Mangaluru: Tuluvas of Tulunad have their own traditions. One such is the drinking of a medicinal concoction made from the Paale (Satni Rooku in Konkani, Devil’s or Spirit’s Tree) bark on the day of Aati Amavasya. It’s a sacred day, and they believe that if this concoction is imbibed early in the morning on an empty stomach, before sunrise, it will provide them with immunity against diseases that are specific for rainy season, as well as absolve them of past sins.
The Concoction is made by boiling the bark of the tree with other ingredients like garlic, turmeric and fenugreek seeds. It is bitter to taste, and children make funny faces when forced to injest the same. Holy dips and temple visits are not far behind on the agenda thereafter.
Ancient doctors prescribed this medicine for a variety of ailments but put a condition that the bark of this tree must be consumed only on the first three days of this month. Seemingly, it is used by Homeopathic practitioners and practitioners of Chinese system of treatment. However, the practice of consuming this drink is in vogue only in coastal Karnataka at present.
Narahari Parvata near B C Road, Karinjeshwara in Vogga, Bantwal, Kirimanjeshwar near Kundapur etc., are some of the temples visited by the devotees on this day, to pray to the divine for their health and secure future. But one has to be cautious too. Wrong identification of the Paale tree, would result in illness and it is quite possible, given the fact that the bark is removed in the dark, before sunrise.
