Bali - Taman Usada

Some 800 meters from the main gate of Eka Karya Botanical Park in Bedugul and right after the park’s beautifully arranged orchid garden, lies a 1,600-square-meter plot of land filled with the rarest and most-treasured plants and trees for the Balinese. All of them have medicinal properties as described by the ancient lontar (palmyra leaf) scripture of Taru Premana.

This land, called Taman Usada (Garden of Medicine), is one of the park’s few precious endeavors. It is aimed at preserving, documenting and researching the plants that for centuries had been used by the Balinese, kings and commoners alike, to treat a wide variety of ailments, ranging from common colds to mysterious sicknesses caused by black magic. The plot houses some 300 species of plants. A small wooden placard containing information about each plant and its medicinal efficacy identifies each species. Unfortunately, most of the placards are a bit battered.

A huge placard set in the center of the garden provides a brief description of balian (traditional healers), the origin of the word usada and the existence of some 50,000 lontar manuscripts on traditional healing and medicines, as well as the myth about Taru Premana.

Visitors to this garden also have the chance to sample Balinese traditional herbal concoctions made from the plants. A small cafe next to the garden offers various herbal drinks, including one made from the extract of secang, cinnamon, cardamom and palm sugar. The sweet drink is believed to be the potent medicine for fever.

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