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When I woke up that morning, I was feeling headache,
mild fever and a strange sensation on my face. I picked up the sipper that was on
the stool nearby my bed and drank the water. After drinking water, I stretched
my hand to other side of the bed for small mirror. I was horrified to see my
face in the mirror; there were many small pimples/ blisters sprouted on it. I
was feeling itching sensation on them. I called my sister in law- “bhabhi,
please come here. See, what happened to my face.”
Immediately she came and inspected my face. She exclaimed – “This is not any disease, Sitla Maa has come to you”. I could not understand what she was telling. Meanwhile, my brother came to the room and checked my face. He assured me – “no need to be panic. It appears that you have chicken pox. You will be all right within a week. Bhabhi corrected my brother- “this is clear sign of Sitla Maa, please do not say it a disease . We need to follow certain rules in home for a week, by the grace of Sitla maa, everything will be fine”.
“But this is chicken pox, what is harm in saying disease a disease”- I asked.
“I am not illiterate or fool. This suffering is due to Sitla Maa, and this can be cured through devotion and traditional method only. I have seen adverse effect of medicine on such cases. Please do not argue and let me do my work.”- Very politely she spoke. I realized that my Bhabhi is as traditional as my mother is. I did not argue further.
Immediately, she got my room cleaned. She herself dusted my bookshelf, computer and bed. When room was thoroughly washed, cleaned and wiped then she hanged few leaves of neem around my bed. She wiped my face, gave me boiled food to eat and requested me not to come out but stay in that room for next seven days. She prepared an isolated ward for me in the house. She requested my brother not to bring onion, garlic, spices and other items that was prohibited during this period. Whole family was having boiled food during that time and following other rules like not giving alms to beggar, not sharing food or giving any eatable items to other family. My sister in law was as strict guardian to me as my brother was but that time she was at my disposal all time. Interestingly, she would address me ‘maa’ during that period. When I protested, she laughed – “those who suffer due to Sitla Maa, should be address as maa. This is the tradition. If you do not like it, please do not pay heed to it.This is just a matter of one week.” I was feeling myself Stranger in the house.
Meanwhile, my sister in law phoned and informed about me to my mother who was in the village. My mother talked over phone and consoled me. There is a Sitla sthan (temple -Abode of Sitla maa) in the village. My mother arranged a priest to visit the temple and worship for me to propitiate the goddess. In village, too, every member followed the rules and rituals associated with this disease. Even though my family was religious, but we believed in doctors and medicines with prayers. Dealing with chickenpox in this manner was certainly an isolated case. I called my friend who was a student of local medical college and explained everything, he said – “it looks strange, but you are following same what we provide in hospital. We keep the patient in isolated ward, as this is highly contagious and keep there for at least one week. Generally, we do not prescribe any medicines for it, we give ointment for blister but that is ineffective for first week. He advised me to drink plenty of water, not to scratch blister, pimples and remain in isolation for a week. My brother overheard my phone call, he comforted me – “see, your problem is quite under control. Chicken pox generally takes seven days for cure. Within this week you will be ok.”
After three- four days, I started feeling normal. There was no fever like feeling or weakness in the body. Most of the blisters were dried and itching sensation was there. My sister in law would boil water with neem leaves and I would use that water to wipe face and body. After seven days, I was almost all right. I had few scars on my face due to blisters. Last day, again room was cleaned with phenyl and detol and everything was arranged there as it was seven days before.
I was worried about the scars on my face and saw a dermatologist. He prescribed an ointment and advised me to wash the face with coconut water. One-day morning, after shaving, I was applying after shave on my face, my sister in law said – “see, you were not fair earlier, but by the grace of Sitla maa, now you look fresh and fair.”
I feared, if I contradicted her ,she would give me a lengthy lecture on Sitla maa, religion, spirituality and feel upset .I did not want to hurt her faith and sentiment, and thinking so I just nodded my head in assent.
~~~ Ramanuj Dubey
Immediately she came and inspected my face. She exclaimed – “This is not any disease, Sitla Maa has come to you”. I could not understand what she was telling. Meanwhile, my brother came to the room and checked my face. He assured me – “no need to be panic. It appears that you have chicken pox. You will be all right within a week. Bhabhi corrected my brother- “this is clear sign of Sitla Maa, please do not say it a disease . We need to follow certain rules in home for a week, by the grace of Sitla maa, everything will be fine”.
“But this is chicken pox, what is harm in saying disease a disease”- I asked.
“I am not illiterate or fool. This suffering is due to Sitla Maa, and this can be cured through devotion and traditional method only. I have seen adverse effect of medicine on such cases. Please do not argue and let me do my work.”- Very politely she spoke. I realized that my Bhabhi is as traditional as my mother is. I did not argue further.
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| Photo taken during chicken pox |
Immediately, she got my room cleaned. She herself dusted my bookshelf, computer and bed. When room was thoroughly washed, cleaned and wiped then she hanged few leaves of neem around my bed. She wiped my face, gave me boiled food to eat and requested me not to come out but stay in that room for next seven days. She prepared an isolated ward for me in the house. She requested my brother not to bring onion, garlic, spices and other items that was prohibited during this period. Whole family was having boiled food during that time and following other rules like not giving alms to beggar, not sharing food or giving any eatable items to other family. My sister in law was as strict guardian to me as my brother was but that time she was at my disposal all time. Interestingly, she would address me ‘maa’ during that period. When I protested, she laughed – “those who suffer due to Sitla Maa, should be address as maa. This is the tradition. If you do not like it, please do not pay heed to it.This is just a matter of one week.” I was feeling myself Stranger in the house.
Meanwhile, my sister in law phoned and informed about me to my mother who was in the village. My mother talked over phone and consoled me. There is a Sitla sthan (temple -Abode of Sitla maa) in the village. My mother arranged a priest to visit the temple and worship for me to propitiate the goddess. In village, too, every member followed the rules and rituals associated with this disease. Even though my family was religious, but we believed in doctors and medicines with prayers. Dealing with chickenpox in this manner was certainly an isolated case. I called my friend who was a student of local medical college and explained everything, he said – “it looks strange, but you are following same what we provide in hospital. We keep the patient in isolated ward, as this is highly contagious and keep there for at least one week. Generally, we do not prescribe any medicines for it, we give ointment for blister but that is ineffective for first week. He advised me to drink plenty of water, not to scratch blister, pimples and remain in isolation for a week. My brother overheard my phone call, he comforted me – “see, your problem is quite under control. Chicken pox generally takes seven days for cure. Within this week you will be ok.”
After three- four days, I started feeling normal. There was no fever like feeling or weakness in the body. Most of the blisters were dried and itching sensation was there. My sister in law would boil water with neem leaves and I would use that water to wipe face and body. After seven days, I was almost all right. I had few scars on my face due to blisters. Last day, again room was cleaned with phenyl and detol and everything was arranged there as it was seven days before.
I was worried about the scars on my face and saw a dermatologist. He prescribed an ointment and advised me to wash the face with coconut water. One-day morning, after shaving, I was applying after shave on my face, my sister in law said – “see, you were not fair earlier, but by the grace of Sitla maa, now you look fresh and fair.”
I feared, if I contradicted her ,she would give me a lengthy lecture on Sitla maa, religion, spirituality and feel upset .I did not want to hurt her faith and sentiment, and thinking so I just nodded my head in assent.
~~~ Ramanuj Dubey
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