Hot bath in cold storage. That's exactly the case with the hoary Turkish bath in the city. For more than a decade the only ‘garam hamam' at the Government Nizamia General Hospital in Charminar is lying unused. For want of funds and initiative, patients are deprived of this ancient mode of treatment.
Hot favourite
Now serious efforts are on to revive the Turkish bath.
As part of the regimental therapy unorthodox methods like cupping, steam bath, cauterisation, emesis, diuresis and purgation are employed for treatment of various disorders like cervical and lumbar spondylosis .
The Turkish bath is another sure-fire way of curing patients affected with paralysis, obesity, rheumatism and Parkinson disease .
The ‘Garam Hamam' used to be a hot favourite with patients. But over the years it fell in disuse for want of minor repairs.
All that it required was supply of hot and cold water, repair of the hot water tub and the steam bath chamber. But this simple matter was not attended to.
Thanks to the hospital superintendent, Dr. Mohd Rafi Ahmed's initiative things are looking up now.
The other such Turkish bath in Hyderabad is situated at Puranapul. It is attached to the 17th century Mian Mishk mosque. This ‘Garam Hamam' was built in tune with the Islamic principles of hygiene and purification.
But today it lies in a state of utter decay and unapproachable.
The facility at the Unani hospital is much better. The steam bath chamber still remains out of order and the ‘Garam Hamam' can do with some renovation. The peeling plaster and the seedy look sure gives the creeps.
Effective
The ‘hamam' is a square chamber with a wooden cot and a shower. Using medicated oils the masseur works on the patients.
Thereafter the patients are made to lie in the rectangular hot water tub.
“The therapy sounds strange but it does wonders,” says Mohd Saleem, a lecturer at the Hospital.
Once the Turkish bath becomes fully operational, patients will have yet another effective therapy to avail.
