'Bhoot Vidya' or ‘science of paranormal' a legitimate study at BHU now

The first set of classes will begin from January and will be conducted by the faculty of Ayurveda.

The remedies to psychosomatic disorders and ailments caused by 'ghosts' will be taught to doctors holding Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) and Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree holders.

According to Yamini Bhushan Tripathi, the Ayurveda faculty dean: "A separate unit of Bhoot Vidya has been created in the faculty of Ayurveda for imparting formal education to doctors about the branch.

"It deals with the Ayurvedic remedies of treating ghost-related ailments and psychosomatic disorders."

Tripathi further said "Bhoot Vidya is one of the eight basic branches of Ashtanga Ayurveda. It mainly deals with psychosomatic disorders, diseases caused by unknown reasons and diseases of mind or psychic conditions. Faculty of Ayurveda at the BHU is the first in the country to create a separate unit of Bhoot Vidya and design a certificate course on the subject."

Efforts to set up a separate unit for this Ayurveda branch began six months back. The proposal was drafted after the meeting of heads of all 16 departments in the faculty that gave a go-ahead.

The proposal was then sent to the academic council of the university, which approved a separate unit and a certificate course on one of the basic branches of Ashtanga Ayurveda.

Ayurveda Vaidya Sushil Kumar Dubey, associate professor at the faculty, said, "The new unit will help in the study of various things related to the Bhoot Vidya, which deals with the psychological disorders and abnormal psychosomatic condition in a completely Ayurvedic way."