Nedumangad: The guardian angel of herbal medicines in the forest is finally honored with the Padma Shri award on the Republic Day. Lakshmikutty, the 75-year-old tribal woman who has been living alone in the middle of the forest near Vidhura and healing diseases with herbal medicines, has been selected for the fourth highest civilian honour of the country.
‘Mathrubhumi’ had published a story about the lady a while ago. In addition to the excellence in healing, Lakshmikutty is also a lecturer at Kerala Folklore Academy, writer of articles, poet and a guide to botanists. She has penned about 40 poems. She successfully performs all these roles though her qualification is mere 8th standard.
Within the past 6 decades, thousands of research fellows, patients and students have ascended the hills to seek her help. Lakshmikutty’s wilderness is just 4 km away from the Ponmudi road. She has won the state government’s ‘Nattu Vaidya Rathna Award’ in 1995 for her excellence in poison healing. She has saved hundreds of lives from snake bite.
Lakshmikutty knows the herbal medicines to heal scorpion, spider and rabid dog bites. All the medicines are taken from the forest. She has travelled across all the states in South India to give lectures and attend seminars on herbal and tribal medicines. Lakshmikutty has been honoured by Tropical Botanical Garden, Kerala University, State Biodiversity Board and many national and International institutions.
