Into The Enchanting Wilderness

Gopakumar AV

If you are cured by the aroma of these medicinal plants, it won't be a matter of any surprise. Yes, Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute(TBGRI), Palode Thiruvananthapuram, has an exotic collection of ethnic-medicinal varieties, to relieve you from any sort of pain. Perhaps, TBGRI has the largest single collection of living medicinal plants in India.

TBGRI, located at Palode, is 40 km away from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The site has a back drop of the enchanting western ghat hills, blessed with the warbling of tropical birds. Many rivulets join the river Chittar which passes the southern boundary of the garden, thereby nourishing it. The evergreen, decidous, reverine and marshy components add colours to the site. On a whole, it gives one a feeling of a Van Goh's painting.

The garden has about 1000 species of medicinal plants, which include those used in tribal, traditional and modern system of medicine.They are attractively displayed with descriptive labels, along with a large number of related wild species. And they spread over at three locations. A reference collection of about 400 specimens of seeds and raw drugs are arranged in the attached museum, which is an added feature to this Garden. TBGRI has also got a gene bank. And it's supplemented with a seed bank, invitro bank and cryo bank, equipping it for conservational activities. The Gene bank programme is supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India.

"We go by the regulations of 1940's Botanical Garden Conservation International, which say the need of proper awareness among the public and their role in conservation" asserts Dr. P.J.Mathew, a senior scientist and the man in charge of the medicinal garden. Development of local cultural production technologies, Dissemination of the fruits of Research and Development activities for public advantage are a part of this endeavor. The programmes like 'Herbal of the week', which focuses on the medicinal properties of a particular plant in detail, to educate the public the benefits of conservation, are other steps taken in this regard.

In TGBRI, the plants are arranged in such a way that their medicinal values are emphasized more rather than their taxonomic details, making the layman more close towards them. You can find here sections like Anti diabetic plants., including Tinispora cordifolia, Gymnea Sylvestra etc. Then the "Dasa pushpam", the medicinal plants which are a part of Hindu rituals. "Mother and child" section including, Brahmi, Ramacham, Thippali, Vayambu etc needed for the proper care of mother and child... and a lot more, for the remedies to various diseases.

The tribal medicinal plants like Arogya pacha (Trichopus zeylanicus), which is a major ingredient in many of the rejevunatory tonics, Varamanajal (coseinium fenestratum) an antiseptic and antidiabetic which are exclusive rare varieties found in the western ghats, also find a place in this garden.

If you want share this medicinal experience, come to enchanting wilderness of TBGRI. Worry not, TBGRI has got an excellent library, herbarium, resource persons to assist you and also a guest home for your quiet study.