Shopian, Mar 25: In Gassipora village of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, a sexagenarian woman widely Known as Faat Aap’a has taken up the practice of bone-setting, and she does it with such a mastery as a trained medic formally trained in orthopedics would do.
Obviously Faat Aap’a did not attend any medical college for receiving any orthopedic training, and yet given her skills the locals believe that she is blessed with the capability of recognizing the bone fractures and dislocations, and then treating them as well.
They assign it to some ‘spiritual power’ that Faat Aap’a has been able to treat dislocated joints of thousands of people in last three decades.
The elderly lady has so far treated thousands of such patients who, people say were “declared incurable” by the doctors in government and private hospitals.
The word about Faat Aap’a’s effective method of healing fractured bones has spread over to Punjab, and a number of patients from this northern state have also visited the Gassipora village to get their displaced joints repaired, locals say.
People in Gassipora village say that they prefer going to Fata Aap’a then going to hospitals where the cost of treatment is very high and certainly cumbersome.
Faat Aap’a charges a negligible fee of Rs 120 per patient out of which 20 rupees goes to a local ‘Madrasa’ (seminary).
While expressing her compassion for the patients who suffer bone fractures, Faat Aap’a says that she wants to pass this ‘healing legacy’ to her elder daughter but she is unable to devote much time to learn this ‘art of bone-setting’ because she remains busy with the household chores.
“Thank God! All those patients who have received my treatment can not only walk but they can run also,” said Faat Aap’a, smilingly adding that “I did not learn this ‘art of healing bones’ from my parents or grandparents but this art came to me naturally.”
Faat Aap’a has also done a midwifery course at a local hospital and has assisted delivery of as many as hundreds of children.
“I was not satisfied with midwifery job because I had to work with the men-folk as well, which I didn’t like and in 2015 I left the job,” she says.
“God has bestowed me with this capability that allows my hands to do exactly what an X-ray machine does,” claims Faat Aap’a.
One of her patient from Ganderbal district of central Kashmir, Shameema Akhtar (40) regrets having consulted an orthopedic for her fracture which she sustained after getting hit by a motorcyclist. She believes that the doctor only aggravated her injury.
“With a single touch of Faat Aapa’s hand, I got relieved,” says Shameema.
Another patient from Seidpora Shopian — Rafeeqa — who consulted Faat Aap’a for treating her dislocated shoulder said that she had sustained fracture in her shoulder last year.
“I consulted many doctors but none of them could cure it. This is the second time I am visiting Fata Aap’a and I have started feeling better,” says Rafeeqa.
