Cite this article:
Sharma, Anand and Kumar (2016). The Medical Heritage of Tribal People in Jharkhand, India. Journal of Ravishankar University (Part-B: Science), 29(1), pp.141-142.
PP- B19
The Medical
Heritage of Tribal People in Jharkhand, India
KK Sharma, Sunil Anand and
Paritosh Kumar
PG. Department of Zoology,
Jamshedpur Co-operative College, Jamshedpur - 831 001, India
Corresponding author email:
kksharma.jsr@gmail.com
[Received
03 February 2016, accepted 04 February 2016]
Abstract: From the
records of evolution medicine is as old as mankind. Originally, tribal people
had a connotation of an enquiry into nature, which later was extended to the
field of curing diseases. The present study commences with a succinct summary
of the ancient tribal medicine and the concepts as found in their traditional
approach of curing diseases with the help of medicinal plants, in so far as it
has speculation on the functions of the human body. The study narrates the
concepts, that has been based on information collected from the experienced
tribal people inhabiting in the different regions of Singhbhum, where most
backward and poorest tribes like the Birhors, Asurs, Kurwas, Bejiyas, etc,
reside, which coincides with the early medieval period. Our ethnocentric study
suggests that their medicines must have been a combination of magical,
religious and empirical practices. Moreover, a few substances have been
supposed to from a part of the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia even today and were
probably used as drugs from those times. Their traditional medicines were
handed down orally from generation after generation. They explained the state of
health and of disease, and the influences of time and season. The bottom line
message, as hoped, is that the quick glance through this study will help people
to have at least a glimpse of glory, in so far as it may pertain to the science
of medicine and the physiological speculations. This study is still on the
threshold of understanding. Additionally, the closer we come to each other in
the present century, the more we realize our common ancestry, our common
heritage and the identity of our aims, aspiration as well as experiences. It
will be the spirit of scientific enquiry of this century.
Keywords: Medicine,
Ethnocentric, Pharmacopeia, Disease, Speculation