‘They
are the healers'
There
are abundance of natural miracles around us. We are the children of the nature
and hence the mother nature teaches about the harmony to us. She does not teaches
us by the direct words. Rather she stands still at one place accepting all its
seasonal changes at the same place till it’s end of life. For this reason ,in
many religious belief or faith, the nature and it’s growth becomes our pathmaker.
In
the universe, we all are connected. In nature, there are living beings, trees, rivers,
mountains and hills. The habitants of nature are always close to each other and
there’s always built up a connection between every creatures of the nature.
With
this thought, we tried to frame a performance based on a creative narration. The
context of the performance is about a very rare herb termed as Visalyakarani
and the users. The users use itvas a medicinal plants against any poisonous effect.
It’s a very old species of herbs and very few have knowledge about it and
ability to recognise these herbs.
It’s
believed that there are angel guardian dwell in the forest and the hills who
protect and preserve the mother nature. They have almost all the knowledge
about the herbs and plants. This can be referred a back date period (an early Palaeolithic
period) when human beings struggled a lot with the nature.
These
angel guardian are so much of helpful that they are always ready to help
anyone. They travel one top to another of hills and mountains in group. They
are young and strong who do not afraid of anything. They never walk rather jump
with their little baggy. They carry knives, thungri etc. to hunt as well as to
protect from wild animals. They sing, jump and narrate balladry.
The
plains call them as wild healer whose heroic deeds are very much popular. But
they hardly meet to each other. It’s the nature that brings them closer. They
hunt but keep aware of the crops in the field cultivation. On the other hand, the
cultivators of plains always adore the life and livelihood of hills. Both of
them never meet to each other but still connected by some way or other.
While
hervesting, the sounds of cookoo turns the women happy and dancing birds. They
started imitating the nature and natural sounds for the moment. A dance of harvesting
is thus created along with the nature. At this moment, when the women sharing
the footsteps of harvesting to each other, the murmuring sounds from the hills
also make them thoughtful. They are missing their brothers from hills. The
hilly brothers are very dear to them whom are always started their dawn some working
effort. The brave brothers are not only care taker of the human, in fact they
are the Guardian angels. They have a protective shield which they use for the
needy living being. There are frogs, butterflies, grasshopper, whistle, crows, crocodiles
and other creatures around whom they also need to control and always alert to
find a way of harmony with human being. For the sufferers, they are the
healers. For the normal being, they are the Guardian of nature. And for these guardian
angels, Gods are the healers.
There’s
a still life and livelihood. Women are doing their works while the men do their
own. The tree lore among the women make them always a brave one to go forward
or to never worry. This traditional knowledge is very important for them and going against of it, is a taboo.
But, there's always happened a rare case when someone go against it, and bring
forth a challenge of the ancient knowledge.
The
priesthood culture among the Assamese indigenous people is basically about the
knowledge of herbs and paddy grains. They do not have teachers neither a particular
teaching place to conduct any ancient lessons. They grow with sharing the
knowledge from elders to youngers during their collective work hours. The
village women, besides of their household, they have a few collective work
schedule with other. They sow paddy or making the festive rice cakes or cutting
the crops or plucking the “xaak” as a together business. They carry one woman
whom is younger than them and of a very small aged. They work together and take
rest and eat their lunch. Sometimes, they become overwhelm by the blooming
nature and enjoy a lot. They sit and their enjoyment leads them to look at the
hills and mountains. They know the people live out there but never get a chance
to meet them. Some says that they look horrible and other says they are
helpful. But, what so over, every one admit that they are the Psethurist.
The
Deuri woman whom was attacked by the forbidden fruit, is now resting helpless
with poisonous pout. The women cry for help and was listen by no one in the
village but the Guardian Angels. They brought the valuable herb sanjivani for
them and the women could able to make the deuri alive. The guardian angels are
the travellers from one forest to another, from one top to another top of a
hill. They always alert by the sounds from plains. And they are also very much
pleased by the brotherhood.
The
men are dependent on women and home, whereas women live their life as a
complete healer. They are the ultimate care taker of an ill person. They are
the healers to inhilate the poison or illness to be recovered. Their
brotherhood with the guardian angels is a challenge of moral values of their
clans and society. At the same time, they are all connected for a reason. The
men whom are familiar to the dry leaves, the haunted beast, the flowers, the
honey bee and other insects as well as the valuable herbs. They struggle their
life with the wilds every now and then. Their mind and souls filled with anxious
until they hunt something of their own interest. They too believe the angel
guardians whom are known for their help and blessings to the Deuris of the
villages downward. They know the effect of the poisons and always close to
these guardian angels for their blessings.
