The definite roots of the ancient art of Ayurveda are hidden in obscurity, but it certainly originated in the Indian subcontinent, perhaps even in the Himalayan region, where rishis (sages) were known to have lived for many years meditating. At the same time, they also spent time seeking cures to the ills of humanity. The unique aspect of their quest lay in the fact that they searched for a holistic way of treatment, since they believed that for an individual to be fully healed, all three aspects of the individual had to be taken into account, that is, physical, physical, mental, and spiritual.
Ayurveda has deep roots in Nepal, and is a part of the country’s culture. One can notice quite a few Ayurveda healing centers all over Kathmandu, and with the advent of more widespread media outlets and budding new entrepreneurs, Ayurveda is surely making a strong comeback today. Add to this the fact that the worldwide trend now is geared towards disseminating the Eastern way of life, including things like Yoga. Tao, Zen, and martial arts, to a global audience that seems to be searching for alternatives to long established aspects of the Western way of doing things in matters regarding, especially, holistic health and wellbeing.
Ayurveda, too, is making great inroads into more Western nations; however, it being a method of healing, its journey could take longer, keeping in mind their stringent laws regarding all things to do with medicine. Thus, the added attraction of Ayurveda for tourists coming to the Indian subcontinent, including Nepal. Thus, the popularity of the capital’s many spas that use the methods of Ayurveda in their treatments, including massages, to provide a sense of glowing good health and wellbeing to their clients. Moreover, numerous healing centers run by well-qualified Ayurveda doctors abound throughout the valley, offering various types of Ayurveda treatments for many kinds of ailments.
Besides its attraction, for many, as an esoteric art, the Ayurveda mode of treatment is also valued due to its use of natural products in its therapies, thus doing away with the danger of side effects that may be a risk when using modern allopathic medicine. Nepal has a large number of medicinal plants, many of them endemic to the country, and this fact further adds to the allure of Ayurveda here. The ‘natural way of healing’ is a popular byline of many spas and Ayurveda centers, and it is indeed an attractive one, considering the vast increase in awareness among the general populace about health and wellbeing.
Some experts describe Ayurveda as a ‘cultural life science’, in that the means and methods are passed down through generations of families practicing the art since ancient times. Of course, now Ayurveda is also taught in colleges, and there are many practitioners involved whose families may not have been in the business before. Ayurveda is also said to be a part of the lifestyle, in that many of its methods and products are a part of daily life.
And, while Ayurveda products have always been popular, with some producers marketing their brand quite aggressively, one sees a new impetus in today’s times, with more new brands becoming household names. However, as said before, since Western laws may prevent many Ayurveda medicines from gaining a bigger market abroad, it would be a good idea to plan ahead and take out time to avail of the opportunity when traveling to Nepal to have a treatment done at one of the centers of natural health and wellbeing in and around Kathmandu Valley. Who knows, it may be the best part of your vacation!