Garden of Medicines

Author: Kedar Shrestha

Illustrator: Narayan Prasad Bohaju

Translator: Alisha Berger

Welcome! Today, the garden is hosting a learning program.

May I now begin, please? Greetings to everybody!

Do you recognize me from my leaves?

I am *Radish! I help to boost the digestive system if I am eaten raw. My fresh leaves cure constipation, increase appetite, and enhance eyesight. When people lose their voice and have problems with their throat, they tend to chew my seeds and get better.

*My scientific name is Raphanus sativus

My turn! Says a voice from the trellis.

Greetings! I am Bitter Gourd.*

I am bitter in taste, but people enjoy my curries and pickles. Patients with high blood pressure crush me and drink my raw juice. And that is not all. I help in case of fever, wounds, and infections too. People often crush me and use my paste to soothe burnt skin.

*My scientific name is Momordica charantia

The *Coriander comes forward and introduces itself. “Greetings to you all! Everybody wants me to enhance the taste of their curries. Pickles are also made of me. People crush my seeds with rock-sugar, make squash and drink it to stay cool in the summer. People rub my paste on their forehead to soothe their headaches.

*I am also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley.

The *Mustard Leaf folds its hands and begins. “I am Mustard Leaf. I serve to the best of my ability in different ways. I serve in the form of vegetables, and sometimes in the form of medicine as well. I have been proven to help improve eyesight.”

*One type of my leaves are grown as a vegetable for cooking.

The Chilli humbly says, “Greetings! I am the Chilli. I am a little hot. I know there are people who don’t like hot food, but I have other uses. When people suffer from diarrhoea, they drink my juice. I also help the entire vegetable garden. I protect my friends from insects and diseases when I am crushed, mixed in water, and sprayed in the garden. There is no need to spray any poisonous pesticides.”

Did You Know?

Nowadays people use chemical fertilizers in their fields and also in their vegetable gardens. Vegetables grown by using chemical fertilizers grow very quickly but tend to be infested with insects. Vegetables and other crops which are grown in this way also need pesticides to protect them from insects and grasshoppers. As a result, both the vegetables and the soil become poisonous. Eating vegetables and crops which have been sprayed with poisonous pesticides can cause many illnesses to humans and animals. Nowadays people are very worried that their soil quality has been ruined. They are looking at new ways to produce effective fertilizers.

Interesting Tip!

Crush 2-2.5 Kg neem* leaves or any bitter leaves that cows don’t eat. (You can also use tobacco leaves.) Mix it in 20 litres of cow or buffalo urine. Add this mixture to about 200 litres of water and bring it to a boil just for a minute. Your homegrown pesticide is ready! Let it cool then spray it in the garden. After this, insects and diseases will not harm leaves, flowers and fruit in your garden. Your produce will be safe for human consumption too.

*also known as the Indian lilac, its scientific name is Azadirachta indica

“Greetings! I am Onion. Everybody eats my leaves in curries. I feel honoured when I am able to display my looks in a salad dressing. I help people get rid of insomnia and fatigue. Health workers praise my juice. People also remember me during dental problems.”

“It’s my turn, isn’t it?” said Garlic. “Where do I begin? People remember me for a lot of things. When their stomach hurts they take my help. If their cough increases, they take my help. They say I am useful in everything. People eat me raw, burnt or cooked. Every household takes special care of me.”

When Garlic was talking about itself, every vegetable was listening carefully. The whole garden had fallen quiet. It seemed like every vegetable had something important to say!

The Tomato* began, “I am Tomato. People have given me a place in all their dishes. I have a decorative place in the salad as well. I am good-looking and beneficial when I am completely red. I help people strengthen their teeth and bones. One thing worth mentioning is that vitamins inside me are preserved even when I am cooked.”

*Its scientific name is Solanum lycopersicum

Did You Know?

All plants and trees in the world get their shape and smell from soil,

their taste from water, their colour from the sun and energy from the air.

The Ginger* slowly began, “I am Ginger. Although I grow in the corner of the vegetable garden, I am kept close to Garlic in the kitchen. We both help spice things up. People remember me when they suffer from cold. To relieve their throat congestion and coughing, people mix me with honey and drink my syrup. I am glad to serve people.”

*Its scientific name is Zingiber officinale

Did You Know?

Ginger skin and lemon seeds are harmful for people’s health.

Then began Spinach*, “I am Spinach. They call me palak as well. I am counted among the good green vegetables. I help keep intestines clean and healthy. People look for me if they suffer from anaemia*. Thank you!”

*Its scientific name is Spinacia oleracea

“I am Cucumber*. Pumpkin, Bottle Gourd and I are from the same family of gourds. Almost all of my body is filled with water. I help people digest the food they have eaten. I also help in urinary problems. My seeds can do wonders. That’s why people take my help when they lose their voice, have worms in their stomach or have sores in their mouth.”

*Its scientific name is Cucumis sativus

The Pumpkin started talking about itself. “People eat my stems and fruit as curries. People use me to keep their teeth, gums, nerves, eyes, hair and nails healthy. People take the help of my seeds when they suffer from gall bladder or kidney stone illness. When they have worms in their stomach - especially tape worm - they go to great lengths in search of me.”

Next, the Bottle Gourd* began its introduction. “I am Bottle Gourd. People drink my juice to detox their body.”

*Its scientific name is Lagenaria siceraria but it is also commonly known as calabash, white-flowered gourd, long melon, New Guinea bean and Tasmanian bean

The Radish was feeling quite moved and it said, “Today found many things about us all. I feel deeply grateful to be among you. None of us are useless. We are giving our best, humbly and happily. Our life is really blessed!”

All the vegetables began murmuring and said in one voice, “Dear humans, give us healthy soil, a healthy environment and we can give you better health.”

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Story Attribution:

This story:Garden of Medicinesis translated byAlisha Berger. The © for this translation lies with Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Based on Original story:'करेसाबारीका जडिबुटीहरू', byKedar Shrestha. © Room to Read , 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.

Other Credits:

This story 'Garden of Medicines' has been published on StoryWeaver by Room to Read.

Images Attributions:

Cover page:Various vegetables, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 2:Pumpkin, spinach, ginger, tomato, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 3:Vegetable leaves, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 4:Radish, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 5:Bitter gourd, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 6:Coriander, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 7:Spinach, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 8:Chilli, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 9:Pesticides, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 10:Onion, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Disclaimer:https://www.storyweaver.org.in/terms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved. This book is CC-BY-4.0 licensed. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. For full terms of use and attribution, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This book was made possible by Pratham Books' StoryWeaver platform. Content under Creative Commons licenses can be downloaded, translated and can even be used to create new stories provided you give appropriate credit, and indicate if changes were made. To know more about this, and the full terms of use and attribution, please visit the following link .

Images Attributions:

Page 11:Garlic, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 12:A variety of vegetables, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 13:Tomato, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 14:Ginger, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 15:Green leaves, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 16:Cucumber, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 17:Pumpkin, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 18:Bottle Gourd, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 19:Radish, onion, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 20:Vegetables cheering together, byNarayan Prasad Bohaju© Room to Read, 2009. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Disclaimer:https://www.storyweaver.org.in/terms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved. This book is CC-BY-4.0 licensed. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. For full terms of use and attribution, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Garden of Medicines (English)

This book describes how the vegetables that grow in our garden keep us fit and healthy. How do green vegetables help us do just that? Read on to find out!

This is a Level 3 book for children who are ready to read on their own.

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