North-East India is one of the bio hot-spot of global scenario. The abundance of various flora and fauna resources has been widely used for traditional healing among the population of the region. In Morigaon district of Assam, there is a village called Mayong. Rural tourism is defined as tourism activities that take place in non-urban areas. Mayong village is originally famous as ‘land of black magic’. However, it is also known for its indigenous knowledge about various traditional treatments that can heal many ailments. The rising popularity of Ayurveda has drawn many followers towards the use of herbal remedies for better health. Health tourism is a popular genre of tourism where people travel to receive health treatment.

1. Deep Jyoti Gurung
Research Scholar
Department of Business Administration,
Tezpur University (Assam, India)

2.  98% of India’s geographical area is rural with 74% of
the total population of the country
 The craze of tourists towards the traditional lifestyle
and artifacts makes India an attractive location for
rural tourism leading to inflow of money and finally
contributing to the Gross Domestic Production of the
country
 Since ages, people of the North-East Region of India
have been using various traditional medicinal
practices and plants for treating numerous ailments

3.  According to Rátz & Puczkó (as in Bhatacharjee, 2014)
Rural tourism can be defined as ‘tourism that takes
place in the countryside’.
 Gannon (1990) defines ‘Rural Tourism’ as “a range of
activities provided by farmers and rural people to
attract tourists to their area in order to generate extra
income for their business.”

4.  Ministry of Tourism (Government of India) defines rural
tourism as “Any form of tourism that showcases the rural
life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, thereby
benefiting the local community economically and socially
as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the
locals for a more enriching tourism experience can be
termed as rural tourism. Rural tourism is essentially an
activity which takes place in the countryside. It is multi-
faceted and may entail farm/agricultural tourism, cultural
tourism, nature tourism, adventure tourism, and eco-
tourism. As against conventional tourism, rural tourism
has certain typical characteristics like; it is experience
oriented, the locations are sparsely populated, it is
predominantly in natural environment, it meshes with
seasonality and local events and is based on preservation of
culture, heritage and traditions”

5.  According to Indolia (2013), the various benefits of rural tourism
are as follows:
 It is kind of sustainable Tourism.
 Exploits resources in rural regions, causing little or no harmful
impact.
 Increases rural productivity.
 Generates employment.
 Improves distribution of wealth.
 Helps in conservation of the rural environment and culture.
 Increases local people involvement and participation.
 Boost local handicrafts, painting, performing arts, dance forms
etc.
 A suitable way of adapting traditional beliefs and values to
modern time.
 Helps prevent rural – urban migration.
 Infrastructure development.

6.  According to Bennett et al. (2004) health tourism is
‘any pleasure-orientated tourism which involves an
element of stress relief’.
 According to some researchers like Henderson (2004),
Carrera and Bridges (2006) and Connell (2006) health
and medical tourism are different, such as health
tourism is travelling for treatment for better health
and wellbeing which may involve spas and alternative
therapies; whereas medical tourism is travelling for
health screening, hospitalization, surgical operations,
dental interventions etc.

7.  The USP of India as ‘global health destination’ is the
product diversification it can provide such as cardiac
care, eye care, allopathic, homeopathic and Ayurvedic
healing.
 The word Ayurveda is the combination of two Sanskrit
words Ayus which means life and Veda which means
knowledge.
 The popularity of Ayurveda for treatment has
increased to a great extent, which can be clearly
understood by the fact that there are now more than
200 Universities world-wide providing courses in
Ayurveda

8.  Since more than 60,000 years ago, human being has
been using herbs for medicinal purposes
 Today more than 85% of the world’s population
employs herbs as primary medicine
 There are more than 7500 species of medicinal plants
available in India, among which more than 300 species
of medicinal plants are found in North-East Region of
India
 Communities of NER have vast knowledge about
different plants and various formulations that can be
used for treating numerous ailments

9.  According to Shankar et al (2012), the traditional
medical practitioner or traditional healer can be
defined as “someone who is recognized by the
community in which he lives as competent to provide
health care by using vegetable, animal and mineral
substances and certain other methods based on the
social, cultural and religious backgrounds as well as
the prevailing knowledge, attitudes and beliefs
regarding physical, mental and social wellbeing and
the causation of disease and disability in the
community”

10.  Snowball sampling was used to collect primary data by
using interview from experts including traditional
medical practitioners, tourist officers and
academicians.
 The study is also based on secondary data available in
various research papers, books and official websites
related to Mayong.

11.  Mayong is located in between 26012' North to 26015'
North latitude and 9202' East and 9205' East longitude
in the Morigaon district of Assam.
 The place is already a tourist attraction due to various
tourist avenues such as “Pobitora wild life sanctuary”
popular for having highest density of one-horned
rhino.
 Kechaikhaiti Shrine of Burha Mayong, Narashinha
Ashram of Hiloikhunda, Ganesh Temple of Hatimuria,
Shiv Shrine of Kachashila etc. are some attractions for
pilgrim tourism.

12.  The place also has longest stone-inscription found in
Asia (3.85 Mtr) which dates back several hundred
years. Along with it there are 12th centrury old Shiv-
Parvarti and Ganesha stone images at Burha Mayong
village, one 10th century old Shiv-Parvati and one
Ganesha stone image is at Chanaka village. In the
Ganesha temple of Hatimuris village there is a 10th
century old huge stone image. Two stone images of
Shiv-Parvati are at Shiv Shrine of Kachashila Hill
dating back to 9th Century.
 Mayong village Museum and Research Centre’

13.  Mayong is a treasure of information about herbal
medicine and traditional medication techniques.
 List of 50 plants and traditional treatment given
 The knowledge has been transferred through
generations using palm leaf manuscripts, orally and
other written forms.
 Many People of all ages, positions and education level
from abroad and within the nation visits the
traditional medical practitioners of Mayong for
treatment from various ailments.

14.  There are testimonials which claim of being properly
healed from ailments, where even modern medical
facilities failed to treat.
 The traditional healers spend more than half of their
life learning about the diverse ethno-medicinal plants
and practicing to cure of people from different diseases
in this area
 Promotion of Mayong for traditional treatment is
mostly done through word-of-mouth on the basis of
references
 Though there is some information in the internet
about the traditional treatments in Mayong but it has
been overshadowed by the image of Mayong as a ‘Land
of Black Magic’

15.  According to the traditional medical practitioners,
modern education has diminished the image of
traditional treatment as a villagers/ backward form of
treatment.
 Media on the other hand is being blamed for
promoting Mayong only as a ‘Land of Black Magic’
rather than highlighting the rich traditional medical
knowledge of Mayong
 Accommodation is another problem in Mayong. There
is only one resort in Mayong known as ‘Zizina Resort’,
which is costly for many people coming for treatment
in Mayong

16.  A major challenge faced by the traditional medical
practitioners or traditional healers is the declining
traditional practices which provided them essential
tools and ingredients required in various treatments

17.  Based on the rich traditional medicinal knowledge of
Mayong, the place can be promoted for attracting
tourists seeking traditional/natural/herbal/ayurvedic
treatment
 Rural areas provide various benefits to the area such as
employability, revenue generation
 Provision of accommodation facilities and other basic
necessities can further enhance the economy of the
area by allowing tourists to stay in Mayong

18.  Mayong can be promoted based on its various tourist
appealing avenues rather than just as a ‘Land of Black
Magic’
 The rich traditional medicinal knowledge of Mayong
may be used as USP to attract tourists for treatment
using herbal/natural/ayurvedic treatment
 Media can highlight the vast traditional medicinal
knowledge and treatments used for curing various
ailments in Mayong
 The potential of Mayong as a tourist attraction needs
to be properly assessed

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