NEEM
-2 [ Azadirachta
indica ]
If
one were to take recourse to proverbial narration, undoubtedly, the neem trees
[at least the oldest among them] would have been silent witnesses to several
killer plots, agitation plans, freedom struggle plots, congenial agreement for
alliances, secretive plans of elopement, borrowings of money and the resultant
animosity between persons; besides most of parrot astrology occurs in the
shades of neem/ peepul in villages. Neem is thus a silent witness in rural
life. Leaving aside such historic profundity profiles of the plant, it is quite
a subject of pride, for the role of neem is rather ‘all-embracing’ to describe
it in a classical style. Practically
every facet of human life does accommodate this plant with reverence and an
abiding faith.
Devil-scare
Among the rural folk, persons
afflicted by mental disturbances are branded ‘ devil-possessed’ and the usual
course of rectifying it begins with a hectic exercise of ‘drive-the devil out’ mission
using neem leaf bunches , heavy dousing of the afflicted with pounds of holy
ash ;the act itself looks both dramatic and chaotic by an incessant verbal duel
between the devil-possessed and the local drive containment expert –the poojaari. Every poojaari seems to draw his strength from the bunch of neem leaves that
he uses to scare the devil and plays frightening beats on his
narrow-waisted percussion drum –THE
UDUKKU. Invariably, the poojaari bales out a large number of
hymns in praise of the God/Goddess whom the poojaari
propitiates as his routine to sustain his image of authentic ambassador of that deity. None ever challenges his
stakes. Curiously, their belief renders relief to the sufferers and that
sustains this cult in villages.
Home
remedy
Every
human disorder like stomach upset, skin rash, pox of varied descriptions,
intestinal worms, diabetes, and teeth infections are rectified using neem leaf,
tender leaves, neem-turmeric combinations etc. There are several other facets
of neem worth learning about.
To
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