Ticklish sore-throat, fever, chills and all the symptoms of a seasonal cold. What do you do? Reach for the medicine cabinet or even book an appointment with your doctor. What would the tribal communities of Madhya Pradesh do? They’d go out, pick a few choice herbs, stir up a brew that would send the cold packing.
Jokes apart, the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve is a fascinating and rewarding destination for many reasons: wildlife, serene vistas, misty hills. The most interesting among them is that it offers a chance to be in touch with lifestyle very different from one which most of us are familiar with – that of hectic urban chaos.
No doubt Madhya Pradesh is rich in terms of genetic variety and heritage. There are as many as 46 recognized scheduled tribes here, all of them communities with deep histories and long memories. About 21% of the state’s population is tribal. The more you engage the more you learn… Bhil, Gond, Kol, Korku, Sahariya, Baiga – each indigenous community comes with its unique heredity, lifestyle, cultural traditions, social structure, economic structure, religious beliefs and language and speech.
Modern life has given us many advantages, but it has also made us dull and unobservant of the natural world. How many plants can an average city-dweller identify? How many bird species can you name – even those that dart in and out of your garden? Travel into the interior of the gorgeous Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve… and the stark contrast just stares you in the face. These are people with a profound relationship with the land they live on. Did you know that the communities use as many as 128 plant species in their daily life? Most of this is used mainly as food, but also for medicine, in cultural practices as well as construction of homes. The tribes are a storehouse of trans-generational knowledge, particularly with activities involving farming practices, medicine, maintenance of home gardens, soil and water conservation and continuance of sacred groves.
The Tribes also have some practices that may seem inexplicable to others. Researchers term these ‘magico-religious beliefs’ – often these are a mix of pure science combined with an understanding of natural cycles and phenomena.
Somewhere Under the Rainbow
The Korku tribe, for instance, is very astronomically oriented. They focus on the Big Dipper (part of Ursa Major), and also show an understanding of many aspects of the sky including eclipses. Interestingly, they plant seeds based on the position of the rainbow during rainfall. If the rainbow is in the east of the village, it is considered a good indication for seeds to grow well.
A Time to Harvest
Tribes have a traditional way of collecting medicinal plants for therapy, tending to harvest them only on certain designated days. On the other hand, certain plants are held sacred or even inauspicious and it is forbidden to cut them.
Mahua, the Diviner
The mahua tree (Madhuca indica) holds great significance among the tribal groups of Pachmarhi due to its versatile utility. It is even used to predict weather patterns and crop yields. The tribal communities here believe that the colors of mahua flowers during April and May can help predict weather-related events. If the color remains deep yellow, it is assumed that agricultural production and rainfall will remain unaffected. However, if the flowers turn light yellow and seem to be turning reddish, this indicates that crops may be infected by insects, leading to a decline in agricultural produce. Additionally, the absence of mahua flowers altogether is believed to signify famine and harm to forest species.
Most travel changes you. It opens your mind and your heart. Pachmarhi will too – and it will also leave you a little wistful about the things our generation has lost.
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Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve is well connected by air, train and road. It is about 260km from Jabalpur and 230km from Bhopal. The nearest station is Pipariya (50km) and it is also possible to reach here via Itarsi (150 kms).