Eleven Herbs from High hills in postage stamps

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I grew up in the Himalayas, highest hills in the world. Like all children, we would walk down to the school or run up and down the hills to play. A striking find across the hills are a plethora of plants all around us. We enjoyed not only the tall pines and deodars, but also various grasses, ferns and shrubs. Further, we always had half-cooked peer-to-peer information about “good-plants” and “bad-plants”. There were sweet berries, tasty leaves, and colourful buttons. On the other hand we also had prickly and bitter shrubs – bad enough to give an intolerable itch. Come rains, and all of them would grow high. As winters faded away, many would bloom with colourful flowers. One of our secret-hunts was to trek the hill and climb up the trees to collect sweet-sour rhododendron flowers. Now I wonder, what if our parents knew, or probably they actually did.

The first two: Tulsi and Padamchal (Himalayan Rhubrab)

Many years later, I could see some of the “good-plants” again. Not in person, but in postage stamps from the Himalayan nations – Nepal and Bhutan. The first two are 1980 issues from Nepal. Tulsi – a revered plant for Hindus. As per prevalent myths, Tulsi (or Vrinda) is a devoted wife. Gods must kill her demon husband. As God Vishnu kills the demon, he has to face Tulsi’s curse. Chastity of Tulsi impresses Gods. She now re-incarnates as a revered plant. She also becomes Vishnu’s companion. In many households, we place Tulsi plant at the entrance or in the courtyard, as a symbol of devotion.

Another herb on the 1980 stamp is Padamchal or Himalayan rhubarb. This plant has broad laves and red flowers. We use roots of this plant in Chinese medicine as a laxative. It is also used it for culinary in Europe.

Third and fourth: Charaita and Ghasingre

It is interesting to find how human needs change over the years. Plant-medicines also find a new use with these changing needs. Charaita was a traditional fever drug. However, in the current century, Obesity and Diabetes are key saleable health issues. Today, Charaita has a new purpose as a remedy for weight loss and diabetes. In contrast to Charaita, that grows at lower altitudes, another herb Ghasingre is a high altitude plant. We also know it as Himalayan snowberry. This plant also used to treat fever, and bears a blue edible fruit. Both Charaita and Ghasingre are important herbs in Nepal.

Sno	Popular Name	Scientific Name	Stated usages
1	Tulsi	Ocimum sanctum	Sacred plant, Stress buster, Preservative, Brain-tonic, Anxiety, Depression
2	Revand chini, Rhubarb, Padamchal	Rheum emodi	Purgative, Laxative, Promotes wound healing
3	Chiraita	Swertia chirayita	Fever, inflammation, diabetes, improves digestion
4	Ghasingre	Gaultheria trichophyla	Pain, Inflammation
5	Prickly poppy	Meconopsis horridula	Pain, inflammation

Fifth: Prickly poppy – Bhutan’s National flower

Prickly poppy (Meconopsis horridula) is a plant that grows at high altitudes. We use this plant in Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic. More recently its anti-cancer properties have also emerged. Blue-poppy as in the postage stamp above, is also a National flower of Bhutan.

Sixth and Seventh: Pipla and Kurilo

We know Piper longum popularly as pippla or pippali. While, it is a contemporary of its better known cousin “black-pepper”, long-pepper has faded away from culinary. Its more modern use is for weight-loss, obesity and diabetes. Its root (piplamool) is used for digestive problems, liver diseases and obesity.

Another plant in 2013 set from Nepal is Kurilo or Aspargus. Its shoot and root are both used to improve lactation, and to gain more vigour. Aspargus shoots are also an important part of Nepalese cuisine, with extensive buying and cooking instructions in an external Blog.

Sno	Popular Name	Scientific Name	Stated usages
6	Pippali	Piper longum	Pain, inflammation, rejuvinator
7	Shatavari or kurilo	Asparagus racemosus	Fertility and vitality, in women. Nerve tonic

Eight to eleventh: Berries and fruits

A 2005 postage stamp set from Nepal, features four himalayan fruits or berries- Walnut, Raspberry, Wood-apple and Amla. While these are not exclusive medicinal plants, but all four have health as well as recreational uses.

Sno	Popular Name	Scientific Name	Stated usages
8	Amla (Indian gooseberry)	Emblica officinalis	Antioxidant, Vitamin C
9	Wood apple or Bel	Limonia acidissima	Skin health, Digestion, Diabetes
10	Yellow raspberry	Rubus ellipticus	Stomach pain and headaches
11	Walnut	Juglans regia	Diarrheas, stomach Pain, Skin diseases

My favourite is the yellow raspberry. As a fourth grader, I and my peers had to walk about five kilometers to school. Often we took a bit longer uphill route, as it was lined by raspberry shrubs (next to one of the ghost houses). Taste and look of raspberry, was worth a longish walk. It was sad of me to discover, that this desi sweet-sour raspberry is now considered to be a bio-threat in Hawaii. Probably, we need some more children who can savour its fruits, and surely this will turn into another life long friendship.