Rejuvenation, 'desi' styleAyurvedic massage

Magic of ayurveda

What’s the best way to detox one’s mind, body and soul? Preeti Verma Lal vouches for the goodness of a traditional Ayurvedic massage in God’s own country.

 “What’s your nakshatra?” Date of birth. Photo identity. Credit card. Residential address.

 Generally, I am used to pulling out these documents at hotel check-ins. But a query about the nakshatra? Now, that was a first for me. With bags in hand, I dropped a jaw at Kairali, the Ayurvedic Healing Village in Palakkad. I had to shed the cliched Capricorn tag and rummage for my nakshatra. “Punarvasu,” I muttered knowingly. At Kairali, the nakshatra is not a mundane fact. It is to allocate the room that is compatible with the birth sign. For sages believe that a human is at his best in his own ‘house’. As such, all the 27 villas in this retreat are named and built according to the tenets of Vedic astrology. Here, you live in the room that is compatible with your nakshatra.

Healing is not just about shirodhara (pouring oil on forehead) and organic food; it begins with the small things. Like a conch shell that is strategically placed in the room for positive energy. No chemicals as toiletries. The toothpaste is herbal, the shampoo is henna-based and the moisturiser is laden with almonds. No soaps. You scrub the grime off with dal (lentil powder). Technology is shut out of the door. There is no wi-fi in the room. A typical day begins at the crack of dawn with a yoga session on a sandbank under the guidance of a guru.

A healthy breakfast waits at the canteen (they refrain from calling it a restaurant) that begins with lukewarm water infused with the goodness of njerinjil and pathimugam (medicinal plants). Food is strictly vegetarian. No alcohol. No smoking. Not even pop or soda. No coffee. The food has no trace of artificial colouring, cream or nut paste and has nothing fried and refrigerated. Everything here is seasonal and religiously adhering to the Ayurvedic way of eating. On the plate there could be raagi dosa, wheat payasam with jaggery, urad dal jalebi dipped in honey syrup, oat/vegetable soup, or steamed puttu. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at fixed hours. According to Ayurveda, breakfast is best had before 8 am and dinner two hours before bedtime.

 In Ayurveda, every human being is composed of the same elements as nature: fire, earth, water, air and ether. The tridosha (vatta, pitha, kappa) is the basis of Ayurveda and the doctors at the centre begin with deciphering your dosha  balance, diagnosing the ailment and prescribing the treatment and diet accordingly. Treatment programmes often range between 7, 14 and 21 days, though it could be longer for chronic ailments. The massages are specific to the ailment and are combined with yoga, meditation and Ayurvedic diet. You have the choice of more than 100 massages including panchakarma, shirodhara, abhyangam, pizhichil, khadikizhi and so on. Specialised massages are used to restore the balance of three doshas and improve the power of the sensory organs. Research says that the rainy season (specially mid-July to August) is the best time to undergo massages like dhara, pizhichil and navrakizhi.

 To complete the experience, one can head to the coconut grove or the lotus pond or the gurgling creek or the swimming pool at the retreat. You can curl up in the hammocks or take a walk in the herbal garden and learn all about the goodness of common plants and flowers.