Women’s wisdom and indigenous human healthcare practices

Abstract

In the study, an effort was made to explore the diversities of indigenous knowledge systems pertaining to human health among rural women of the purposively selected villages of eastern part of Azamgarh district, Uttar Pradesh. Data pertaining to study were collected by using the participatory approach, group discussions, participant learning and personal interview methods. Results indicate that women are having their ancestral wisdom to cure many diseases. A range of indigenous fruits and tubers are utilized during drought and food scarcity to meet nutrition requirement for maintaining health. These indigenous practices of health were found to be appropriate on account of low cost, good efficacy and easy local availability.