Joe and Lotte at Sambhavna

Blog 5 

A community alive!..

We have had a really fun couple of days focusing farther a field from just the clinic.

First was our day in the garden. Although we have been enjoying Sambhavna’s beautiful medicinal garden during all our time here, we hadn’t managed to do any work with the staff there as yet. Also as it is wet season and it will rain at least a bit everyday, the plants are transforming at an impressive rate! When we came they were brown, dry stems in cracked dusty earth wheras now what you see are rows of lush green leaves, each area a different shade and form, with their brightly coloured flowers busting into life. It was definatly the time to learn a bit more about them!

Initially the chosen plant has to be cut, not only the leaves but even large stems were also collected. We roughly cut the big bundle (about 6 full armfulls) into small enough pieces to fit in what looks like a huge wok. The wok had water poured into it as well and there was a gas burner underneath which heated the whole concoction. The plant browned and stewed, slowly bubbling down. Later several plants are added togther with a a black sticky base also made from other plants. This way the essences are bound together and through further drying and processesing a browny/ black substance is formed. This can be made into long sausages, small segments of these sausages are then broken off and pressed round and round between you thumb and forefingers – Pillrolling takes a long time and is very repetive so we investigated some plant powers while we twiddled..

Plant: Azadirachta indica (Neem) 

Use: Antiseptic, burns, eczema, worms, gingivitis, measles, diabetes, rheumatism.

Plant: Vitex nergundo (Nirgundi)

Uses: Analgesic, lumbago, aphrodisiac, greying of hair

Plant: Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy)

Use: Aphrodisiac, rejuvenator, anti-pyretic, immuno-modulator, asthma, rheumatism, stimulant, diuretic, Vitamin C