Malkangiri: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed lives all over the world… mostly for the worst. People from many industries have been forced to go into other professions to eke out a living. There have been numerous stories where persons belonging to the film industry have been forced to sell vegetables to sustain themselves. Also, engineers have turned to fish farming as their companies have closed down.
However, there have been some professional changes that have been for the better. There is this case of a school watchman becoming an Ayurvedic practitioner in Malkangiri district due to COVID-19. He practices his trade at the Duraguda village under Mathili block and is respectfully called a ‘Baba’.
Every day one finds him on the balcony of his premises in red clothes surrounded by a large number of people. In front of him there are many packets containing various types of herbs, roots, leaves and many types of powders. Meet ‘Baba Ramchandra’ who today ekes out his living by making and selling Ayurvedic medicines.
Ramchandra Sodi is a resident of Tumusapalli village. He worked as a watchman at an Adarsh school. Schools and colleges have been closed down since March due to the outbreak of the pandemic. Similarly, the school Ramchandra worked it has remained closed rendering him jobless.
Ramchandra had some knowledge about plants and herbs. So he decided to put that to use to sustain himself and his family. Ramchandra claims that he has successfully treated patients suffering from diseases like arthritis, paralysis and kidney-related diseases.
When asked if he had any formal training in Ayurveda, the self-proclaimed ‘Baba’ replied in the negative. “I have not undergone any Ayurvedic training. However, I have managed to cure patients with my medicines,” he said.
Every day patients from nearby villages visit him. As of now, he has introduced a token system because the number of patients has increased manifold. Many of the patients he has cured swear by the Baba’s medicine. They said that Ramchandra’s medicines have worked wonders for them and many patients with chronic ailments have also been cured.
PNN