The old and ancient medicines of India, a gift from our ancestors passed on from generations, a cure for our future generations

Ranjit was crying incessantly since yesterday night. Ranjit had only turned a month old a day earlier and was the pearl of my eye. Seeing him crying incessantly made me cringe but there was nothing I could do.  I had taken him to a Doctor yesterday and the Doc said that Ranjit was suffering from stomach ache probably due to indigestion (he was not sure).  As he was a child, the Doc couldn't prescribe any allopathic medicines.  Even if he had prescribed any medicine, I was totally against the drugs and chemicals being consumed by humans unless actually necessary as they did more harm than good.

Coming back to crying Ranjit, it was sufficient to make me and my wife loose our appetite as well as worry about when Ranjith would stop crying.  The mood in the house was foul and depressing.  Just than I had a spark of idea.  I saw a bulb flashing over my head just like they show in cartoons.  I immediately called my mom who accidentally was born in a village and new about village medicines much better than anybody else.  I told her the problem about Ranjith and asked her to come immediately to my house.  She stays a couple of blocks away and came immediately.   The other reason was she loves and dotes Ranjit more than I do, you know the grandmother love.

Upon arriving to our house, she gave just a glance to crying Ranjit and immediately summoned me and my wife.  Mom said Ranjith had a minor irritation and we did better give him the magic 'Churna' To prepare the magic Churna she said we did require, Pimpli, Kaali Miri, Lasun, Sagar Goti and our very own Dabur Honey.

1. Pimpli or Piplamul is called Piper Longum in English.   Its dried unrip fruits and root are useful in the medicinal purpose.

2. Kaali Miri or Kali Mirch is called Black Pepper corn in English.  It is used in day to day preparations in our kitchens.

3. Lasun or Garlic, I think everybody knows

4. Sagar Goti which is called Moluca Bean is very useful for small tots.  Its is used for everything from cough, cold to stomach aches.

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The last and most important ingredient of this Churna is our very own Dabur Honey.  There are various brands available but Dabur Honey has been in our household as far as I can remember.

After getting all the ingredients, Mom told my wife to mix them on a grinding stone and make a fine paste.  All the time this was happening Ranjit didnt stop crying making my wife scurry along with the preparation of the Churna.

Once the Churna was ready, Mom took it on a spoon and started making Ranjit lick it in small quantity.  Mom gave him a spoon full of the Churna and told us to wait for 15 minutes.  Lo and behold in exactly 20 minutes Ranjit stopped crying and in another 10 minutes he was back to his normal self chuckling away with a smile on his face.

From that day my faith in tradition medicines increased by leaps and bounds.  Even my wife who was not much of a believer in the ancient arts became a follower of Mom and her medicines.  After all her son's all night long crying may have had something to do with it.  Now a days we use every kind of traditional medicine that can be kept ready.  Ranjit is always massaged with Lal Taila from Dabur before every bath which is quite a ritual in our household.  This is the secret of our chubby Ranjith!!!

This post was written for Lal Taila contest