More and more people are turning to Ayurveda in Kerala for treatment and not just health. And it is no longer a monsoon phenomenon.
The association of the monsoon season in Kerala with Ayurveda, Panchakarma and Rasayana highlights the success of the tourism department’s marketing campaign, which has effectively linked the international tourist season with health tourism, particularly healing and rejuvenation through Ayurveda.
While Ayurvedic principles have always placed emphasis on building immunity, the concept has gained a lot of traction especially in the post-COVID era, with Ayurvedic doctors pointing out that people are now seeking therapeutic treatments over general wellness.
Despite the marketing of monsoon Ayurveda, doctors report a year-round influx of patients needing treatment for post-stroke management, metabolic disorders, arthritis, rheumatism, stress and gastrointestinal problems.
“Kalkidaka Chikilsa and Monsoon Rejuvenation are fancy names like Akshaya Tritiya. We all know they are marketing ploys because people buy gold whenever they want, whether they do it on that day or not. People who come to Kerala for Ayurvedic treatment are serious about their health. They want to be cured. Unfortunately, it is often when modern medicine has failed or given up,” he said.
“This is a challenge Ayurveda has always faced. We don’t claim to provide emergency treatment, but we want to treat people before they reach the final stage of healing,” said Dr MR Vasudevan Namboothiri, former director of Ayurvedic Medical Education, who, at 70, sees an average of 25-30 patients every day.
“What motivates me is the new types of diseases I see in my patients now. Some of them I have read about in textbooks and magazines a long time ago. There is no age limit.”
“We see very young patients with a range of metabolic disorders, from obesity to anorexia, that reflect their lifestyle and habits,” he added.
With seasonal patterns changing so frequently, does the concept of Monsoon Ayurveda still apply? “Ayurveda uses various treatment systems like oils, pijichir, kiji etc which generate a lot of heat during the procedure. That’s why we don’t recommend Panchakarma during the summer months of March to May,” explained Dr Vasudevan.
According to the ancient body of knowledge, the year is divided into Uttarayana and Dakshinayana. Uttarayana, which runs from December 22 to June 21, is considered a good time with a bit of winter, spring and summer. It is followed by Dakshinayana, which is associated with the rainy and winter seasons of Kerala.
“When the rainy season begins, microbial activity increases. Water-borne diseases become more prevalent. People become sluggish and weak.
“That’s why we recommend Ayurveda as medicine and light meals help rejuvenate the body. That’s why it’s done in Dakshinayana,” said Dr D Ramananathan, chief physician at Sitaram Ayurved and general secretary of the Ayurvedic Medicines Manufacturers’ Association of India.
Panchakarma, which involves five detox therapies, is essential to eliminate toxins, strengthen the immune system and balance the body’s ‘agni’ after summer ends. Monsoon Chikilsa thus helps in balancing the three doshas — Vata, Pitta and Kapha, explained Dr Ramanathan.
“Since the Covid pandemic, we have seen an increase in foreign tourists seeking Ayurvedic treatments in Kerala to boost their immunity,” said Sajeev Kurup, chairman of FICCI’s Ayurvedic Tourism Task Force.
“Many people are not taking the vaccine fearing side effects and many are suffering from side effects. Though Kerala remains the number one destination for Ayurveda, now almost 50 per cent people come for treatment and the remaining 50 per cent for health purposes. Earlier it was 20 per cent versus 80 per cent for health purposes,” he said.
The central government’s promotion of yoga has also boosted interest in Ayurveda, he said, adding that even though Ayurvedic treatment is time-consuming, it is preferred for its holistic approach.
Kerala faces competition from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Sri Lanka and while there is limited support from the state health department, Ayurveda is thriving thanks to grassroots awareness, Dr Ramanathan said.
“People are aware of the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and are turning to Ayurveda to rid their body of chemical residues after emergency treatment. This is an emerging trend which shows that the Indian healthcare system is better suited to our people. We are not challenging allopathic medicine and there is no need to challenge it,” he said.
India’s health system faces branding problems because people see spas as part of Ayurveda. “We had a lot of problems with that, so we developed a system to alert people to misuse of the Ayurveda name. As health authorities are slow to act, we alert tourism authorities and they take action,” he said.
The launch of the medical and Ayurvedic visa portal by the Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to simplify the process, ensure transparency and promote legitimate treatment options for medical tourists seeking Ayurvedic treatment.
Disclaimer
The views expressed above are the author’s own.
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