ISSN2320-2882
Impact Factor9.17
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CrossRefDOI
ESTD2013
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Paper Title
Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha
Authors
Sabitri Jal
Keywords
Ethnomedicine, traditional healers, indigenous knowledge, Kalahandi, biodiversity conservation, cultural resilience, medical pluralism
Abstract
This paper investigates the role of traditional practitioners in Kalahandi district, Odisha, as custodians of indigenous healing systems embedded in cultural and ecological knowledge. Drawing on historical records, ethnographic insights, and primary field data, the study examines how healers--locally known as Disaris, Baidyas, and Gunias--have served as frontline healthcare providers for tribal communities across generations. It analyzes their diagnostic techniques, plant-based therapies, spiritual rituals, and the socio-cultural frameworks that confer legitimacy upon their practices. Despite disruptions from colonial interventions, restrictive forest policies, and the expansion of biomedical systems, these practitioners have exhibited remarkable resilience and adaptability. The paper also addresses contemporary threats posed by modernization and underscores the urgency of policy frameworks that recognize and integrate indigenous healthcare into mainstream health strategies. Findings reveal that traditional healers not only sustain community health but also contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation, cultural continuity, and the advancement of sustainable healthcare models.
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How To Cite
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IJCRT — journal style
"Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha", IJCRT - International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (www.ijcrt.org), ISSN:2320-2882, Vol.13, Issue 8, page no.f254-f258, August 2025, Available :https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2508598.pdf
APA — 7th edition
Jal, S. (2025). Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 13(8), f254-f258. https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2508598
MLA — 9th edition
Jal, Sabitri. "Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha." International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, vol. 13, no. 8, 2025, pp. f254-f258, https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2508598.
Chicago — 17th, bibliography
Jal, Sabitri. "Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha." International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts 13, no. 8 (2025): f254-f258. https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2508598.
Harvard — author–date
Jal, S. (2025) 'Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha', International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 13(8), pp. f254-f258. Available at: https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2508598
IEEE — numbered reference
S. Jal, "Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha," IJCRT, vol. 13, no. 8, pp. f254-f258, Aug. 2025.
Vancouver — biomedical
Jal S. Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha. IJCRT. 2025 Aug;13(8):f254-f258.
AMA — 11th edition
Jal S. Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha. IJCRT. 2025;13(8):f254-f258. Accessed at https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2508598
BibTeX — Zotero, Mendeley, LaTeX
@article{IJCRT2508598,
author = {Sabitri Jal},
title = {Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha},
journal = {International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts},
volume = {13},
number = {8},
pages = {f254-f258},
year = {2025},
month = {August},
issn = {2320-2882},
url = {https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2508598}
}
RIS — EndNote, RefWorks
TY - JOUR
AU - Jal, Sabitri
TI - Custodians of Indigenous Healing: The Role of Traditional Practitioners in Kalahandi District, Odisha
T2 - International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts
JA - IJCRT
VL - 13
IS - 8
PY - 2025
SN - 2320-2882
UR - https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2508598
SP - f254-f258
ER -
Issue
Volume 13 Issue 8,
August-2025
Pages : f254-f258
Article Information
- Pages
- f254-f258
- Published
- August 2025
- Registration ID
- IJCRT_292868
- Published Paper ID
- IJCRT2508598
- Research Area
- Social Science All
- Author Type
- Indian Author
- Location
- Sonepur, Odisha, India
- Peer Review
- Request Peer Review Report
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 · Open Access
- ISSN & Impact Factor
- 2320-2882 · IF 9.17
- Downloads
- 243
- Permanent Link
- https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2508598
- Published Paper PDF
- https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2508598.pdf
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