I had had a nasty fall. It resulted in a deep cut. A long vertical cut two inches above my index finger on the right hand. I could see the white ligament inside. For a moment there was nothing – no pain, no blood. I must have been paralyzed with shock. Soon, blood started oozing out and I felt a searing pain deep inside. I could not run home to grandma because of fear. Friends gathered around me hastily. One of them quickly plucked out a handful of those wonderful leaves, extracted its juice by wringing it in his palms and applied the juice to my cut. For some seconds the pain was intense, but soon the pain subsided.
When it was time to go home after a day’s long play, a scab had formed over my wound. Now it did not look as bad as it did when the wound was first inflicted, but it was pretty much enough for my grandma to give me a good tongue lashing about my carelessness, clumsiness, etcetera, etcetera. The main object of this narration is not to tell you how I was as a boy of course; rather I wish to tell you of a miraculous plant that is widely found in Darjeeling Hills. The locals call it titapati, I suppose it is called Mugwort in English; the botanists know it as asterasia vulgaris.
Gorkhas in Darjeeling hills are predominantly Hindus, but they also have aspects of animist rituals. Leaves of the mugwort plant are thus imperative in many of such rituals. When the household deities are being worshipped, the shamans or witchdoctors use the mugwort leaves extensively. The juice of this plant has antiseptic properties. It is also used as organic pesticide/fungicide. It has been used as cure for acnes, pimples, cuts, bruises and blood pressure with remarkable results.
I suspect that some study has been done on this plant; however, any serious student of botany would find this plant curious enough to tickle his fancy.
