cooling mudpacks: the aesthetic quality of therapy 183
his problems at Beemapalli mosque. Recalling a long and seemingly fruitless
course of therapy-seeking, Mustapha’s brother explained:
Th is is the fi fth time it has come. Th e problem has been coming and going for the
past eight to ten years. We don’t go anywhere else now. We took him everywhere
and lost a lot of money and he didn’t get better [lit. “didn’t become healthy”—
sukhamāvilla]. When we take him here, he becomes healthy [sukhamāvunnuntu].
Th is time we came here three months ago.[.. .]We are giving him no medicine other than that. Now there is some relief [lit.
“lessening/reduction”—kuravu]. He will get some relief during these months.
We are sure about it.Kavitha: When he is sick, how long do you have to stay here?Brother: Until he gets relief. Now it won’t take more than two months.Mustapha had been hitting and swearing at anyone who came near him
while also talking strangely and exhibiting other symptoms of disturbance.
Since his problems fi rst emerged 23 years ago after failing his Secondary
School Leaving Exam, he was treated at a state-run allopathic psychiatric
hospital where he received ECT. His family also tried mantravādam (magic, to
counter sorcery), but the only place where he got relief was at Beemapalli:
Now when we take him to this mosque, he will get relief. Like that, nine years
ago we took him straight here. We did not try any other place at that time.
Wherever else we have gone there is no improvement. We will spend money but
whatever hospital we go to, whatever mantravādan we see, he won’t get relief. At
last, after having spent all our money on his treatment, we will take him here
and here he will get relief.Mustapha’s problems have, of course, resurfaced, and he has spent the last
six weeks at Beemapalli. Our conversation with his brother shows that his
family has resolved to live with this recurring problem and occasionally seek
“some relief ” and “reduction” through visits to the mosque.
Mariyamma is an elderly Christian woman who lives at Vettucaud church,
the beachfront Catholic church and healing center in Trivandrum. Mariyamma
has been taking allopathic medicines for the last six years for sleeping and
breathing problems related to family tensions. She also prays at Vettucaud
church to fi nd relief from her affl iction. Th is should not be taken to mean