An anthropological study of ‘Rathikāma Bali Yāgaya (Bali ritual)’ in traditional folk medicine to treat infertility
Amila Nuwan Srishan2020, TRIVALENT ත්රිසංයුජ: Journal of Archaeology, Tourism & Anthropology
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Abstract
Reproductive processes and the generation of posterity are important for the survival of organisms. As man became accustomed to civilized life, motherhood and fatherhood were considered noble and fortunate things. Accordingly, a married couple without children had to face various forms of social stigma. Because married people who do not have children are believed by people to be a symbol of unluck. Thus, infertility is recognized as a disease and there are various treatments for it. Traditional folk medicine in Sri Lanka also offers various treatments to cure infertility. Among them, the ‘Sabaragamuwa Rathikāma Bali ritual’ is performed for both men and women. The researchers aim to study this ‘Rathikāma Bali ritual’ for the curing of infertility in traditional folk medicine and the cultural value given to rituals in indigenous medicine. To achieve these objectives, a content analysis of qualitative data collected using secondary sources is performed here. To alleviate vaginal disch...
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