Alamelu's Illness. Indian Medicine

Description

Wind, water, and fire-three essential elements of the body, according to practitioners of India's ancient Siddha medical tradition. This program follows a young Indian woman as she undergoes treatment by a Siddha doctor for premature arthritis. Sidetracked at first by an ineffective local healer and unmoved by subsequent warnings of a mitral valve defect, Alamelu enters into an intensive 40-day Siddha regimen at a free hospital in Madras. Herbal medicines, oil baths, and complex massage techniques are applied in an effort to restore harmony to her body. After 32 days she feels healthy again and checks herself out of the treatment program-a testament to the value of the Siddha approach-but the film's final moments make known Alamelu's tragic death five months later due to heart failure.

Runtime

50 min

Series

Subjects

Genre

Date of Publication

[2012], c1986

Database

Films on Demand

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