Being settled in a cosmopolitan city like Bengaluru has given me access to people from all parts of the world. I could experience different types of culture and tried to imbibe the good, worthy aspects.
I have seen many Tamilian women applying turmeric to their legs. I thought it was a part of their culture. When I enquired, they said many parts of Tamil Nadu are facing shortage of water. So they take a bath once or twice a week. Turmeric has anti-septic properties. So they apply turmeric to the legs to prevent skin infection.
I met a person who underwent karate training in a Japanese monastery for many years. He said if you apply saliva formed in the mouth immediately when you wake up onto your eyes, you don’t need to use a reading glass. Since it is cost-effective and in an eagerness to get rid of the nettlesome glasses, I tried daily for many days, but it was of no use. When I googled, there was a warning of infection and irritation to the eyes due to this practice, which prompted me immediately to stop this practice.
When I went for Yoga, a co-practitioner suggested that if you apply rose water to your eyes, you don’t need to use reading glasses. I tried this, but it was of no use. When I asked an ophthalmologist regarding this practice, he immediately asked me to stop questioning the sterility of rose water.
Another suggestion was to apply one’s urine onto the eyes. There is a well-known book named The Water of Life: A Treatise on Urine Therapy by John W. Armstrong. I didn’t try this, and my reading glass is still happily sitting on my nose, demanding an increase in power yearly.
Another person whom I met had an eye infection and was applying honey to cure it, and not using allopathic medicines for fear of the side effects of allopathy. Finally, the infection was so intense that he had to visit the eye specialist, who blasted at him, saying it may take years for the infection to subside with honey, but by that time, the vision will be impaired.
Alternate therapies are rapidly spreading, even in a metro like Bengaluru. They charge ten thousand rupees per session, while the consultation fees of a surgeon is only 500 rupees. Alternate therapies are good for mental illness like depression, video vision etc, and even MBBS doctors are undergoing these sessions to get rid of stress.
I am still in doubt about how these crude therapies, which lack backup from science, are still flourishing in a tech-savvy 21st century?
MBH/PS
Not all cultural practices are supported by medical evidence, even though they frequently stem from true wisdom. It’s important to challenge and confirm medical advice, particularly when it pertains to our eyes or general health. While honoring customs is important, in today’s knowledgeable, technologically advanced world, combining them with scientific knowledge guarantees safety and genuine healing. 
