Dhimal Tribe is one of the oldest tribes among other tribes in North Bengal. In spite of so many opinions regarding the arrival of Dhimal tribe in India,it is believed that the ancestors of Dhimal tribe were one of the sub sections of Kirat group who lived in the North East Himalayan Zone of Indian sub-continent. Coming about 1000 (thousand) years before the arrival of the Aryans, the people of Indian Dhiaml tribes have been living in the Terai region of North Bengal throughout the ages as aboriginals. At that time, this region was poachy, morbid, Malaria and Kala-azar prone area. It was full of deep jungle with ferocious tigers, bears, different types of snakes, peacocks, deer and other wild animals and birds. Enduring many obstacles, the people of Dhimal, Mech, Tharu tribes survived by hunting, fishing and collecting fruits from jungle. Later, a colossal disaster affected the life style of these aborigines. Bit by bit, the government has deprived them of their right to forest and soil. Losing land and being uprooted Dhimals and Bodos are advancing towards the dense forest of West and the East respectively. The ancestors of today’s Dhimal tribe remained amidst the deep forest of the Terai region of Darjeeling District which is full of epidemic and wild animals. Over 150-200 years ago Dhimal people were completely unlettered.To save themselves from Malaria and Kaal-azar they relied totally on midwives or the conjuration of shamans and on the herbal weeds. Even today, these rituals have been kept up by the academically backward Dhimals.
Even now, Dhimals go to the house of midwife or shaman when they fall sick. Finding out the reason of illness, the midwives or shamans sprinkle sanctified water, oil and ghee to the gods who are enraged and prepare medicines with herbs. Gradually, because of the death of the midwives or shamans and the destruction of jungles the practice of herbal medicines has been discontinued. The midwives and shamans won’t like to teach these things to anyone. If their sons or close allys of their own community would request them earnestly or make them their adopted father, only then they teach the art. As Dhimals have no literacy, nobody had written about those medicines.Though there were some deeds, but these are either buried or thrown or burnt along with the death of the shamans. Dhimals believe in superstition that if they keep any of the things like deeds or clothes of the dead in their house, the soul of the dead  will torture the folks in the  family.
Aboriginal Dhimals who are the sons of the forest have the might to fight against illness in their body. Collecting various types of fruits, flowers, weeds, honey, fig, ferong, kurchila tekor, taise, birali, pennywort etc. they used to eat those somehow by adding a little oil, garlic, ginger and green chilli. They had used very little spice and oil. They used to eat wild periwinkle, snail, oyster, hunted fish, jungle basil and meat of wild pig, deer, puma by roasting and adding green chili and salt. Dhimals in the past remained relaxed by drinking home-made wine, gossiping, beating drums, composing rhymes, playing harp and dancing. Former Dhimals were eating boiled vegetables, meat, fish etc. They used to survive from severe illness after eating and even working under the sun and rain. Even so, if epidemic comes now and then, the Dhimal women, being cautious, mopped the outskirts and inside of the house with cow dung, took bath in hot water with neem leaves. Maintaining social distance these panicked people used to save themselves from the clutches of epidemic. That village where cholera and other diseases spread out, the native Dhimals would not pay visit there because of fear. In the past Dhimals had a different room for an outsider. The outsider used to leave after gossiping in that room. Even today Dhimals would not allow outsiders into their room. Their western room is reserved for the head of the family where the altar of Sadi Berang deity is seated. Except the family members nobody is allowed there.The kitchen is generally one or two feet high from the ground. A thick layer of grass and cow dung is given on the floors. For this, during rainy season, the kitchen and other rooms remain dry. It is a method to stay well. Former Dhimal aboriginals had used dish, glass, bowl made of bell metal; kept water in clay pitcher and drunk it in bamboo glass; used to eat vegetables. There was no custom of using plastic and thermocol in this tribe.During festivals, they used to eat rice, curd, flattened rice, treacle either on pecheng leaf or banana leaf or banana barks. In ancient times, there was dense forest, huge water and wind. They ran away from their village to other villages during epidemic.
Now, we, the Dhimals come to know so many things and do not fear the deadly diseases like Corona. Unfortunately, we are not obeying the rules that keep us safe and well. We have to wear mask, wash hands time and again, and maintain social distance. We have to stay at home also. We should not conceal our disease.We have become educated and civilized and in spite of this we are breaking the rules. For our own profit we are deforesting and  polluting the river water. We are working against the laws of nature. Former aborigines of Dhimal tribe hunted wild animals and collected vegetables according to their need. Even today, Dhimal tribes worship trees, stones, hills, rivers, animals by commemorating them. For this, nature has kept them alive. At present, people coming from outside, are destroying forests and polluting rivers. Because of extreme greed for wealth, they are cutting forest and killing wild life mercilessly and randomly. Pouring poison and propelling electricity into river water they are catching fish against the rules of nature. For these man-made misdeeds air, water, soil are getting poisoned day by day. If human beings are not cautious and aware, there would be more diseases like Corona. The humankind will die. In order to save us from epidemic the people have to learn the common and simple life style of aboriginals. We have to protect nature, otherwise our existence would no longer be there in this planet.

Word notes:
Dhimal- The Dhimal or Dhemal are an ethnic group residing in the eastern Terai of Nepal. They are a Sino-Tibetan-speaking ethnic group of the eastern Terai.
Boro- The Boro  is the largest ethnolinguistic group in the Assam state of India. They are a part of the greater Bodo-Kachari family of ethnolinguistic groups and are spread across northeastern India.
Kirat- Kirat or Kirati are indigenous ethnic groups of the Himalayas (mid-hills) extending eastward from Nepal into India, Burma and beyond.
Mech- The Mech  is an ethnic group belonging to Bodo-Kachari group of peoples.
Tharu- The Tharu people are an ethnic group indigenous to the Terai in southern Nepal and northern India. They are recognized as an official nationality by the Government of Nepal.
Ferong, kurchil tekor, taise, birali – Vegetables which are usually found in the teari region and sometimes used as herbal medicines.
Sadi Berang- The main household deity of Dhimal people.
Pecheng leaf- A big junglee leaf like banana leaf which Dhimals are usually using to make cake during festivals.