The tribal art of Godna in the state is now being taken up with its importance for other activities. In this new era of 3-D tattoo at national and international levels, possibilities of acupuncture system of medicine is being searched in this traditional art of Madhya Pradesh. Research in this direction has already been started. The Tribal Research and Development Institute (TRDI) have already included this subject in its annual research projects.The tribal life changed the Godna arts into tattoo as a fashion and it has already become very popular. This is a unique art of decorating human body. Recently, at a workshop organised on Godna art in Bhopal, the participants expressed the possibility that Godna could be the ancient and traditional form of acupuncture.
The Assistant Research Officer of the Tribal Research & Development Institute Shri Laxminarayan Payodhi informed that the experts of Ayush department are assisting in this work. A team of doctors from Pandit Khushilal Sharma Ayurved College, medical officer of the Government Ayurved College and acupuncture specialist Dr. Rashmi Jha is studying the impact of Godna system as a method of treatment.
In the first stage of study, the team of doctors visited the Gond dominated area of Dindori district and organised a workshop there namely ‘Godna Healers’ for treatment of diseases through the traditional tribal Godna. In this workshop, the team learnt the details of different diseases and the medicines being used through the Godna and the treatment process of Godna according to different diseases. In the second stage, the team of doctors will examine the patients who are being treated through Godna, The team will put the patients under their observation to find out if the patients are fully recovered from the diseases through Godna or not.
Godna is performed on different parts of the body in the shape of different traditional signs. These signs add beauty to the body as well as they are very good for health. Mixture of different plants is being used in Godna. Godna is being done on that part of the body where effects of the disease is more or expected to affect. Serious diseases like head-ache, arthritis, blood pressure, paralysis etc are being treated through this traditional method.
After conducting research on different points pertaining to this subject, it would be able to state with confidence that this traditional art of tribals, Godna, was used by them for ages as a method of decoration of the body as well as best form of treatment.