Quite a common bird,
Laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) is seen in dry scrub and
semi-desert habitats. They have a characteristic call the reason for the name.
While in sub Saharan Africa they are referred to as Senegal dove. Spotted this
one at Bharatpur (Rajasthan), further away from the lake.
Itty
Achuthan: 17th century Ayurvedic doctor and a pioneering
botanist
I was in Kerala, as I
was flipping through the newspaper at the village reading room (that hasn’t
changed in last many decades) I came across this news item related to declaring
Itty Achuthan’s ‘kuriala’, a small pagoda
like wooden room used by the scholar almost three centuries back, as a heritage site. I recall reading about
Itty Achuthan, as also visiting an exhibit few years back at Natural Historical
museum (Delhi) where there was an exhibition on Hortus Malabaricus. Next day I
was at Kadakarapally (a coastal village near Cherthala town), about a kms walk
is the Kuriala, it’s clear that the region had quite strong Buddhist influence
before Shankaracharya (his birthplace Kalady isn’t far from here) advaithic
philosophy, which unfortunately gave impetus to a pan-India resurgence to
ritual driven deviance that degraded the religion as also the gave the
foundation to mediocre and cannibalistic society. This need to be asserted
since Itty Achuthan belong to marginalized section and his access to
knowledge was possible due to a parallel stream of egalitarianism that existed
in the society. Buddhism being the forerunner to this. Hortusum Itty Achuthanum - Sathyavum
Mithyayum (by AN Chidambaram) cites a long list of vaidya tradition of
Kadakkarappally, which had a notable Buddhist university and a large population of followers of Buddhism, going by the notes of Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang
who visited India in 620 AD. The lady of the house, of the Kollat family, came out and explained to me about Kuriala's significance and so on. No she has no connection with ayurveda, her son later joined, he told me he does ‘some cable work’ as he took me to the Kavu nearby which is site of some rare plants. Next day I also visited the Hill palace in Thripunithara (kochi) where a botanical garden based on the plants mentioned in Hortus Malabaricus is maintained.
Itty Achuthan was a 17th
century Vaidyar (ancient traditional doctor -that is usurped under systematized ayurveda) who had precious understanding on practice
of 
Ayurveda as also the specialized knowledge on rare endemic medicinal shrubs.
Apart from his own observations the lineage, of hundreds of years of accumulated medico-botanical knowledge, that he
kept in palm leafs became a rich source. He led the compilation and
documentation work of Hortus Malabaricus
–meaning Garden of Malabar, is a
comprehensive treatise that deals with the medicinal properties of the flora in
the Malabar region (that is now Kerala). Originally written in Latin, it was
compiled over a period of nearly fifteen years and published from Amsterdam
during 1678-1693, it was conceived, managed and financed by the Dutch
Malabar governor Hendrik Van Rheede. The
Hortus Malabaricus comprises 12 volumes of about 500 pages each, with
794 copper plate engravings. Over 742 different rare plants and their
indigenous sciences are described and illustrated in the book, making it
one of the earliest authoritative and comprehensive documentation of flora of
the Indian subcontinent, it is arguably a pioneering effort from anywhere across
the world. Itty Achuthan’s efforts were however lost in India, it was only when
Hortus Malabaricus was translated into English/Malayalam (by Manilal, who also
made efforts to focus on Itty Achudan’s significant contribution) that his greatness
became apparent. Even then, he is being ignored, none of the Ayurvedic colleges
nor any institutions are named after him (it is in this context you have to
understand the profusion of Gandhi in all possible public places, he is being
hoisted while some amazing people are willfully negated. These depraved
Gandhians I have been cautioning against). It took the policy maker so many
years to declare Itty Achuthan’s legacy as heritage. What a deviant society is
this? Non-violently so!! In the meanwhile the West has honoured and cherished him
by naming Achudemia –an entire plant family, in his name. This was done as early as 19th
century! Such is our education system and culture that not many (even in Kerala) are aware of Itty Achuthan.
Ayurveda as also the specialized knowledge on rare endemic medicinal shrubs.
Apart from his own observations the lineage, of hundreds of years of accumulated medico-botanical knowledge, that he
kept in palm leafs became a rich source. He led the compilation and
documentation work of Hortus Malabaricus
–meaning Garden of Malabar, is a
comprehensive treatise that deals with the medicinal properties of the flora in
the Malabar region (that is now Kerala). Originally written in Latin, it was
compiled over a period of nearly fifteen years and published from Amsterdam
during 1678-1693, it was conceived, managed and financed by the Dutch
Malabar governor Hendrik Van Rheede. The
Hortus Malabaricus comprises 12 volumes of about 500 pages each, with
794 copper plate engravings. Over 742 different rare plants and their
indigenous sciences are described and illustrated in the book, making it
one of the earliest authoritative and comprehensive documentation of flora of
the Indian subcontinent, it is arguably a pioneering effort from anywhere across
the world. Itty Achuthan’s efforts were however lost in India, it was only when
Hortus Malabaricus was translated into English/Malayalam (by Manilal, who also
made efforts to focus on Itty Achudan’s significant contribution) that his greatness
became apparent. Even then, he is being ignored, none of the Ayurvedic colleges
nor any institutions are named after him (it is in this context you have to
understand the profusion of Gandhi in all possible public places, he is being
hoisted while some amazing people are willfully negated. These depraved
Gandhians I have been cautioning against). It took the policy maker so many
years to declare Itty Achuthan’s legacy as heritage. What a deviant society is
this? Non-violently so!! In the meanwhile the West has honoured and cherished him
by naming Achudemia –an entire plant family, in his name. This was done as early as 19th
century! Such is our education system and culture that not many (even in Kerala) are aware of Itty Achuthan.
Itty Achuthan indeed is
father of modern Ayurveda. It is his diligently acquired deep knowledge that once
got 
published was converted into medicines and products not only in India but
has become part of tradition in western countries too. Many of the knowledge related
to uses of spices in Europe can be traced to not only his efforts but also
benevolent nature, as he shared whatever he knew unlike the elites who kept it
secret with whatever viciousness they could muster. His concern was
preservation of precious knowledge, for this he got support and encouragement
from a Dutch. Indians didn’t have much use of Achuthan’s knowledge is a
devastating indictment of what Indian society is all about. Though must add the
Cochin king did help the Dutch in the effort. Apart from specialized knowledge
on flora Achuthan was also a multilingual and could converse in Portuguese this
also helped his case. There were few elites from Konkan region too but their
contributions were quite insignificant since they lacked practical knowledge,
and were mostly superficial and techniques followed were based on weak
foundation, the reason why Reede put faith on Achuthan. Achuthan’s methods of
classification had context of social affinity and relevance. It should be
pointed that much later Linnaeus adopted the same method of classification in
1740, as did many other scientists who 
followed. One could conclude that it was
Itty Achuthan’s diligent observations and acumen that made Hortus Malabaricus
possible, and so helped our
understanding of our flora. It wouldn’t be out of place to mention that he
in many ways helped put the foundation botany as also knowledge related to it.
published was converted into medicines and products not only in India but
has become part of tradition in western countries too. Many of the knowledge related
to uses of spices in Europe can be traced to not only his efforts but also
benevolent nature, as he shared whatever he knew unlike the elites who kept it
secret with whatever viciousness they could muster. His concern was
preservation of precious knowledge, for this he got support and encouragement
from a Dutch. Indians didn’t have much use of Achuthan’s knowledge is a
devastating indictment of what Indian society is all about. Though must add the
Cochin king did help the Dutch in the effort. Apart from specialized knowledge
on flora Achuthan was also a multilingual and could converse in Portuguese this
also helped his case. There were few elites from Konkan region too but their
contributions were quite insignificant since they lacked practical knowledge,
and were mostly superficial and techniques followed were based on weak
foundation, the reason why Reede put faith on Achuthan. Achuthan’s methods of
classification had context of social affinity and relevance. It should be
pointed that much later Linnaeus adopted the same method of classification in
1740, as did many other scientists who followed. One could conclude that it was
Itty Achuthan’s diligent observations and acumen that made Hortus Malabaricus
possible, and so helped our
understanding of our flora. It wouldn’t be out of place to mention that he
in many ways helped put the foundation botany as also knowledge related to it.
Itty Achuthan kept all
his knowledge in palm leafs and kept it inside the cane basket, due to neglect
and lack of interest they got destroyed over the centuries now only the basket
survives. A lamp is lit every night at the Kuriala in memory of this great
vaidyar, who should be remembered for his yeoman service in spreading knowledge
and understanding of flora for the sake of humanity. He is undoubtedly father
of modern Ayurveda.
Itty Achuthan’s
whereabouts and what happened to him is sketchy. It is held that he was taken to
Amsterdam where he died in 1670s, though no record exist to prove it.
From my scribble pad…
Hooded men
My apologies to the pause that precedes the violence
The knife that search for the artery.
For the black hoods that we have become.
Anonymous lives and brutal fates fed to the gory specter
Only the mating call of the bee eater breaks the eeriness
Lungs gargle in blood that has lost its use
The pain doesn’t spill but grows into an appetite.
How have we come here, this far?
Fragile, umbilical cord to the sleeping world
Learning each step and being sure, very sure
That the pause doesn’t make us listen
Silence don’t make us searching
Where do we go from here?
Hooded men
My apologies to the pause that precedes the violence
The knife that search for the artery.
For the black hoods that we have become.
Anonymous lives and brutal fates fed to the gory specter
Only the mating call of the bee eater breaks the eeriness
Lungs gargle in blood that has lost its use
The pain doesn’t spill but grows into an appetite.
How have we come here, this far?
Fragile, umbilical cord to the sleeping world
Learning each step and being sure, very sure
That the pause doesn’t make us listen
Silence don’t make us searching
Where do we go from here?
