(From top) Herbal products on display at Kalinga Herbal Fair and visitors at the various stalls. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, March 25: So, you’ve been hunting for labels on face creams, food packets et al that scream “herbal! natural!” and have been disappointed with empty promises. Here’s an opportunity for you to actually go herbal with a vengeance.

The State Medicinal Plants Board is holding a five-day plant and herbs exhibition – the Kalinga Herbal Fair. The fourth edition of this state-level fair that was inaugurated on Wednesday and is drawing visitors from all age groups.

Vaidyas (traditional healers) and dealers of medicinal plant products have congregated at the fair from almost all districts of the state. Over 100 stalls and 200 participants at the fair offer medicines for a wide range of health disorders such as skin problems, digestion issues, hair fall, arthritis, rheumatism and so on. While some stalls sell different parts of medicinal plants loose, including roots, seeds and leaves, others offer packets of paste, powder and tablets made of these plant parts. Tonics and lotions of the medicines can also be found.

“There are some health disorders that require the patient to take a certain part of a specific herbal plant directly or even the water in which it is immersed for a long time. But some can be used in form of tablets or lotions, which is preferred by customers today,” said Anam Sahoo, a herbal medicine entrepreneur.

The visitors are also looking at collecting rare herbal items that are not usually found in the city. “I was looking for gotu kola which is an anti-oxidant and blood purifier with rejuvenating qualities. I’m glad I could find it’s juice here in a one-litre bottle. It can be used for a long time,” said Prabha Mohapatra, a visitor.

Herbs such as manjistha, shatavri, shankhapushpi and turmeric roots, cinnamon barks are available. Also, a wide range of medicinal plants are being sold by various nurseries specialising in herbal and medicinal plants.

“We have a collection of all kinds of basil, annapurna, aloe vera, amla and so on. The stocks are usually sold out by the second or third day since the demand for herbal plants is really high here,” said a nursery owner. The fair is based on the theme ‘Healing Herbs for All’. The purpose is to provide a platform for awareness, trading as well as interaction among various stakeholders of the herbal pharmaceutical industry, said an official of the State Medicinal Plants Board.

“The exhibition will benefit primary gatherers, Vana Suraksha Samiti members, traditional healers (vaidyas), traders and all involved in the herbal medicines to promote the rare drugs and herbal medicines of Orissa,” said P.K. Mallick, chief executive of the board.

There are workshops on herbal medicines being held at the fair too. Ayurvedic doctors will attend to visitors in the evening.