Local Healers or Local Cheats? Part One

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Back in 2006, I was diagnosed with acute pharyngitis. I was so sick and it prolonged for many months. In my tenth month, I even predicted my own death.

But before I made that drastic prediction, I have left no stones of medication unturned. I have been to all the health care centers in Bhutan. Starting from Paro Hospital to Thimphu Referral hospital, from Khangku Dantak hospital to Haa Military hospital. I have even travelled to India to meet different doctors! Starting from paracetmol and pain killers, followed by amoxycillin and amphocillin, I must have possibly consumed  a mountain of tablets. Few of the physician I met even recommended me not to eat fruits and and some of the  vegetables! 

But sadly when those western medicines failed to heal my ailment, I took solace in our traditional medicines. I consumed traditional medicines like a horse. In few months time even my urine also started smelling like one. Day and night, I chanted mantra of medicine buddha with utmost devotion. But the out come was same. My health deteriorated further and I lost tremendous amount of weight.  

By then I sensed desperation in face of all my loved ones. My wife was restless and my mom and dad, inconsolable. All my siblings, both near and afar called me and cried in the phone. I cried with them too. All of them feared my untimely demise! I had no words and no hope either! 

But suddenly, there came a silver lining in my darkest hour! My wife and mother-in-law came across a local healer. In our locality, she was referred to as Terdha. -A semi blind lady and a women in her late fourties, she was fat and sluggish. She was mild and soft spoken person. Seeing me bedridden, she also conveyed her regret. She consented to perform a ritual that would ward off evils and devils who were causing sickness to me.

Not realizing the expensiveness of the affair, we finally decided to conduct the ritual. I took my months salary in advance and performed the ritual. The Terdha lady in her trance, sensed some poison in my body. She sucked and sucked and left few marks on my neck that later looked like a love bite!. She danced with her long sword and made many other predictions. To the relief of me and everyone present, she predicted my recovery in few months time, provided I do some other rituals! 

I was few months old in my service and hence I  had very limited means at my disposal to perform all those rituals! But with the support from all my loved ones, especially from my mom and dad, who sent loads of butter and cheese, I was able to fulfil the wishes of Terdha lady

But I was still as sick as ever.

to be continued..........................