Traditional Use of Plants for Bathing and Washing Clothes in Nepal

 

Narayan Prasad Manandhar1

 

Nepal, a Himalayan country has unique blend of nature and culture. About 77% of its area is covered with mountains and hills and the rest is the flat lands of terai in the south (CBS, 1998). The country has about 0.1 per cent of world’s land surface but it claims over two per cent of flowering plants in its small land mass. The people of this area use their own indigenous knowledge for using plants to fulfill their basic requirements. The data about the use of plants for washing and bathing was collected in last fifteen years during the ethnobotanical study, conducted in different parts of the country. The author  wishes to thank the tribal people viz. Mr. Ram B. Tamang of Godawari, Mr. Ghale Gurung of Kaski, Mr. Chet B. Majhi of Ramechhap, Mr. Bhishma Malla of Jajarkot, Mr. Sani Lal Danuwar of Sindhuli and Mr. Dhodhai Tharu of Banke who liberally shared their indigenous knowledge, extending full co-operation during the field study.

The table gives us the names of plants and their uses for bathing and washing. Altogether 31 species of plants of 25 genera and 18 families were used for the purpose. The root, bark, whole plant, fruit, seed, oil-cakes and ash are mainly used for bathing, washing head and clothes. The parts of plant are pounded and mixed in water and then used for bathing and washing head. The root of Sida acuta Brum. f. and the bark of Carissa carandas L are used for removing lice whereas the root of Pilea anisophylla Wedd. is considered as anti-dandruff. For washing clothes, the parts of plant are ground and mixed with water. The clothes are immersed in it and left for one to two hours. These are then beaten with a wooden hammer and washed in clean water. In case of plant-ash, it is first mixed in water used for boiling the clothes for about one to two hours. After that, the same process is continued with clean water. Tharu people preserve the ash of Brassica campestris L. var. sarson and Brassica napus L. for future use. Most of the information provided has not been recorded so far in Nepal. However, Manandhar (1992; 1991) has noted the use of Pilea anisophylla for washing head and to remove dandruff from Tamang and Tharu tribes.

References

CBS. 1998. Statistical Pocket Book, Nepal. Central Bureau of Statistics(CBS), HMG of Nepal, Kathmandu.

Manandhar, N. P.1992. Folk-lore Medicine of Dhading district, Nepal.

Fitoterapia 36 (2):163- 177. Manandhar, N. P.1991. Medicinal Plant-lore of Tamang tribes of Kabhrepalanchok district, Nepal. Economic Botany 45(1):58-71.

 

  

Scientific name    Vernacular  names2 Partsused
Plants used for bathing
Anagallis arvensis    N.Sabune jhar -
Boehmaria rugulosa(Urticaceae)      N.Dar           Bark
Carissa carandas (Apocynaceae)  N.Karaunda Bark
Phyllanthus parvifolius(Euphorbiaceae) N.Khareto Whole plant
Albizia lucidor (Leguminosae) N.Padake Bark
Plants used for Washing Cloth
Acacia ruguta (Leguminosae)  N.Sikakai Fruit
Solanum aculitissimum(Solanaceae) N.Kantakari Fruit
Xeromphis spinosa (Rubiaceae)  N.Main Fruit
Aesandra butyracea (Sapotaceae) N.Chyuri Oil-cake
Madhuca longifolia(Sapotaceae) Th.Mahuwa  Oil-cake
Brassica campestris (Cruciferae) N.Sarson Plant-ash
Brassica napus (Cruciferae) N. Tori    Plant-ash
Asparagus racemosus (Liliaceae) D.Kurilo G.Pustu   Root
Cyathula capitata(Amaranthaceae) N.Kuro Root
Sapindus mukorossi (Sapindaceae) N.Ritha       Seed
Euphorbia parviflora  (Euphorbiaceae) N.Masino dudhi Whole plant
Persicaria lapathifolia (Polygonaceae) D.Phelwa makundo Whole plant
Shorea robusta  (Dipterocarpaceae) D.Sakhwa     Wood-ash
Plants used for Washing Hair
Diplocyclos palmatus (Cucurbitaceae) N.Sanoghuru Fruit 
Orneocnide frutescens(Urticaceae) T.Punji   Roots
Pilea anisophylla (Urticaceae) C.Bangelau Roots
Sida acuta (Malvaceae)  N.Balu jhar Roots
 Gonostegia hirta (Urticaceae) T.Blensing Seed
Pouzolzia zeylanica(Urticaceae)   N. Maslahari     Whole plant
Scrophlaria urticaefolia(Scrophulariaceae) N.Mokhi ghasns Whole plant
Triumfetta rhomboides(Tiliaceae) N.Balu Whole  plant
Jatropha curcas  (Euphorbiaceae).  Ma.Aril     Cotyledons

 

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