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Ethnobotanical Leaflets
14: 5-7, 2010. Indigenous
Traditional Method for Making Liquid Detergent “Chhoa” from
Zea mays Linn. in Shivalik Hills (Himachal Pradesh), India Dhiraj S. Rawat* and Anjna D. Kharwal** *Assistant
Professor, Deparment of Botany, Shoolini
University, Solan (H.P.) **
Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Issued:
January 01, 2010 Abstract In the past, herbal liquid
detergent was in regular use but with modernization this traditional
indigenous knowledge depleted and at present is in use to a limited extent in
some rural pockets of Shivalik hills. Dried maize (Zea mays Linn.)
stems are burnt to ash and are put into a bamboo basket with a bottom layer
of paddy straw. After pouring boiling water over ash, herbal liquid detergent
is obtained as a final product. It is eco-friendly and a classic example of
sustainability concept. Keywords: Shivalik hills, Liquid detergent,
Indigenous, Leachate. Introduction Shivalik
hills or the lower hills of Himachal Pradesh in ancient times were known as ‘Manak Parvat’ to geographers.
It literally means the “tresses of Shiva”. The altitude ranges from 350m to
1,500m above the sea level (4). Maize (Zea mays Linn.) belonging to family Poaceace is a major kharif crop
of this region. It is sown in May-June and harvested in September-October.
Stems of the crop are used as a fuel or left as such. About 30-40 years ago, maize stems are
the source of frequently used herbal liquid detergent, traditionally known as
“Chhoa”. As the time passed and with the
development of chemical detergents, this indigenous technology for forming a
liquid detergent fell to the jaws of modernization. In present scenario, it
is practiced only in some pockets of this region to a limited extent. Very little information is available
about the plants used as detergents in various parts of India (1, 3), (5-7). This paper deals with an indigenous method
to form herbal liquid detergent
developed by the rural of Shivalik hills. Methodology In order to know and understand the
process, knowledgeable informants were repeatedly interviewed and the
specific questions were asked. The whole process was also observed in the
rural communities of Shivalik hills and the
resultant informations were recorded in the ethnobotanical field notebook (2). Observations and Results The stems of maize are collected and
are dried in sunlight. The dried stems
are burnt and ash is kept in a bamboo (Dendrocalamus hamiltonii Nees
& Arn. ex
Munro) basket with a
bottom layer of paddy (Oryza sativa Linn.) straw. Basket is
supported with wooden logs and is placed on an empty earthen container. Hot
boiling water is poured over ash. Water passes through the ash and is
filtered through paddy straw. The leachate obtained
in this manner is the final product “Chhoa” i.e. herbal liquid detergent, and is
used for washing clothes by the local communities especially for cotton and
wooly clothes. The ash is replaced
after seven days and the same process is repeated time and again. Discussion Present findings revealed that
traditional indigenous knowledge is depleting day by day. Although indigenous
methods and herbal products are eco-friendly, so we must document and
conserve this knowledge for future generations. The present findings is one
of the finest example of using wasted or unutilized resources in an
eco-friendly and sustainable manner, and moreover it is cheaper to rural
inhabitants. Acknowledgement Authors are thankful to rural inhabitants of Shivalik hills (Himachal Pradesh) for providing valuable information. References 1.
Ambasta, S.P. (ed.)
1986. The Useful Plants of 2. Jain, S.K.
& Goel, A.K. 1995. Workshop Exercise-1. Proforma for Field Work, 142-147. In: Jain, S.K. (ed.). A
Manual of Ethnobotany. Scientific Publ., 3. Mehta, R.S. and Bhatt, K.C.2007. Traditional Soap and Detergent Yielding Plants of Uttranchal. Indian Journal of traditional Knowledge 12: 279-284. 4.
Mittoo, H.K. 1978. Book Trust, India. 5. Shirsat, R.P.2008. Ethnobotanical Uses of Some Common Lower
Plants Used by the Tribals of Meghlat
region(MS) 6. Srivastava, K. 2007. Ethnobotanical Studies of Some Important
Ferns. Ethnobotanical Leaflets 11: 164-172. 7. Watt, G. 1972. A Dictionary of Economic Products of Periodical Experts,
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