Back to basics

Ayurveda will be the watch-word of the new millennium,quot; believes Ayurvedic physician Dr Pankaj Naram, who has already made Ayurveda a cult of sorts in the Western countries. Having won international acclaim in the little known area of pulse diagnosis, an offshoot of Ayurvedic medicine, Dr Naram has set up a sprawling 14,000 sq ft quot;total Ayurvedic theme centrequot; Ayushakti in Kandivli.

Practising for the last 20 years, Dr Naram along with his wife Dr Smita Naram, has successfully opened up Ayurveda centres in Italy, Germany, Canada and Los Angeles. quot;Indians generally lap up everything that happens abroad while we ignore our own culture,quot; he points out. People from all stratas of society film stars, politicians to the common man come to be treated here. Even the Dalai Lama is included in his patients8217; list, who comes every year for a check-up and is due to visit him this November. No wonder, then, that Ayushakti, which opened this January, is already teeming with patients.A team of 11 doctors, trained underDr Naram treat a wide range of illnesses from migraine and colds to infertility and cancer. Dr Naram examines around 400 patients a day, starting around 11.00 am and ending the day with his last patient at 1.30 am. He believes that treatment for any illness begins with a positive attitude and a healthy diet. quot;Half your illness is dealt with if you have a carefully supervised diet.quot; Which is taken care of at Ayushakti with Swad Shakti8217;, a cozy restaurant where people can have their fill of tasty, healthy food. The brainchild of wife Smita Naram, designed with eco-friendly products, it serves delicacies like energy kadi8217; and green moong besan soup8217; for starters, to meals and snacks like khichadis, frankie and chaat items.

Besides, the Siddha Nadi Kendra8217; pulse-reading centre, where people are treated for chronic diseases, there is also a Panchkarma8217; therapy centre dealing with deep cleansing, overhauling and total rejuvenation. The various kinds of massages and steams in Panchkarma, come at anaffordable cost of Rs 60 to Rs 200. They even have accommodation facilities for people interested in overnight stays and for doctors who come here for training.The Ayurvedic medicines here are prepared at factories in Malad and Palghar, with herbs that are brought from the south and the Himalayas, besides growing their own herbs in a strictly monitored farm near Mumbai. They even produce a range of food products like non-fried gathias, papads and home-made chutneys, and sugar-free sweets for diabetics; and even beauty products.

Ayushakti has a total of 1,460 products. Elected the Most Admired Man of the Decade8217; in 1996 by the American Biographical Institute, North Carolina, Dr Naram has achieved what he had set out to do quot;Bring our people back to their rootsquot;.

Ayushakti at 8986983/ 8990729. Email: ayushaktiayushakti.com. Or visit its website: ayushakti.com

8212; CHATURA POOJARI