The first thing that hits you when you cross the threshold of the small doorway in a narrow alley in Park Town is the smell. Or rather, the many distinct smells. Peer inside and you will see dark wooden drawers stacked against the walls, holding boxes that contain aromatic oils and herbs.
“This powder will definitely cure your running nose,” says the tradesman to a customer who has been waiting for his turn in front of the shop. This shop has been selling naatu marundhu (potions and pills derived from traditional medical wisdom) for over a century.
Originally written for The Hindu, read more at https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/traditional-healing-in-the-age-of-antibiotics/article6127433.ece