Bum Lahiri Honey: A true GOLD from the Soliga tribe

 

When you enter B R Hills or Billigiriranganatha Hills you enter into a different world. This place is no ordinary place. The name B R Hills means the LORD OF THE WHITE CLOUDS. It seems that TIME has not been able to change the setting of this place. It is still more or less like untouched by the outer world though the Soliga tribe, the original inhabitants of this jungle now send their children to school and also use modern amenities but their relationship with the jungle is still remains intact.

 Padmashri Dr Sudharshan was the first man in 1976 who went into this deep forest to make the first contact with the SOLIGAS. Though initially he was welcomed with arrows but slowly they showed confidence in him. He than delivered medicines to them and also started a school for their children. We also did a detailed story about his great works. Click the link below to read that story as well.

This story is all about HONEY. Why honey ? just because this is a real tribal gift to the civil societies from a tribe that knows how to collect pure honey and bring it to our tables. Human use of honey is traced to some 8000 years as depicted by stone age paintings. The ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks and Romans employed honey for wounds and diseases of the gut.

HONEY IN AYURVEDA:

The ancient vedic civilisation considered honey as one of nature’s most remarkable gifts to mankind. Traditionally, honey is a boon to those with weak digestion. Also it has been emphasized that the use of honey is highly beneficial in the treatment of irritating cough. Honey is useful in keeping teeth and gums healthy. It has been used for centuries for the treatment of INSOMNIA because it has hypnotic action. Ayurvedic experts recommend honey for skin disorders, cardiac pain and palpitation, all imbalances of the lungs and anemia. It has the power to treat eye disorders too.

Dr Sudarshan and Mataji – way back in 1979 started a HONEY COLLECTING CENTER in B R Hills. They wanted the Soligas to bring PURE and BEST form of honey which could be sold in the market and the money could fund the education of their own children. The Soligas did what was expected of them but they never disturbed the BEEHIVE. They took half of the honey from one hive and left the half for the bees so that they can again rebuild the beehive fast. In this process the habitat of the bees were kept intact and yet people got the best of the honey.

You would be suprised to know that B R Hills falls at the end of Eastern and the Western Ghats in the Nilgiri Mountains. Therefore it is considered to be the BEST bio diverse area of India. Apart from flowers – the bees collect the nectar from cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and other ayurvedic herbs. This makes SOLIGA honey a great source of NATURAL MEDICINE for the common man.

Oral administration of honey to treat and protect against gastrointestinal infection such as gastritis, duodenitis and gastric ulceration caused by bacteria and rotavirus. Diarrhea and gastroenteritis are found to resolve quickly with honey.

Honey is also considered to be very auspicious too like turmeric in Indian traditions. Each and every household try to keep honey for different purposes. There is a big demand of honey world wide, but to get pure honey is a hell of a task. Bees around city do collect impure honey too as the flowers are infected with various pollutants. They are seen collecting honey even from sweets, ice creams, jaggery and other sweetners. Therefore, people must be aware of what they are buying and from where they are buying. It is always safe to buy honey from the tribals belts of India where people still are honest enough to provide what they promise.