Traditional wisdom is the knowledge that we have gained over a period of time. It is traditional in the sense that it has been the part of our beliefs, customs and way of life. It has not changed for a long time. Older methods and ideas are handy, eco friendly simple and dexterous. We know that every society teaches wisdom to the next generation. Wisdom makes life easier as it contains experiences and knowledge. It guides people to distinguish truth from falsehood. Wisdom is the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the knowledge and experience that we have. A wise man acts wisely for himself and for his surroundings. The virtue of his wisdom lies in his ability to use reason. He judges correctly at the point of decision.with regard to his application of knowledge and experience. We follow traditions in every sphere of life, whether in food habits, weather forecast, health problems, ritual and rites. They have become part and parcel of culture. Culture, as we know, is the whole system of a social life.We show traditional wisdom in our ordinary behaviour and habits, our attitude towards each other and our moral and religious beliefs. This wisdom is the expression of our character and at the end of it is the right living.Tillage, production, civilisation, development, literature, art, music, dance, theatre etc. come within the purview of traditional wisdom. Let us begin with the food system, Indian food system dates back to almost 8000 years It has evolved over years and continues to evolve even today. In our food system the dos and don“ts when to eat and what to eat, the knowledge of Ayurveda and the use of herbs for health benefits have all existed for centuries. For example no citrus fruit is to be taken with milk but Ayurveda permits that Indian goose berry can be taken with milk. It is sad that in spite of high biodiversity and traditional knowledge, we lack in developing global food brands, dietary suppliments and phytonutrients. We have thousands of chutney recipes which are tasty and nutricious. We use raw ingredients in which phytonutrients remain intact. Our traditional recipes focus both on the taste and health benefits. Researches have proved that use of codiments gives not only flavour to food and sauces but also helps in preventing neurodegenerative diseases. We must develop technologies to explore the health benefits of spices such as clove, ginger, garlic licorise, black pepper, termeric etc. Ayurveda advocates aswagandha roots to improve strength and vitality. Its root extract is also used to improve muscle growth and recovery. It is now finding wide acceptance in sports nutrition. We have to look seriously for traditional foods whose benefits are very specific. We have to wake up to the importance of pulses. Pulses are the most balanced superfoods. Thy are good for the health and economy of the people.In our country per hectare yield of pulses is lowest in the world.Consumption of pulses has also dropped by 50% in the last 20 years. Banana has very high level of fibres. The white portion of watermelon is rich in citrulline. It boosts the immune system and reduces the muscle fatigue. Mango rind is rich in antioxidants and many phytonutrients. Banana stem is an excellent salad material. It is rich in high quality fibres and minerals. This rich biomass is completely wasted today.We need to believe in our system and should not follow the global trends blindly. We must evaluate them in the context of real health benefits. Traditional wisdom also works well with environment al issues. Environmental protection is directly associated with human activities. Indian thinkers do not measure its value in material terms. They have spiritual bonding with them. We should respect our traditional wisdom along with modern eco friendly practices.We should learn to live in sync with environment.

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T R Sharma

Chief Editor

Him Academy, Hamirpur ( H P )