Sanjeevani herb mythological: Health expo organisers

Panaji, March 20 (IANS) Sanjeevani, a medicinal herb mentioned in the epic Ramayana which Lord Hanuman fetched from the Himayalas to cure Lord Ram's wounded brother Lakshman, is mythological and not even mentioned in the Ayurvedas, claims a health expo organiser in Goa.

The expo is jointly hosted by the state and central governments and a health sector NGO linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of an event to announce the three-day Ayushmaan Bharat health expo, one of the organisers Aditya Barve said Goa has good climatic conditions to grow medicinal herbs and the conference would educate farmers about the financial benefits of tapping the alternative medicine market.

When asked if the conference, which is expected to host giants from the alternative medicine industry in India, would look to explore the possibility of tracing the miraculous Sanjeevani, Barve said the herb was "mythological".

"No evidence is found. In Ayurveda text, there is no Sanjeevani mentioned as far as my knowledge is concerned," Barve said.

The reference to Sanjeevani comes when Hanuman was sent to the Himalayas to locate and fetch the herb to heal Lakshmana, Lord Rama's brother who was injured in a battle. Hanuman's flight to the icy mountains and procuring the herb yields results as Lakshmana was healed by the herb-based poultice.

The Goa conference is being organised by Arogya Bharti, a Bhopal-based NGO linked to the RSS, the Goa government and the newly formed union ministry for AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy).

Deepak Ghume, an Arogya Bharti office-bearer who is anchoring the conference, said the event will focus on drugs which are locally available and whose cultivation can fetch good money.

"Primarily we are looking at endangered species which need to be planted and nurtured in forests and those medicines which are needed in society," said Ghume, Arogya Bharti's regional head.

"Goa has seven pharmaceutical companies. The state has a lot of potential to grow medicinal herbs. What we are trying to do right now is to create a synergy between companies, farmers and the available potential," he said.

The conference, which gets underway on March 27, would host representatives of pharma companies, medicinal herb experts, farmers who have shifted to cultivating medicinal herbs and alternative medical professionals.

"In the beginning, we are getting farmers together so that they can learn how to farm the medicinal plants and what scope this kind of farming provides. For this we have brought experts to the expo who will be guiding them," Barve said.

"Goa has good climate in which certain herbs can be grown anywhere like aloe vera, adulsa and neem. If we can cultivate them properly, this raw material can be dried and supplied to pharmaceutical companies to prepare medicines. This can be a good opportunity for farmers," Barve said.