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Mumbai: An ancient tract in a Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine, and Surgery (BAMS) textbook has become the centre of a controversy as it ‘prescribes’ ways to conceive a boy.
According to the text, women wanting to conceive a baby boy should collect two north facing branches of a Banyan tree (east facing will also suffice) that has grown in a stable, take two grains of urad dal and mustard seeds, grind all the ingredients with curd, and consume the mixture.
This is one of many ways to conceive a boy as prescribed by the tracts from a second century CE treatise on Ayurveda called Charaka Samhita which is part of the BAMS curriculum.
Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, Vice-Chancellor Dr Dilip Mhaisekar told CNN-News18 that the BAMS curriculum is decided by the Union Ministry of AYUSH.
“Literature as ancient as 2nd Century CE is part of the current syllabus for BAMS students,” he said.
“The syllabus is constituted by Central Council of Indian medicine which is an autonomous body working under Ministry of AYUSH,” he added.
According to the Registrar of MUHS, the issue was raised almost a year ago and around two months back a committee was formed by the Maharashtra state government to look into the matter.
The paragraph is there in the syllabus and in one of the reference books of BAMS third year.
“There is a difference between having something in a textbook and applying it. Even the radiologist can see whether it’s a girl or boy. It just there as literature,” the registrar said.
One of the techniques listed by the tract is rather expensive. It says, “Create two miniature statues of a man out of gold, silver, or iron after throwing the statues in a furnace. Pour that molten element in milk, curd or water, and on an auspicious hour of Pushp Nakshatra, consume it.”