'They are the healers'

 

‘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.

They have a longing to meet the people of those mountains whom are alike the brothers and sisters. And one day, one terrible incident happens with the women. While catching each other in enjoyment and fruits, one of the woman bites a forbidden fruit despite of the prohibition by the other women. She ate and fell down. A situation of fear, tensions and worries arise at the moment and the women outburst and shouted-‘’Alas! Deuri! “

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.

 

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