Ethnobotanical Wisdom of Khasis (Hynniew Treps) of Meghalaya

Contents: Preface. I. Introduction. II. The Hynniew Treps of Meghalaya--the people and their land: 1. The people. 2. Concept of disease, diagnosis and remedies. 3. The land. III. Present study: 1. Review of literature. 2. Methods of study. 3. The present account. IV. Ethnobotanical panorama of the Hynniew Treps : 1. Edible plants. 2. Plant masticatories of the Khasis. 3. Ethnoiatrical plants. 4. Plants used in material culture. 5. Plants associated with culture and tradition. 6. Metaphors and similies. 6. Nature conservation and sacred groves. V. General principles of Khasi plant nomenclature. VI. Epilogue. References. Index to local names. Index to English names.

"The book Ethnobotanical Wisdom of Khasis (Hynniew Treps) of Meghalaya is unique in several ways. It deals with the plant resources of that region of India which is recognized as one of the centers of biological diversity on the earth. The people, the Khasis, about which the present work deals with have not only developed their own culture based on available natural resources giving rise to a distinctive cultural identity but also develop a long-standing relationship with these resources. This not only sustains the community with a strong base of Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) but also protects the bioresources through preservation of sacred groves. All these are rarely found in combination elsewhere to make an area rich in ethnobotany.

It is for the first time that in northeastern India with rich floristic and ethnic diversity, a holistic approach to ethnobotany of a community/area has been made. The book sets certain milestones with inclusion of several facets of ethnobotany hitherto not dealt in published ehtnobotanical works in India.

This book deals with 577 species of plants and documentation of first-hand information on their diverse usages by the Khasis. The presentation categorized the different aspects of ethnobotany and narrowed down to project the total interrelationship of the Khasis and their ambient plant resources. Numerous hitherto unrecorded usages of plants discovered during intensive field work, have also been described in the book.

The book in addition to provide a complete ethnobotanical profile of the Khasis will also introduce the ethnobotanical researches and students to new areas of study and help to appreciate the linkages of the subject with other disciplines." (jacket)