Youngsters take herbal initiative to prevent swine flu

In what is seen as an unique attempt, a resident youth association of Vadodara has taken initiative to curtail the proliferation of the swine flu virus at the puja pandals of the city. Swine flu ‘protection chambers’ have been constructed at the pandals where various herbal and Ayurvedic medication will be burnt which are believed to ward off the the spread of the H1N1 swine flu virus.

The Ganesh festival, which is spread out over 10 days, is an important festival which is celebrated with great religious fervor and zeal all over the city. Pandals have been constructed all through the city containing different varieties of the Ganesh idol and also are based on a range of themes. As such there is a great rush among the Vadodarites to visit the pandals and offer their obeisance to Lord Ganesha. 

Close promixity among the people at these pandals may increase the chances of the spread of the virus, so the coordinators of the Tad Falia Puja pandal in the old city area have installed an special swine flu protection chamber at the entry to the pandal. In  the chamber a local youth association members have agreed to incessantly burn herband Ayurvedic medicines particularly googal, the fumes of which are said to reduce the spread of the H1N1 virus, according to experts in the science of Ayurveda.

Visitors to the pandal are required to spend at least 2 minutes in the chamber, mandatory for all. It is believed that the fumes from googal and other Ayurvedic medicines bring about greater immunity from the swine flu virus.