An Ayurvedic Experience by Rejuvenating and Reconnecting with Nature

Located to the south, Kerala is one of the well-known travel destinations that grab the attention of the tourists to a greater extent with its immense beauty and moderate climate that the place holds within. Apart from the beauty and the climatic and geographic condition of the state the one other thing that entices the travellers to a greater extent is the uniqueness in the travel destinations of the state like the backwater destinations in Kerala. With the saline marine water mixing with the fresh waters in the lake, the inland water destination in the state was one of the most unique natural attractions in the land that enticed the travellers in a number of ways like its rich greenery and the availability of a number of coconut plantations and houseboat services. Apart from the beauty of nature, the plantations and the houseboats it is mainly Ayurveda that flowers in the place that makes it one of the best travels spot to the south. Kerala being a state to the south with the oldest Ayurvedic history is one of the best Ayurvedic travel destinations where tourist are promised with the best effects of the treatment available. Moreover, it is the only state that takes Ayurveda as a mainstream of medicine than a subcategory of the same.  It is just because of all these reasons that I chose Kerala to be my Ayurvedic travel destination. Even though the state Kerala housed a number of Ayurvedic spa and treatment centres offering the best herbal Packages in almost every corner of the hills like the Aura Ayurveda & Spa in Munnar, I choose to enjoy the same as one of the best and most known inland water destinations of the state, Alleppey. Mostly referred to as the backwater gateway Alleppey was one of the best inland water destinations that were known to house a number of best Ayurvedic treatment spa and centres.

 My herbal trip to the place was with one main aim to enjoy one of the best medical spa treatments and to undergo a number of herbal therapies that I would need to keep myself fit and healthy. It was not my first Ayurvedic treatment in Kerala but yes was the first experience at Alleppey. Trust me on this; the Ayurvedic treatment and spa are not that easy as you think it is, mine started once I reach the treatment centre at Alleppey. I was first assigned to meet the senior doctor at the treatment centre who was to assign me with the treatment package suitable for my body type. Yes you heard right, each person would have a different body type and each body type are advice with different sets of Ayurvedic treatments. And the treatment included in my package was steam bathing with specially medicated steam, herbal massages, Nasya, Shirodhara, Njavarakizhi, Udvarthanam and a number of yoga, exercises and a strict diet. One of the hardest parts in the treatment course is the diet plan in which one has no choice but to follow. I was not advised of any treatment on the first day as I was all tired of the travel. But my next day started with the Morning Prayer which is one must follow ritual in almost all the Ayurvedic treatment and spa centres in the land that starts mostly by 5.30 in the morning. I was woken up by a prayer bell. After the prayer, we were all advanced to move into the yoga centre where we practised some intense yoga which, to be honest, was refreshing to a greater extent. After the yoga exercises we were asked to refresh and then meet at the dining area by 8 am and then we were served with our diet food. One of the best parts of the Ayurvedic diet is that you get to eat a number of things which are fresh and healthy. After the lunch, every individual at the Ayurvedic centre was asked to move on with their treatments. I was escorted by a practitioner to the treatment space to start with my treatments.

 For the first day, the treatments that I had on the list were herbal massages, Nasya and Shirodhara with a medicated steam bath after every single treatment. Herbal massage or spa was the first treatment that I had to undergo. It was one of the less complicated treatments that just involved a number of herbal oils massaged all on our body for about 60 minutes. After the herbal spa and the steam bath that follows after every treatment, I was directed for the next treatment which was Nasya. Nasya was one of the most common Ayurvedic treatments in Kerala which was very useful for removing the toxic elements from the body of an individual. The treatment mainly included the application of a number of medicated oils and herbal juice through the nostrils. One of the main reasons for me to choose this treatment was that it was very effective in treating a number of ailments like headaches, skin diseases, paralysis and more. After finishing with the Nasya and the medicated steam bath I moved on with the last treatment of the day Shirodhara. In this treatment I was to lay down on a table like this and the medicated oils, medicated buttermilk and milk were poured down through the forehead continuously for about 40 min. The treatment was said to be very useful in treating a number of ailments like insomnia, short-term memory loss, skin diseases, headaches and more. With Shirodhara, my treatments for the first day came to an end. The rest of the evening I was free to enjoy the place and the ambience of the Ayurvedic spa and treatment centre. By about 6.30 pm, there was another bell for the evening prayer and then the dinner by 8 pm.

 The next day the routines were the same as Morning Prayer at 5.30 followed by yoga and breakfast. For the second day, the treatments offered were Njavarakizhi and Udvarthanam followed by a number of exercises after5 pm. Njavarakizhi was the first treatment for the day, one of the main aim of the treatment was to make the body sweat with the help of specially prepared medicinal rice pudding. These specially prepared medicated puddings are applied to the whole body or a particular part of the body and the massaged for about 60 to 90 minutes. Some of the best results of the treatment include the treatment of ailments like rheumatism, high blood pressure, emaciation of limbs, joint pains and skin diseases. Followed by Njavarakizhi was the Udvarthanam which is a treatment that is also referred to as the powder massage. The treatment mainly includes two therapists where a specially prepared herbal powder is applied to the body for about 30 to 40 minutes. The treatment is said to be one of the best for ailments like paralysis, obesity, impaired circulation and skin diseases.

 The treatment followed for about one month in an alternative manner with all the routine exercise, yoga and diet plans. It was after a month of Ayurvedic treatment in Kerala that I flew back to my home-town. In my personal experience, the Ayurvedic treatments and Spa therapies offered in Kerala are one of the best ways in which you could rejuvenate and reconnect with nature in a special way. Most of the Ayurvedic treatments offered in Kerala aim at treating any ailment from the root other than treating the symptoms or call the branches of the disease leaving behind the root cause of the disease. Due to this one reason Ayurveda not just heals an ailment but also helps in preventing the disease from finding a way back to your system. At the land of traditional Ayurveda, Kerala I really enjoyed the best results of the herbal treatment. This is one reason that made me an Ayurvedic traveller. Offering the travellers and the patients with the best results on herbal treatments Kerala is one of the best travel destinations to the south where you could rejuvenate and reconnect with nature.