Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part G (2025)

The Yerava tribe of Kodagu district, Karnataka, represents one of the region's most culturally distinct yet vulnerable indigenous communities. The Yerava tribes have developed a rich tradition of ethno-botanical knowledge and forest-based livelihoods over generations. This article explores the Yerava women’s use of medicinal plants, their traditional subsistence strategies, and the challenges posed by land alienation and socio-economic marginalization. This study is based on primary and secondary data. The research design used for the proposed study is Descriptive Research Design. The area selected for the study is Kodagu District. A total of 390 respondents in the age groups of 18-49 years and above were selected as samples for the study. In the past, Yerava women practiced and relied on traditional medicines. But in recent years, only 3.1 percent of respondents have reported practising traditional medicine; they use different plants, leaves, roots, and bark of trees to prepare medicines. The study observes that 46.7 percent women use home remedies for minor ailments like headache, fever, cold stomach ache, body ache, diarrhea and post-natal period. Drawing from ethnographic studies and recent field data, the research highlights the importance of preserving Yerava indigenous practices for both cultural heritage and sustainable resource management.