Healing the vagina after the birth

A woman healing herself with fire post-birth from a sculpture in Konark at Puri in Orissa (thanks to Stella Dupuis). We at Jeeva Research Project found that women still used fire as fumigation post birth. One dai or traditional midwife reported the following.

In the fire we toss dry neem leaves, garlic peels, ajwain (carom seeds), raagi (millet). She should spread her sari wide, with her legs apart with the fire placed between them. The smoke and heat should go into the lower part of her body. It relieves pain and if she takes the warmth to her legs, hand and face--then her face will not swell and she will not catch cold. (Husainabi from Karnataka)