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Bananas go organic
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The Nisargotsav at Lalbagh, which concludes tomorrow, is useful to both the gardener and health freak.
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Taking health seriously
THE MOVIE Herbie Goes Bananas captured the imagination of fans in the '80s. At the Nisargotsav 2003, it was the bananas that caught my interest. The traditional welcome arch made of two banana-laden stalks came from a farm that specialises in organic farming — no chemical fertilisers, no unnatural ripening methods, and use of only herbal pesticides. The national exhibition is showcasing many medicinal, aromatic, and ornamental plants along with fruits and vegetables.
"The expo is aimed at helping people discover the mighty healing powers of plants and flowers," says Sunil of Raadium Innovations. Raadium, specialists in "the science of seminars and conferences", has organised the event in association with the Horticulture Department and the Mysore Horticulture Society, Lalbagh, and supported by the Directorate of Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy and the University of Agricultural Sciences. Nisargotsav 2003 was inaugurated at the Glass House, Lalbagh, on Friday and will conclude tomorrow.
The swans in the miniature pond at the centre of the Glass House look healthy and happy. Nature has its way of keeping all its believers in good health most of the time! All around the fowls were common plants like the pipli (good for cardiac disease, chronic fever, polyuria and haemorrhage says the helpful placard in Kannada and English), doddapatre (good for cough, cholera, bronchitis, and asthma) and mint (great for digestion). There are a host of other plants that are quite exotic. Bryophyllum is effective against bladder stones, stomach pain and dropsy, and chitrak helps relieve symptoms of rheumatism and paralysis. Though popping a pill is far easier than cleaning, grinding, and drinking concoctions made from leaves in the garden, Ayurveda is a 5000-year-old science that has proved its effectiveness. And more and more people are shunning synthetic medicines and cosmetics and going all out for products that carry the magic word `herbal'.
There are a number of stalls promoting herbal hair oils, face packs and other cosmetics for men and women at Nisargotsav. Health drinks too are quite in vogue, especially for diabetics. Medicinal plants and seeds are on sale too, along with vermicompost. For people with a passion for gardening, the expo is a veritable Garden of Eden.
Nisargotsav 2003 has a series of lectures and seminars and free Ayurvedic medical consultations. The programmes for April 14 include a seminar on floriculture as the sunrise industry by G.K Vasant Kumar, Director of Horticulture, and a seminar on organic cultivation and uses of plants in health care by M.Vasundhara, Associate Professor at UAS.
The event has brought together consumers, manufacturers, doctors, beauticians, dieticians, healers, growers, academicians, and students. Spending some time consorting with amlas, brahmis, bhringarajas, and jasmines at the Glass House is sure to make one more open to natural products.
The flower arrangements by Lalbagh's Rama Murthy, Rajani Ram Kumar, and their students too are a treat for sore eyes. Capsicums, anthuriums, strawberries, orchids, and dry flowers come together to make intriguing arrangements. And don't forget to carry a shopping bag to bring home some luscious farm-fresh vegetables and fruits!
For information call Raadium on 98454-96905, 98451-33399. Spotted an interesting magazine at the expo, Sanjivani Medical Times. The good news is that the Delhi-based magazine has just gone online. You may log on to www.sanjivanionline.com.
MALA KUMAR
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