By Guardian staff reporter
Publication Date: 2025-11-18 05:00:00
A A few years ago, my dad was diagnosed with a tumor on his tongue – which meant we had to consider a few options. There is an interesting dynamic in my family when it comes to medical decisions. While my older sister is a trained doctor in Western allopathic medicine, my parents are strong believers in traditional remedies. Growing up in a small town in India, I’m used to rituals. My father also had a ritual. Every time we visited his home village in southern Tamil Nadu, he would get a bottle of thick, spicy, herb-infused oil from one vaithiyara traditional doctor who practices Siddha medicine. It was his way of maintaining a connection to the type of medicine he had always known and trusted.
Since my father’s tumor showed malignant signs, the hospital doctors and my sister urgently recommended surgery. My parents were against the idea because they feared it would affect my father’s speech. This is where I usually come into play as a competent mediator in the family. Like any good millennial…
