The Mahalaxmi Saras 2019 Fair showcased itself as a colourful melange of states, communities, tribes, food and culture, and even unique medicines, as could be witnessed in this event being held from January 23 to February 4 in the Bandra East suburb of Mumbai.
Mahatma Gandhi truly said that “The soul of India lives in its villages.” While not many people may be aware about it, it is from many of these 597,464 census villages that people living in even in megacities and other places are just beginning to discover the benefits of cow’s urine as an efficient disinfectant among many other uses, besides also being an organic and environment-friendly solution to household insect problems.
What is additionally interesting is that the cow has thus also become an employment generator for the people — especially women – living in the numerous villages of India, as they gather up cowdung and urine for multipurpose uses.
Two women, who came all the way from far off villages in the Akola-Amravati area of Maharashtra, shyly posed for photos while displaying the bottles and their benefits, that are being promoted by Dr Sanjay Deshmukh of Gomti Goseva from that area. “Shridham Gomutra Kitniyantrak” reads a poster in the stall, which highlights the efforts of the self help group titled ‘Triveni Shendriya Sheti Bachat Gatt of Nandgaon in Amravati district.
Another SHG called ‘Surbi Mahila Swaya Sahayta Samuh’ from Shegaon taluka in Buldana district of Maharashtra — is also highlighting the manifold benefits of the cow’s excreta and urine in uses through Cowdung mosquito coil, incense sticks, floor cleaner, facepacks and other items.
Dr Deshmukh, a student of Sanskrit who hails from Akola, has researched cow urine as a science for 22 years and gives practical training wherever “Desi’ cows are to be found. “Desi cows are different from others in their humps and dewlaps and their urine – which contains 24 positive substances including 19 types of nitrogen and even ‘Curcurmin’ that cures cancer, and lactose form heart blockage — is uniquely used in curing cancer and even eyesight problems. Cow’s urine cleans the pesticides found on vegetables, fruits and even from the human body,” he said.
India has been given the title of Diabetes Capital of the World with 50.9 million people being diabetic and this figure likely to go up to 80 million by 2025. One stall here featured Preeti Waghmare, her husband and baby, who came all the way from Telangana to sell organic medical solutions to health problems besetting people nowadays.
Waghmare displayed a variety of herbs and ayurvedic medicines that could cure many of ailments including kidney stones disappearing within three to five days, besides “Junglee Badam” (Wild Almonds) priced at Rs 200 per packet highlighting a positive result in barely 15 days for diabetics.
A man suffering from diabetes sugar count of 400 inquired about a particular diabetic medicine, and dilly-dallied for a moment before paying the price of Rs 650 for a packet of the concerned herbal powder for consumption at his home. Waghmare also highlighted her certificates of training and participation in various events of herbal medicine for the various powders and pills in bottles stacked on the tables that included medicines for jaundice, piles, paralysis, diabetes, joint pains, among others.
