains and there will be on a daily basis. These plants may be par­ bumper crop in the coming season. ., ti cubrl y important during certain seasons ..). Butea lllOIWsperma : Luxuri ant or the year and during major stress periods fruiting during Apri l-May indi cates are co ll ected from common property re­ good rains and bumper crop of sources areas; securing access to such re­ Maize. sources is important for sustaining the 4. Capparis decidua: Luxuriant livelihood of the poor tribal. A li st of riants nowering and fruitin g indicates good with th eir Botanical as well as local names rains and bumper and hea lthy crop of and th e fam ili es to which they belong and cotton. plant parts used is given in Table 2 and 5. Hordeum vulgare: The seeds are Plate 3. sown in a pot at on th e occasion of "Navratri sthapna" Miscellaneous and other uses of plants (March-April) and the pot is divided Besides their food and medicinal value, in to four partitions as per the four plants also play a very important role in the directions. The partition towards socio-economic life of indigenous people which good seed germination takes of Aravalli hill s. The prolonged use of place will indicate good rains in that plants has played an important role in the direction of th e vi llage. economy of man to the extent that some of 6. Mangifera indica: Luxuriant fruiting them have found place in hi s ritual cere­ indicates good rain s in the coming mon ies and some have been accorded the rainy season. status of sacred plants. Even where modern 7. Madhuca indica: Luxuriant man has drifted far away from hi s depend­ nowering indicates good rain s in the ence upon plants he still continues to make coming rainy season. 32 lNDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 2. No . I, JANU ARY 2003

Abrus precatorius Linn var. alba Seeds of Abrus precatorius var. alba

Aloe barbadensis Mill Aresaematortusum (WaiL ) Schott (Inflorescence)

Calotropis gigantea (Linn ) R Br. Celastrus panniculatus Willd . Plate- 1 K ATEWA et ul.: TRADITIONAL US ES OF PLANT BIODIVERSIT Y 33

Celosia argentea Linn. Caesalpinia bonduc (Linn .) Roxb

I I Ch/orophytum borivi/ianun Diplocyclos palmata (Linn.) Jeffery Sant. & Fernand

Gloriosa superba Linn Typha angustaata Bory & Chaub. Plate- 2 w -I"-

Table 2- Ethnofood plants of Ara val li hills of Me war region

Botanical name and fa mily Local name Locality Utilisation 2 0 Amarantlms gangetic us L. Kangan l Rajpura Seeds are used as pseudoccrcal. They are cooked li ke rice and are > (Amaranthaceae) rel ished by the tribal s. 2 '- L. Paudina Rajsamand -l Cassia tora Leaves and !lowers arc cooked as vegetable. Leaves are stored after sun ;;:;J (Caesalpiniaceae) drying and are cooked with maize-dalia and arc considered most > nouri shing vegetabl e among Meenas of Pai. It is also considered a 0 di sease free vegetable. =i i3 Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb. Khadula BabakaDara Leaves and tubers are edible. Tubers arc eaten raw for vitality and arc 2 > (Asclepiadaccae) considered as refrigerant whereas leaves arc cooked as vegetable. r Commelitw benghalensis L. Kallni,Mokta Kumbhalgarh Leaves and tender shoots are cooked as vegetable. Whole plant is ;;<: 2 (Commelinaceae) purgative. The "pakoris' made by mixing leaves and tender shoots with 0 'besan' (gnun fl our) are given to the patient of leprosy. ~ r Diospyros melanoxy/on Roxb. Timbru Rajpura Fruits are edible. Dried fruits are stored for periodic uses. Fruits are rn 0 (Ebenaceae) available even during famine conditions to satiate hunger of the poor Cl tribals. Unripe fmits arc used as starter curds for instant curdling of milk rn < Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Chees. JungliKela Jargahhill Fruits are palatable. From shaft, leaf sheaths arc removed and then it is 0 (Musaceae) made into pieces ('Chaun' ); these are then chewed. Rower buds are r cooked as vegetable. .!" 2 Mad/mea indica J.F. Gmelin Mahua Mehenduriya The fl owers and fruits are eaten raw or cooked. The fl owers are 9 (Sapotaceae) compressed into "laddoos' . The seeds locall y called "Dolma' are al so eaten and edible oil C<'lled 'Ghec' is al so extracted from them, which is >'- used for cooki ng purposes. During fam ine the bark is boiled in water to 2 c make ·rab' and consumed locally . Special di shes are prepared from the > flowers and fruits. ;;:;J -< Nymplwea nauclwli Hurm. f. Kamal Anjana Petiole is cooked as vegetable. N 0 (Nymphaeaceae) 0 t..J

(Cm11d) ;;><: Table 2 - Ethnofood plants of Aravalli hills of Mewar region-Contd » -l tTl � Bownical name and family Localname Locality Utilisation » � <:) ,..... Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb. Khajoor Anjana Fruits are eaten fresh or in dried fOiID. After the rains saplings sprout up. -l (Arecaceae) These young tender shoots are cooked as vegetable. Sap is obtained by :;0 » giving a cut near the apex of the tree. The sap is said to ooze for seven o days or so. It is then boiled down to sugar. During scarcity periods, the ::J farinaceous deposit from the apex of the n'ee is eaten by the tribals. o z Tribulus terrestris L. Goklu1J Beda-kheda The seeds are powdered and mixed with the flour of grains of eullivated » r (Zygopbyllaceae) crops to make bread during famine. Fruits when young are sweet in taste C and are eaten raw. The fruit powder is also used as a remedy for urinary CI"l tTl disorders and impotence by the tribals. CI"l o Urginea illdica (Roxb.) Kuoth. JungLiKanda Rajpura Detoxified pieces of bulbs (after washing in water repeatedly) are used 'Tl as '"0 (Liliaceae) a vegetable. In urgent need, slices are detoxified by boiling in water r for some time. » z Wrightia tinctoria Br. Khani Dariba The latex is sucked by children direetly from the tt1Jnk or after taking it -l to () on leaves. According to them, it resembles butter in taste. The sap o (latex) is also used by tribal herdsman for instantcurdling of milk. They 52 add a few drops of latex in the milk, which curdles immediately. and < tTl then they eat bread with it. Bhils call this curd 'Khubinu'. :;0 CI"l ::J -<

w U1 36 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 2, No. I, JANUARY 2003

Amaranthus gangeticus Linn . Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb.

Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Chess. Nymphaea naucha/i Burm.f.

Tribulus terrestris Linn. Urginea indica (Roxb.) Kunth. Plate - 3 KATEWA e 1 a/.: T RA DITIONAL USES OF PLANT BiODI VERSITY 37

8. Zizyplws numularia: Lu xuri ant 7. Phoenix sylvestris The leaves of fruiting indicates good rain s 111 the thi s tree are used by the tribal s to coming rainy season. make va ri ous toys. 8. Jatropha curcas: The children co ll ect 2. Other uses of plants the latex in a cup devised from the leaves of Buteo 11 /0 II Osp enna and I . : (i) th e tl owers uproot a tender grass culm to form a

18. Solanum gigentium: A rare tree ri tuals of Hind us and tribals. These species collected from Jargah hill s of grasses are considered sacred among Aravall is. Fresh plants are used as the Hindu and are used in reli gious fodder. ceremonies. Saccharu 111 r4ficinaruii J 19. Dendrocalamus strictus: Mobi le is worshipped by the tribals in crad le is made fro m the stem. 'Govardhan puja' on the nex t day of Deepawa li festi va l. Hindu rituals I. Mangifera indica : Tribals ti e th e Discussion garland made up of its leaves at main gate of th eir houses at the time of The traditional kn owledge sys tem in marri age and " Katha". The wood is Ind ia is fast erodi ng. There is an urgent used for burning in "Hawan" at need to in ventori ze and record all several occasions includin g marri age ethnobotani cal informati on among the fo r happin ess and prosperity. di verse ethni c communities before th e 2. Nerium oleander : At the time of traditional cultures are compl etely los t. ·Toran" in marriage ceremony, the In Rajasth an. famine or food scarci ty is bri degroom uses the twig of thi s plant not rare. Under such a time. the role of wild wi th the belief that it will lead to edibl e plant s becomes significant. happy and pros perous married li fe. Ethnobotani ca l observati ons on the wil ei 3. Santalum album : The piece of wood food pl ants show th at th ese plan ts play an is rubbed on the stone and the paste important role in the diet of tribals of th e so fo rmed is offered to th e god and Arava ll i hil ls. The problem of ma lnutriti on goddess for marking 'ti lak' on the among the tri bals can be solved by the fo rehead. The wood is also burnt in fo rmul ati on of a ra tional food po licy . If worship and other sacred lire regiona l and subregional food consum ption ('hawan' ), etc. constraints are emphasized some of th e low 4. Syzygium cumini : The fru its are cost nutritional alternati ves ca n be provided offered to the gods and goddesses. to the tribal people. The tribes for instance. The leaves and leary tw igs al ong with consider 11whua (Madlwca indica) as a the leaves and twigs of Mang1[era prime means of their survival. If nw/11 /(/ indica are ti ed at the free end of a crop is encouraged on a long- term basis it po le to make "Toran" in the mandap would provide food to the tri bals for at the occas ion of marri age by the decades to come. The life of a nw /ui(J tree tribals. goes beyond lifty years. Similar crops or 5. Prosopis cineraria : The pl ant is small mill ets. wild tubers, wil d berries and considered sacred. The dry branches tiJIIbru (Diospyros 11/ e/ono.rr /on) can he are used in 'hawan'. encouraged fo r th e consu mption by the 6. Cynodon d11ctylon and tribals. Such crops wo uld be within the Desmostacltya bipinnata 13oth ethni c boundary of the people and would grasses occupy an import ant place in be accept ab le to the m. KATEWA et al.: TRADITIONAL USES OF PLA T BIODIVE RSITY 39

Acknowledgement ern Aravall i hill s of Rajasthan . Vas undham. 2 Authors are thankful to the ICAR for ( 1997)85. 5 Ketewa S S & Rajesh Sharma. Ethn omedi ci­ providing financial ass istance under whi ch nal observa ti on from certain watershed area' thi s work was carried out and to the of Rajasth an. Ethnobowm·. 10( 1&2) ( 199R) authorities of the Forest Research Institute, 46. Debra Dun for permission to consult th e 6 Katewa S S & Chaudha:·y 8 L. Et hn ovcteri ­ Herbarium for plant identification nary survey of plan ts of lbjsam:md di !>t ri ct. Rajasthan. Vas undlwra. 5 (2000) 95. References 7 Katewa S S. Ambika Nag & Guria 8 D. Eth ­ Jo> hi P. Weath er indicating plants of tri ba ls in nobotanical studi es on wild plallls for food from th e Aravalli hill s of South east Raj as­ Southern Rajasth an . Bull Bot Sun· In dia. 27 than . J Econ Taxon B01. 23(2) ( 1999) 259. r 1--i) ( 1985) I 00. 2 Singh V & Pand ey R P. Ethnobowny of" Ra­ 8 Kat ewa S S. Gu ri a B D & Anita Jain. Eth ­ jasthan. (Sc ientifi c Publishers. Jod hpur). nomedi cin al and obnox ious gra sses of Raja'­ 1998. than. India. J Erluwplwmwcol. 76(3) (2001 ) 3 Kat c\\a S S & Arora A. Some plants in folk 293. medicin e of Udaipur di stri ct. Rajasthan. Eth­ 9 Bhandari M M. Flora of" lndiw1 Dese rr . (Sci­ noborwtv, 9 ( 1997) 48. entific Publi shers. Jodhpur). 1990. -i Kat ewa S S & Guria B D, Ethnobotanical ob­ 10 Shell y 8 V & Sin gh V. Flora 4 Raiasthtlll. servati on:; on cert ain wild plants from South- (Botanical Survey of India. Calcutta). 1993.