When the skies darkened and the annual monsoon blew in from the Arabian sea, life used to come to a standstill on a sliver of land sandwiched between the sea and the Western Ghats. For ages now, for those who could afford it, the season was a period of rejuvenation, Ayurveda therapy and rest. Even today, many in the fast lanes of life and Kathakali artistes take a break from their routine and go for a regime of medicinal oil massages and special diets during the monsoon.
Celebrities, politicians and business tycoons land in God’s own country for rejuvenating sessions of detox Ayurveda treatment and procedures such as pizhichil, kizhi, dhara, shodhana chikitsa and so on, to pamper the body, mind and soul when the monsoon sets in.
Ideal for treatment
“In Ayurveda, the monsoon is considered the best season for panchakarma and allied treatments, as the potency of the medicines is increased when the temperature drops considerably,” explains T.S. Madhavan Kutty, chief, research and development, Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, Malappuram.
When the monsoon began to be promoted as a unique experience in 2006, a deluge of promotional work was launched by Kerala Tourism. Along with the promise of exploring rain-washed landscapes, tourists were also invited to experience Ayurveda as a de-stresser and wellness package.
An umbrella of wellness programmes and experiential tours have transformed the traditionally lean months of June, July and August into a period of opportunities for the tourism sector. “Instead of depending solely on international tourists, the government decided to launch a campaign to attract domestic tourists and that was a huge success,” says Dr. V. Venu, former Principal Secretary, Tourism, in Kerala.
In addition to increasing footfall to the State, many also went on to experience Ayurveda treatment of different kinds in resorts and reputed Ayurveda centres spread across Kerala.
A 2009 survey of Kerala Tourism says that while 85.4 percent of international tourists visit Kerala for leisure and recreation, nearly 8.4 percent of Germans visit the State for health reasons.
“It is word-of-mouth that brings visitors to our centre,” says Aparna Poomullymana Saraswathy, chief resident physician, Poomully Mana Heritage Ayurveda Treatment Centre, Peringod, favoured by many stars in Kerala. She adds: “The monsoon months coincide with vacations in the Gulf countries and many non-resident Keralities set aside some time for their health. Their friends and colleagues from West Asia also started visiting Kerala for Ayurveda treatment.”
Ayurveda treatment at Niramaya Retreats in Kerala
However, Ayurveda practitioners insist that the treatment they chalk out for patients cannot be lumped together under the ubiquitous ‘wellness package’. In the Government Ayurveda College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, it is the Department of Community Health that caters to patients who come for annual detoxification programmes.
“There is a three-fold increase in patients during the rainy season. More than foreign visitors, we have Malayalis and domestic tourists. Our rates are affordable. So, treatments that come to ₹1 lakh and more in private centres would cost only around ₹30,000. But then, our facilities are in tune with that of a hospital and not that of a resort,” explains Sajitha Bhadran, Associate Professor.
However, opulent surroundings and authentic Ayurveda treatment are not mutually exclusive as proved by Ayurveda centres like Niramayam Heritage Ayurveda Hospital at Thayamkulangara and Kalari Rasayana in Kollam, which are located in breathtakingly landscaped surroundings with aesthetically and comfortably furnished rooms. Both follow strict Ayurveda procedures while treating their patients.
Individual attention
“While the rainy season is our peak period, our treatment and diet are customised for each patient. In Ayurveda, there is no fit-all treatment protocol for all patients. So we have people coming in for different ailments and physical problems caused by lifestyle and so on. Since many of the procedures in Ayurveda follow regimes of seven, 14 and 21 days, we formulate a strict vegetarian diet for them during that period,” explains Rakesh Olappamanna, managing director of Niramaya Heritage Ayurveda Hospital.
The bounty of the rain is also reaped by resorts all along Kerala that offer Ayurveda treatment.
Niraamaya Retreats, with three properties in Kerala, has witnessed an increase in occupancy rates all through the monsoon.
“While undergoing the 7- or 14-day treatment, they can choose to travel to our other properties. So from Kovalam, they can go to the backwaters in Kumarakom and even to our property in Thekkady without a break in the treatment,” says Stanley Simon, head of marketing and brand communication.
K. Krishnadas, chief medical officer, Majlis Ayurvedic Health Park, and managing director Kshetraayur Pharmacy, Thrissur, strikes a note of caution when he says that the profusion of Ayurveda spas, massage parlours and dispensaries catering to tourists might not be completely following the procedures as laid down in the principles of Ayurveda.
“For instance, when patients come in for certain treatments, there are supposed to take complete rest and not strain the body in any way. They are expected to take rest for the same number of days, they underwent the treatment as well. How many of them do all that? If there is an issue later, it is Ayurveda that gets blamed, not the centre concerned or the practitioner, ” he says.
In spite of the quibbles and worries, the monsoon brings in a rain of opportunities and a windfall for those practising authentic Ayurveda. And for harried clients, it is a period of rest and relaxation away from the cares of the world.
What to try
Pizhichil : Cotton cloth immersed in lukewarm medicated oil is squeezed over the body.
Chavitti Uzhichil : The body is massaged using the foot of the masseuse after applying medicated oil.
Dhara : Process of pouring medicated oil, buttermilk and decoction on forehead or on a specific part of the body.
Udwarthanam : Special therapeutic deep-tissue massage using medicated powders and oils too.
Courtesy: Poomully Mana Heritage Ayurveda Treatment Centre
