5 ways rural communities are welcoming the Kashayam craze

For rural communities, Nilavembu Kashayam is much more than an immunity booster. For some, the drink has acted as a catalyst for change, and for others, it has instilled a sense of confidence and community spirit.

Soon after the lockdown was announced, the distribution of Nilavembu Kashayam – a herbal drink to boost immunity – by our volunteers was initially treated with scepticism in the villages of Coimbatore. Its bitterness was a challenge and not many knew of the health benefits it offered. However, it did not take long for the drink to have an impact on these rural communities. Without complaining about the bitter taste, both children and adults queue up enthusiastically to get their daily dose of the drink. Besides community members, essential service providers and government officials too have appreciated the herbal drink. In these challenging times, here are 5 ways the locals welcome Nilavembu Kashayam with open arms.

1. By overcoming addictions

In the village of Booluvampatti, the lives of many sanitation workers were transformed for the better with the help of Nilavembu Kashayam. Before the lockdown, some of these workers who are in the frontlines of the battle to #BeatTheVirus would consume liquor before starting their day’s work. Instead of succumbing to their addiction after the lockdown, they shifted their focus to the herbal drink. One of them confessed to a volunteer: “We have become fans of the taste of the kashayam. It has helped us forget liquor. We all feel much better and more energetic these last few days.”

2. Demonstrating responsibility

Passionate about keeping the surroundings clean, young Arasan sent a powerful message to the locals that thoughtless littering has to stop. The boy made a plea to the public to throw their cups in the dustbin after drinking Kashayam. The vibrant energy displayed by Arasan sets an example not just to other children his age, but also to the rest of the community. The efforts of Arasan have already made a huge difference to his village of Iruttupallam. When our volunteers went to meet the young champion, they learned that he is a class 9 student studying at Isha Vidhya, Santhegoundanpalayam.

3. Making a game out of it

For long, the distribution of this bitter, herbal drink has been greeted with long queues in all villages. But it is always the children who are the first to queue up for the drink. Their love for the drink is such that they made a game out of it – first to drink Nilavembu Kashayam – you win. The vibrant energy of the children has helped inspire many adults ensure they get their daily dose of Kashayam. In Theethipalayam, little Sadhana and four other children of this village are among the first in line and most eager to drink their daily dose. “Kashayam is sweet, it is not bitter at all and I do not feel bad at all when I drink it,” Sadhana says. 

4. As an immunity booster

The health benefits of Kashayam have become clearly apparent to many of the locals. In these villages, the drink has proven to be a go-to drink for both old and young residents. A woman who stays in Jakkirnaickenpalayam colony, said: “Thanks to Kashayam, my children’s appetite has improved and they are eating properly these days.” They fondly refer to it as ‘Corona Tea’ as it helps improve their immunity in these challenging times. Premkumar, a resident of Booluvampatti, said: “We are all feeling healthier and physically stronger.” Like them, many residents of these villages are confident that the natural drink with medicinal properties can help resolve a variety of ailments.

5. Going the distance for Kashayam

Venkatesh anna, who lives in Alandurai, travels from village to village for his daily work. On one occasion he passed by some Isha volunteers distributing the drink. They explained to him about the immunity boosting drink being distributed to help the community fight against the pandemic. He began to experience the impact of the drink and started to cycle over 10 kilometres a day to get a drink of the Nilavembu Kashayam. Venkatesh has now donned the mantle of the Isha volunteers and helps in the distribution of the drink with them.