Parisa Ehteshamnia - Master's student in Indian studies, Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Maziar Mozaffari Falarti - Assistant Professor, Department of South, East Asia & Oceanian Studies, Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran. Tehran, Iran

Citing traditional medicine Indian parliamentarian Pragya Thakur, from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in ۲۰۲۱ caused much political controversy, outrage (particularly amongst the Medical community) and public disgust when she openly claimed that drinking cow’s urine purifies the lungs and thus prevents Corona virus disease (Covid-۱۹). Indeed, with the onset of the Covid pandemic in ۲۰۱۹, one of the most controversial issues globally continues to be the effectiveness, relevance and application of traditional medicine as a staid remedy, shield and as an answer in defeating it. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines traditional medicine as a set of knowledge, skills, and practices based on the indigenous theories, beliefs, and experiences of different cultures that have been used in health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement, and treatment of physical and mental illness. Traditional medicine is thus seen by many to be as an alternative, or a more cost effective replacement, to modern medicine that can not only protect against the Covid-۱۹ virus but also can potentially cures it. The Indian Subcontinent is indeed no exception. In fact, in terms of the total number of people infected with the virus three of the top twenty nations (that of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan) are located in the Subcontinent. During the Covid-۱۹ crisis, many people in the Subcontinent have resorted to an array of traditional medicine; with some as bizarre practices and treatments based on religious or superstitious beliefs. This includes Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani (Yunani) that are considered as some of the world's old (if not the oldest) holistic healing systems which are common and popular across the Indian Subcontinent. Being as part of a larger project in this study the authors will report, examine and outlay the eclectic array of traditional medicine and practices (including superstitious) that are popular amongst Muslim and Hindus in numerous parts of the Indian Subcontinent to counter Covid-۱۹. As bizarre, as they may sound these alternatives to modern medicine can indeed offer hope, comfort, knowledge and some protection against the virus and its spread.

Ayurveda, Covid-۱۹, medicine, subcontinent, traditional, Unani