Transmission and Transformation of Herbal Knowledge in the Shekhawati Region of Rajasthan

Dr. Mukesh Kumar Sharma, Babita

Shekhawati, Rajasthan, herbal knowledge, ethnobotany, indigenous knowledge, transmission, transformation, traditional medicine

This study examines the processes through which herbal knowledge—specifically ethnobotanical traditions—has been historically transmitted and transformed in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, India. Drawing upon qualitative fieldwork, archival sources, and oral histories documented prior to 2013, the research elucidates the interplay between indigenous knowledge systems, local ecology, cultural beliefs, and the gradual influence of modernity. Findings demonstrate that, despite significant disruptions due to colonial policy, socio-economic change, and the spread of allopathic medicine, traditional systems of herbal knowledge have shown remarkable resilience. However, these systems have also been selectively adapted or marginalized, contingent upon factors such as generational attitudes, migration, and policy interventions. The paper contributes to the broader discourse on the preservation of biocultural diversity and the implications of rapid transformation on community health and identity.