Shiv Kumar Padha
Whatever is there in our body is also present in the universe as the five elements of ether, air, fire, water and earth dance around and within us. Ayurveda groups these five elements into three basic types of energy and functional principals, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Ayurveda is a healthy-life style system that people in India have been using for more than 5000 years. Ayurveda emphasizes good health and prevention and treatment of illness through life style practices and the use of herbal remedies.
Origin: No final word can be said regarding the origin of Ayurveda in Basohli, but it is believed that the practice of curing the diseases with the use of herbs was in vogue even before sixteenth centaury. This belief has been endorsed by the historical fact that, in compliance with the wishes of Raja Kirpal Pal and in the view of the interest of Vaidyas of Basohli both Pt Kantha Sharma and Pt Shiv Prasad of Basohli compiled the wonderful books of Charak and translation of Sutra Sthana of Sushruta in 1688. It is said that Padha Kunj Lal was in possession of these two manuscripts of Ayurveda.
Land of Vaidyas: It will not be an exaggeration if I call Basohli a town of Vaidyas and a hub of Ayurveda in the Himalayan states because the Vaidyas of Basohli have not been popular in the Jammu region only but they had earned a good reputation and name all over the areas falling under Punjab. Vaidyas of Basohli were well versed in the field of Pulse and face reading, patient psychology, symptomatic diagnosis, nature and effects of the vegetations and the minerals used in the treatment. It is popular for the Vaidyas of Basohli that they could feel the pulse of a patient even ten feet away by holding one end of a thread while the other bound round the wrist of the patient. The services of the Vaidyas from Basohli were utilized by the rajas of the adjoining hilly states. The grateful rajas rewarded them with bungalows at the panoramic tourist places like Dalhousie, Chamba, Shimla, Daramshala and in the popular cities of Punjab.
Availability of raw material: The herbs and the plants grown in the forests, along the rivulets, on the slopes of the hills were the rich source of the raw material used in the preparation of the medicines because the herbs, plants and the minerals were available in abundance there. The basic ingredients of Ayurveda medicines like Amla Harad Behda, Billav, Arjun, Nargundi, Amaltas, Ashavgandha, Kantkari, Kamila, Rasount, Giloi, Vasa, Inder Jo,Kutz, Haldi Rasount, Aloe vera, Muthur and Varian were locally available whereas Kuth Kins, Dhoop, Beladona, Jungli Podina, Jungali Ajwain, Bhang, Daakh, straw berry and Vanfsha were the items available at high altitudes. The natives helped the vaidyas collecting these materials from the forests for them.
The Ayurvedic medicines prepared by the vaidyas were both cheap as well costly. The costly medicines like Basant Kusumakar, Basant Malti, Sidh Makardwaj, Swarn Bhasam, Abhrak Bhasam, used gold, silver, saffron, mercury, pearls, etc in their preparation. These costly medicines were prepared specially for the patients from the royal family in bulk where a fraction out of the bulk medicine was utilized by the royal families while the remaining major part of the medicines were left for use of the subjects. In many cases the Rajas of the Basohli state used to issue these costly items, in good faith, to the Vaidyas from the royal stores. In addition to the medicines Vaidyas of Basohli were also known for the preparation of different Tails and poultices.
Preparation of medicines: Before the preparation of the medicines the ingredients were passed through many stages in order to remove any poisonous content contained. Finally these raw ingredients were thoroughly washed with the anti-toxin liquids, Vaidyas manufactured the medicines on the large scale using indigenous earthen made equipment like furnaces, ovens, smelters and distillation plants. The use of mortars, and homemade expellers were used for grinding and extracting juices of some herbs or wild fruits. The job of preparation was so accurate and cumbersome that a little mistake at any stage of making medicines could result in serious consequences. Since the whole family of the Vaidyas remained busy in the preparation of the medicines throughout the day and night rajas provided them with the man power and the material needed during the preparations. The Vaidyas of Basohli were conferred with the honour of Nav Rattan in their courts and guaranteed honorable subsistence in life.
Ethical values of the Vaidyas profession despite fact that there were no means of connectivity other than the water transport boats, hundreds of the patients from around the town thronged the houses of the Vaidyas. Who, after thorough check up, gave them the medicines for a particular period free of cost. The patients and their companions were served free meals from the messes of the Vaidyas. For further reference and follow up purpose a permanent record of the patients was maintained by the Vaidyas. In order to assess the effect of the medicine and get the feedback of the response of the of the patient Vaidyas used to pay the visit to the homes of the local patients till their recovery.
Professional proficiency Basohli Vaidyas were expert in the art of face reading patient psychology and pulse reading to the extent that could tell about the disease of the patient even holding one end of the thread in his hand the other tied with the wrist of the patient. They could easily tell about the kind of disease patient suffering from only by reading face expression of the person taking the Vaidya to the house of the patient. The Vaidyas always remained in demand due to their mastery in the professions. The Home made medicines could not cater to the growing need of the patients, the use of automatic equipment in the pharmacies the production of the medicines has been enhanced upto the desirable level enabling the Vaidyas to do justice with their noble profession. There is a big list of Vaidyas which the soil of Basohli produced in the past but the names of Vaidyas Late Bheem Sen, Kunj, Thakur Dass, Jagan Nath, Rattan Chand, Tek Chand, Bishamber Lal all from the clan of Padha family of Basohli and Vaid Jagdish Raj Sharma and from among the surviving the names Ram Niwas Padha, Dr Yog Raj Padha are worth mentioning as both the living and those no more in the world have brought revolution in the field of Ayurvedic medicines and the Ayurvedic system of treatment in the region Though much water has flown in the river of Ravi since sixteenth century the families which were ever engaged with the preparation of the medicines are still perusing the vocation and preparing at least one medicine for use in different common ailments in the society for free distribution. Popular families engaged in the noble work are.
* Padha family in preparation of the life saving and life sustaining drugs.
* Late Padha Kunj Lal for digestive Choorn, life-saving drug Basant Malti Sarp Mookhi Anjan (Surma prepared in snakes’ mouth)
* Dr Yog Raj Padha, an expert hand in the field of operation of piles by Kshar-sooter (thread) prepared at home.
* Walia family for preparation of ointments for burns.
* Makhotra family for the treatment of scorpion sting.
* Soni family (Late Malo Devi Mehta) for treatment of conjunctivitis.
* Saraf family for the medicine for treatment of dysentery and diarrhea along with Mishree and Sat-isbagole as anupan.
* Chouhan family famous (Late Faquir chand ) for treatment of snake bite
* Tula Ram Purohit ancestors of Sat Pal Purohit for infection of children mouth causing drooling.
* Dogra family of Tola for skin diseases and Kalpatra.
* Muslim Kashmiri families for treatment of eczema and infected eczema and snake bites.
* Late Billowria Ram Singh for pain in waste lumber.
* Late Sub Kahan singh Billaweria and family for pains and fevers.
* Late Chandu Lal Saklotia and his family for guaranteed treatment of wounds leading to cancer.
