PROFILES OF PRODUCTS: THARU FOREST HEALING SHOP (THARU VAN NIDHI)

CONCEPT:

Tharu people have very high immunity; with no cases of China virus. Why:

- Eco-friendly lifestyle

- Hard working

- Dharmic traditions

- Tradition based holistic knowledge system

- Live in the proximity of forest

OBJECTIVES:

- Tharu nature shop is an effort to document, conserve and revive traditional knowledge systems

and cultural heritage of the Tharu Tribes of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

- Spread the idea of Forest Healing

PRODUCT UNIQUENESS:

- Inspired by traditional Tharu wisdom

- Involvement of Tharu community; reap benefits of your patronship

- Handmade, homemade, handprinted

- Raw ingredients collected from Tharu villages

ABOUT:

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh is famous for its wilderness and wildlife. But the legend

of Dudhwa is incomplete without the Tharu community. Tharus dwell in the buffer zone of

Dudhwa. This community claims descent from the warriors of Rajputana. They are inheritors of

a rich legacy.

The Tharu legacy is multifold; which is both tangible and intangible. With the objective of

documenting, preserving and reviving traditional knowledge and heritage of the Tharu

Community, Karavan has conceptualized: Tharu Van Nidhi, Forest Healing Shop.

This project is especially pertinent in times of the Chinese virus pandemic. Even during the lethal

second wave, not one single case has been reported in a population size of around 50,000

people, which includes thousands of migrant workers. Tharu community seems to possess

natural immunity against the Chinese virus! And it is not just Covid, people here are immune to

malaria parasite as well

What explains this phenomenon? This is something we are investigating in depth. But based on

a broad empirical experience and common sense, one can easily conjecture that it is an

outcome of holistic knowledge tradition and lifestyle of this community. Tharus live on the edge

of the forest; they are innately aware about the herbs, shrubs and trees. They follow Dharmic

beliefs. They are simple and hard working folks. They are self-sustained. They follow an eco-

friendly lifestyle.

Tharu Van Nidhi, Forest Healing Shop is a one single forum that showcases the knowledge

systems and heritage of the Tharu Community through a variety of products related to health,

home remedies, homemade goodies, straight-from-farm produce, handicrafts, souvenirs, hand-

crafted furniture, kids play store (and many more interesting items right on the anvil).

This effort is a fruition of the wisdom of Tharus. They form the software and hardware for its

development. Patronage to Tharu Van Nidhi will keep alive a great legacy and can help us all

realize that health, wealth, wisdom and happiness depend upon our bonds with the Forest.

PRODUCT CATEGORIES:

1. Home Remedies

2. Homemade Taste Enhancers

3. Souvenirs

4. Handicrafts

5. Jungle Play Store:

- Jungle Cards

- V for Victory (Board Game on Bird Migration)

- Dudhwa Jungle Safari (Board Game)

- Survival of Fittest (Board game on forest management from perspective of a Forest Ranger)

- Also include: marbles, gilli-danda, gulel, chungi, bow-arrow, kites, gutta etc. (must be well

developed and packages)

6. Premium Range:

- Tri-guna

- Panch- tatva

- Sat-rangi

- Nava- rasa

7. Handcrafted Furniture:

- Elegant, upcycled, handcrafted, eco-friendly, sturdy, durable, long lasting, hand polished,

traditional wisdom based, groove technology, antique look, socially responsible, Made in India

product

Natural/Farm fresh/Forest produce Products