It has long been a dream of mine to see homeopathy working in India and now I can say that is reached! In the last 2 weeks I have seen hundreds of patients in several different clinics in rural areas right outside of Kolkata. Every ailment from debilitating mental illnesses, to heartburn (a typcial Bengali ailment!), to skin affections, thyroid problems, polycystic ovary disease and many menstrual complaints in women. The Doctors Dilip and Kalyan Battacharya were the leaders of the seminar and opened their hearts and their consulting rooms to us so generously.

I learned much about how homeopathy differs from what I see in Europe and America and why that is so, the numbers of clients being part of the reason. But also there is a clarity and openness of the patients that is conducive to getting at the core of the problems quickly, without a great deal of sleuthing necessary. The Indian culture has different standards of privacy and individuality which also make for a simpler case taking. Often the students of the doctors took the cases and then the doctors read through what is written and ask more questions where needed. These students, themselves, have practices of their own and know homeopathy quite well. It is a worthwhile system, because there is such a community of support within the homeopaths that no one need work alone. Also the patients felt very well taken care of, respected, listened to, and received much warmth.

I take back to my practice more understanding of remedies I have not often used that work well in India, as well as different ways of reaching understanding of the course of disease in each client. Much emphasis is given to causation, even back to the embryonic stage of life.

The doctors are well versed in the works of Hahnemann, the Organon, Chronic Diseases, and MM Pura as well. They strongly feel that here is the where many homeopaths go astray, that we focus too much on reading third hand what Hahnemann wrote and thereby, sometimes losing his original meaning.

My goal in coming to India this time was two-fold: to see and learn what Classical Homeopathy in India looks like, and to absorb a bit of the culture and life philosophy of Indians in general, as my practice is over 50% Indians. I feel I have easily reached both of these goals, and had a great adventure in the meantime.

Now, I am back in Kolkata enjoying a warm shower and many amenities after my simple lodgings in Basudevpur. My husband meets me here and we are off to visit Darjeeling.

To keep things simple, I have added all the pictures at the end!

Breakfast that day was stuffed chapati, delicious!

Breakfast that day was stuffed chapati, delicious!

View from the rooftop of the house I was staying.

View from the rooftop of the house I was staying.

Many ponds surround the hamlet where I stayed. The Lowland south of Kolkata.

Many ponds surround the hamlet where I stayed. The Lowland south of Kolkata.

Chai Wallah in Talsari.

Chai Wallah in Talsari.

Our Group, or part of it anyway!

Our Group, or part of it anyway!

My home for 2 weeks, 200 year old house!

My home for 2 weeks, 200 year old house!

Rain and cool weather brought out the scarves!

Rain and cool weather brought out the scarves!

Dilip and his student at the ashram clinic

Dilip and his student at the ashram clinic

A mosquito had fallen in the tea....

A mosquito had fallen in the tea….

The Doctor's Battahcharya

The Doctor’s Battahcharya

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