Dhanvanthri Jayanthi celebration at Purnapramati Pre-primary on 12-12-2012

The event started by 9:30 am, with a welcome speech by Uma, the guests were Sri Jayanna, an Ayurvedic doctor from Sawana Durga and parents of an M2 child Aadith L. As a part of the theme of the year-WATER, the theme for this event was ‘Samudra’ the Ocean.

The program was started by lighting the lamp by guest, principal and children. Children sung an invocation ‘Shakthi Sahitha Ganapatim’. Our Sanskrit teacher Muralidhar spoke about the significance of the day and narrated the story Samudhra Manthana and Dhanvanthri’s birth. Children recited a shloka on Dhanvanthri. Children enacted the skit of “Sagarollanghana” and “Sanjeevini Parvatha”.

There was a dance representing the ocean ‘Bangara Neera Kadalachegeec Hegide’ a poem by    Da Ra Bendre. Then the guest addressed the children, showed them different plants and explained the medicinal uses of these plants. An informal vote of thanks was given by Uma.

Dhanvanthri Jayanthi celebration at Purnapramati Primary on 12-12-2012

Dhanvantari jayanthi of this year celebrated on 12^th Dec excellently exemplified the integration of Indian traditional, indigenous and the modern knowledge systems that has been the sole focus of Purnapramati.

It was a one and a half hour program with a very versatile guest Sri Jayanna, a dweller of Savanadurga forests. The program began with the lighting of lamp by the guest. Anantanna then guided the children chant a shloka on Lord Dhanvantari. Our principal introduced the guest to the children. Sri Jayanna then addressed the children and the teachers educating about numerous medicinal plants, their appliances and their botanical and ethnic kannada names. Some of them are listed here: Tulasi – A medicine for cold, caugh and fever, Ondelaga – A medicine for Jaundice, Amrutaballi(Tinospora Cordifolia) – A medicine for Jaundice and Diabetes, Tincher – An applicant for wounds, Dodda patre(coleus amboinicus) – A medicine to improve digestion, loLe sara(Alovera , Kumari) – A skin smoothner, Madhunashini(Gymnema Sylvestre) – A popular medicine for diabetes, Nelabevu(Andrographis panikulata) – A drug for snake bites, Kakke kayi – A medicine for jaundice, Majjige beru or ashadi beru or halavu makkala tayi – A medicine to improve mother’s milk, Bevina chekke(Neem tree’s peel ) – A medicine for joint pain, Belada hannu(wood apple) – A popularly used fruit to make juice which is also an excellent medicine for heart problems.

Sri Jayanna also quoted a few methods of making medicines at home using the parts of popular plants like mango, bilva, etc. He also warned the gathering of the fake enterprise of medicine in the present day and insisted upon self cultivation. He also shared the experience of saving himself from fatal condition of severe appendicitis through self medication using bilva patre and dieting.

Concluding his talk, Sri Jayanna gave a call to the children and the teachers to conserve the neglected herbal families like the very sparsely found(only in 8 districts in Karnataka) Makliberu . His gave the slogan ULISI  BELESI  BALASI.

Very much inspired by the guest the children and the team members of Purnapramati together swore to foster at least two of the introduced plants from the very day. Accordingly all the children were given with two plants to take home and the teachers with five each.

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