Traditionally used herbs in the preparation of rice

Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge
Vol. 9 (3), July 2010, pp. 459-462
Traditionally used herbs in the preparation of rice-beer by the Rabha tribe of
Goalpara district, Assam
1
Dipali Deka * & Gajen Chandra Sarma
2
1
Department of Botany, Dudhnoi College, Goalpara 783 124;
Department of Botany, Gauhati University, Guwahati 14, Assam
E-mail: [email protected]
2
Received 12 February 2008; revised 4 July 2009
Rice-beer prepared at household level of the aboriginal communities of Assam is served to all irrespective of age and
sex. Certain plant species are traditionally used by the Rabhas of Goalpara district of Assam for the preparation of rice-beer
cakes as well as rice beer. Goalpara district of Assam is situated on the southern bank of the river Brahmaputra. Several
villages of the district are the homeland of some Indo-Mongoloid tribes like the Bodos, Garos, Hajongs, Karbis, Rabhas,
etc. Rice-beer accounts for a major portion of the daily caloric intake of these tribes. These tribes traditionally use certain
herbs for the preparation of starter cake to be used in the making of alcoholic drink or rice-beer. Numerically, Rabhas are
the most dominant tribe of the district. The study is aimed for the need of a detailed study on the curative properties of the
herbs used by the Rabhas for the preparation of rice-beer cakes and rice-beer, which may provide better and beneficial
remedies for many ailments.
Keywords: Rice beer, Rice cakes, Fermented drink, Medicinal plants, Rabha, Assam
IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A01G1/00, A01G17/00, A47G19/00, A23L1/00, A23L1/06
Herbal formulation for yeast culture for brewing
alcoholic beverage from cereals is probably the most
ancient method1. Rice-beer, an integral part of life of
several aboriginal communities is known in different
names in different places. It is known as saki in Japan,
lao-chao in China, tape ketan in Indonesia, khao-mak
in Thailand, daru, kali, pachwai and haria in India2,3.
The rice-beer starter cake has also several names like
chu in China, nuruk in Korea, koji in Japan, ragi in
South east Asian countries (like Indonesia, Malaysia,
etc.), bubod in Phillipines, loogpang in Thailand,
pekka in Taiwan, pab (Phap) in Tibet, levian in
Sikkim and banhmen in Vietnam and bakhar, ramur
or marchaar (murcha) in India4,5. Rice-beer prepared
in the household of almost all aboriginal communities
of Northeast India is known by different names such
as apong in Adi, bunkchung in Monpa, chi in Lepcha,
laopani in Aka, ijaduijang in Naga, etc6. Rice-beer is
an integral part of life of several tribal communities of
Assam also and is called as jumai by Bodos, suze by
Deoris, morpo by Mikirs, chu by Garos, jou by
Meches and Dimasas, zu by Tiwas, apong by
Mishings, laopani and mod by some other tribal
______________
*Corresponding author
communities7. Rice-beer is prepared by a major
percentage of the people of the Rabha community of
Assam. The Rabhas are one of the large tribal groups
of Assam like Bodo-Kacharis, Mishings, Kabris,
Sonowal Kacharis, etc. Rabhas are widely scattered
but mostly concentrated in the undivided Goalpara,
Kamrup and Darrang districts of Assam. Rabhas have
made significant contributions to different aspects of
Assamese culture and literature. Goalpara district
shows the highest Rabha population in comparison to
other Rabha inhabited districts of Assam. Of seven
sub-tribes of the Rabhas (Rangdaniya, Maitoriya,
Pati, Koch, Bitliya, Dahuriya and Sangha),
Rangdaniya, Pati and Maitoriya are found to be the
dominant ones8. Rabha language is confined to
Rangdani and Maitori groups; the other groups either
follow the language spoken by Rangdanies and
Maitories or speak patios of the Assamese language.
Rice is the staple food of the tribe. The vegetables and
raw fruits are obtained by Rabhas from different wild
plant species available in nature in the district. Dried
and powdered fish, pork and rice-beer always attract
Rabhas like other aboriginal communities of Assam.
Rice-beer is considered by as the most valuable item
for entertaining guests.
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INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL, 9, No. 3, JULY 2010
Majority of Rabha community of Goalpara district
still depend on traditional medicine for their primary
healthcare and treatment of various ailments. They
have gathered excellent knowledge through
experience for being constantly associated with
forest-based resources over many generations. They
prefer natural methods of treating disease through
herbs. Several herbs having medicinal property are
used by Rabhas in the preparation of rice-beer.
Rabhas believe rice-beer to have curative property
against some ailments of human beings and even
cattle. Though valuable contribution on ethnobotany
of different parts of India is available, very limited
information is recorded from Assam9-14. In recent
years, information on the use of plants by different
communities of Northeast India has been
compiled15-19. This region is mostly inhabited by a
large number of tribal communities. Considering this,
survey was made in different tribal villages of
Goalpara district of Assam inhabited mainly by
Rabhas. It was found that many old and experienced
Rabha village men and women have been taking ricebeer generation after generation not only as an
alcoholic drink but also as a medicine.
Methodology
During survey period, information was collected
from old aged experienced people living in different
villages of Goalpara district, densely inhabited by the
Rabha tribe by arranging interviews with them.
Herbarium specimens were prepared from the
collected plant samples for proper identification and
presentation20-24. Moderate survey was carried out to
record the plant species used in the preparation of
rice-beer cake and rice-beer. All of these herbs are
reported to have medicinal property too.
Results and discussion
Rice is the main component of both rice-beer cake
and rice-beer. Ten plant species were found to be
traditionally used by the Rabhas in the preparation of
rice-beer cake (Fig. 1). These are enumerated with
their scientific names, family, vernacular names in
Rabha (according to Rangdaniya, Maitoriya or Pati
sub-tribe), parts used and medicinal uses (Table 1)
followed by the process of preparation of rice-beer
cake and rice-beer, its medicinal value as reported by
the village elders and healers of the Rabha
community and traditional belief regarding ricebeer25-27. Rice-beer accounts for one-quarter to onehalf of the daily caloric intake of the Rabha
inhabitants of Goalpara district. It was observed that
in the traditional healthcare system of the Rabha tribe,
rice-beer cake and rice-beer had been playing an
important role. But due to migration of the youths to
cities for earning livelihood and breakage of joint
family system, traditional knowledge remains
confined only to a few aged villagers. The paper
throws light on the traditional knowledge of plants
used by the Rabha tribe in the preparation of rice-beer
with their folk values.
Preparation of rice-beer cake
Rice-beer cake is popularly known as bakhor,
surachi or phap among the Rabhas of Goalpara
district while rice-beer is known as choko or jongamod. Paste of 2 kg wet seeds of rice (Oryza sativa L.,
land variety sali and ahu) is prepared after mixing
Table 1 List of herbs used in the preparation of rice-beer by the Rabhas
Plant name/family/local name
Uses
Ananas comosus (L.) Merr./Bromeliaceae/Anaros (Pati)
Artocarpus
heterophyllus
Lam./Moraceae/Pan-chung
(Rongdani)
Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton/Asclepiadaceae/
Akhomhang (Rongdani)
Tender leaves are anthelmentic and abortifacient.
Leaves are anthelmentic and used in skin disease.
Capsicum frutescens L./Solanaceae/ Jhaluk (Maitori)
Cleodendrum viscosum Vent./Verbenaceal/ Holitita (Pati)
Fruits are analgesic, used in abscess and rheumatic pain.
Leaves are anthelmentic, hair tonic, tonic, laxative; used in malaria,
headache and tumours.
Fronds are analgesic, used in malaria and stomachache.
Dennstaedtia scabra (Wall.) T. Moore/Dennstaedtiaceae/
Bisdhinkia (Maitori)
Ochthochloa coracana Edgew./Poaceae/ Kuchibun (Pati)
Plumbago indica/Plumbaginaceae/Agiachit (Rongdani)
Saccharum officinarum L./Poaceae/Kurchi (Rongdani)
Scoparia dulcis L./Scrophulariaceae/Phap jibra (Rongdani)
Leaves are analgesic, antiseptic, anthelmentic; used in burns, ear and
eye complaints.
Leaves are used in measles and pneumonia.
Roots are used as abortifacient; during headache.
Leaves are used in constipation.
Shoots are used in urinary trouble, eye trouble, mouth sores, sex
weakness and as tonic.
DEKA & SARMA: TRADITIONAL RICE-BEER OF RABHA TRIBE OF ASSAM
with mentioned plant parts (Table 1). A considerable
amount of old rice-beer cake is mixed along with these
plant materials for the preparation of fresh rice-beer
cakes (Fig. 2). Some round and flat globules (each of
around 50 gm) are prepared from the grinded mixture.
The globules are placed on straw. Different parts of ten
plant species are used in particular amount to prepare
rice-beer cake. [Heteropogon contortus (L.) Beauv.ex
R.& S.] is kept scattered on a broad sieve made of
bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Schrad) and then sun dried.
To prepare rice-beer choko or phap, tightly cooked
fresh rice (using less amount of water) is used. After
cooking, Rabhas scatter rice on a broad mat made of
bamboo and cooled. Then a particular amount of ricebeer cake (generally 2 pieces for boiled rice prepared
from 2 kg of fresh rice) is powdered and mixed with
the cooked rice. A special type of cylinder made of
bamboo net, known among Rabhas as janthi, is placed
inside an earthen pitcher, known as jonga. Now,
already prepared mixture of rice and rice-beer cake is
kept inside jonga and outside janthi (Fig. 3). At last,
open mouth of jonga is tightly sealed with banana
(Musa balbisiana Colla) leaf warmed in fire and placed
in a dark place. Rabhas place Ricinus communis L. leaf
and one piece of wood charcoal over the lid of jonga
made of banana leaf ward off the effect of evil sprit.
During summer, (after 4-5 days) and during winter
(after 7-8 days), choko or rice-beer attains the actual
461
stage for drinking. A hole is made at the venter of dried
shell of matured fruit of Lagenaria siceraria Standl.
and used to collect the local alcoholic drink stored
inside janthi placed inside jonga (Fig. 4). The rice-beer
prepared through the above process of fermentation is
again fermented adding particular amount of water and
rice-beer cake. After 3-4 days, rice beer is collected
and distilled through a local process using 3 earthen or
metalic pitcher-like pots (hadi / luduki), placing one
over another; 2nd and 3rd pots having a hole at the
bottom. The whole equipment is made air-tight using
jute (Corchorus capsularis L.) fibre and mud at the
junctions. The resulting drink is strong liquor, known
as fotika and Rabhas believe that it has curative effect
on psychiatric patients (Fig. 5).
Ethnomedicinal value
When choko is prepared from local land variety
boro of Oryza sativa L., it can be preserved for 6 to
12 months. Such type of choko is strongly alcoholic,
reddish brown in colour like honey and also sweet in
taste; known as sachotia mod among the Rabhas. It is
observed that sometimes Rabhas eat mixture of such
rice and rice-beer together (without separating the
rice-beer) as delicious food, popularly known as
juguli (Fig. 6). Rabhas belive that juguli works as a
tonic; promotes sleeping tendency and also has a
purgative effect. Rabhas believe rice-beer to possess
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INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL, 9, No. 3, JULY 2010
high medicinal value in relieving headache, body
ache, inflammation of body parts, diarrhoea and
urinary problem. Rice-beer is highly effective in
expelling worms and also cures cholera. Rice-beer
cake possesses curative property not only for human
being but for also cattle. It is given to eat to the bulls
as a tonic to promote body strength and also cures
swelling legs of cattle.
Conclusion
Consumption of rice-beer is gradually coming down
because of many factors like enforcement of the excise
law and economic pressure. Now, rice-beer is brewed
in a restricted manner and that too is connected with
festivals and ceremonies. Further, pork and rice-beer
are strictly prohibited for those members of Pati
Rabhas, who have included themselves into the
Mahapururiya groups of Vaisnava religion. It is
expected that the information will be beneficial in the
field of ethnobotanical research in future. Since various
plant species having high medicinal value are being
used in the preparation of rice-beer cake, it is of utmost
importance to record the probability of having
medicinal property of rice-beer. This knowledge may
be fruitful for the future generation; otherwise in
absence of the experienced and knowledgeable persons
of the Rabha community, it may be lost forever. The
knowledge related to indigenous culture, traditional
faith and healthcare system have been facing
challenges in the district during the recent days. So,
preservation of indigenous knowledge based on
indigenous culture and healthcare system has become
an urgent need for the society.
Acknowledgement
Authors are indebted to the villagers of the Rabha
tribe of Goalpara district of Assam, who have
provided valuable information about the role of ricebeer cake as well as rice-beer on their socio-cultural
background as well as healthcare system.
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