Arya Vaidya Sala: Ayurvedic Hospital of Hopes and Outstanding Outcomes
Introduction
Growing up in a village with a population of less than a thousand in 1950s/1960s, I have the memories of always being treated for most of the ailments by my mother using home remedies. It is said that the kitchen of a Bharatiya is a medicine cabinet. In fact, the only doctor we had was a compounder practicing as a ‘real doctor’, who would be handy in case of some infections or some serious health issues. I am certain most Bharatiya-s will agree with me that even today, perhaps more than two thirds of us still have complete faith on home remedies which are parts of Ayurveda only.
This is an ancient science that is as relevant today as it was in the time of Bhagwan Shri Ram and Prabhu Shri Krishna.
I am making a humble attempt to bring to light how Ayurveda can help, especially for the benefit of those who somehow have been deprived of this knowledge and for the Gen-Z who have a lot of questions about many of our traditions.
Apart from briefly mentioning about the role that Ayurveda (or Herbal Remedy) is playing now on a global scale as well as about Arya Vaidya Sala (AVS), I am citing nine cases of those patients whose lives have been positively impacted by treatment here.
(Arya Vaidya Sala, main hospital building in Kottakkal, Kerala)
As per the information found on the US government website:
Ayurvedic medicine (called as Herbal Medicine in other parts of the world, HM for short) is one of the most widely used Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies used throughout the world. In many countries, HM has a long tradition and the knowledge about local medical plants is ingrained into cultural memory. The WHO estimates that 70–90% of the rural population in developing countries use HM, in part or completely, to meet their health needs. Also, in many developed countries, HM as an element of CAM is highly popular. Therefore, HM is recognized as an essential component of primary healthcare by the WHO.
For example, in Germany, as well as in many developed countries, patients have access to HM via physicians, nonmedical CAM practitioners and on a self-initiated basis. Consequently, diverse healthcare professionals mainly the doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and nonmedical CAM practitioners are involved in HM. In Germany, HM is known as one of the five main elements of classic naturopathy (phytotherapy, hydrotherapy, exercise therapy, dietetic therapy, and “life style regulation” therapy) also known as Kneipp therapies. The overall percentage of Germans using HM increased from 52% in 1970 to 70% in 2010.
(Ref: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3549419/#B2)
Visiting the UNO website, this is what I come across:
Thus traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCI) has always been central to health and well-being for millions of people around the world. At the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva, on 17th of November 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) signed a new multi million five-year agreement with the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India to boost the development of new TCI technical documents by WHO.
“This collaboration will play an important role not only in the globalization of evidence-informed traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine but also in mainstreaming proven TCI practices in national health systems towards achieving universal health coverage and well-being,” said Dr. Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General of the Universal Health Coverage and Life Course Division of WHO.
His Excellency Shri Indra Mani Pandey, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, in signing the agreement stated “Today’s signing of this agreement will not only support the development of the TCI Global Strategy – but it will also support the integration of evidence-based Traditional and Complementary Medicine in national health systems, bio-diversity conservation and the sustainability of medicinal plants. India is committed to working with WHO to strengthen Traditional Medicine Systems globally and especially in supporting fellow developing countries in promoting their own traditional medicine systems”.
The Government of India has been a long-time supporter of the WHO Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative medicine unit. This unit develops key benchmark documents, standardized terminologies, and other evidence-informed technical products to enhance the acceptability and credibility of the traditional medicine systems. The new agreement, the third in a series of such agreements, exemplifies India’s commitment to both technical and financial collaboration with WHO on this important area of work.
(Clinic and Pharmacy in Karnataka)
In meeting with the objectives of our Central Government, AVS is a very valuable partner with unenviable track record in treating the patients since last 122 years using traditional Ayurvedic system. During my talks with Dr. P. R. Ramesh, CMO of AVS, I was told that they have a Centre of Excellence Scheme in Cancer Research funded by Ministry of AYUSH and have completed another Centre of Excellence Scheme in the Centre of Medicinal Plant Research as well.
Founded in 1902 by late physician and philanthropist Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier, AVS is situated in a quaint town Kottakkal, Malappuram District of Kerala, about 28 km away from the nearest airport in Kozhikode.
Started as an essentially a village clinic, it has now grown into multi-unit, multi-disciplinary, multi-functional and multi-crore organization. It runs Ayurvedic hospitals in three cities viz. at Kottakkal, Delhi and Kochi. All classical Ayurvedic medicines, therapies and expert medical advise are available here at very reasonable charges. This organization also provides absolutely free hospitalization, medicines and food to the deprived sections of the society without any discrimination.
It has three modern medicine manufacturing units producing almost 550 classical and new generation formulations which are distributed through 1650 authorised dealers and 26 branch clinics. It is also noteworthy to state that they also grow their own medicinal plants.
Shri P. S. Varier established in 1917 a formal Ayurvedic educational institute in Calicut which was later moved to Kottakkal in 1924. This year, the institute is completing its 100 years. This institute produces 60 bachelors and 30 post-graduate Ayurvedic doctors each year.
As per the will of the founder, this organization is 100% charitable. 45% of the profits generated goes to the charity work, 45% is spent on research and development and remaining 10 % goes to educational activities.
(A section of their massive manufacturing unit)
According to Dr. Ramesh, AVS has also started treatment for Cancer patients.
Due to a substantial amount being budgeted for R&D, the organization is always engaged in developing new and more efficacious formulations. As a part of this process, they have started treating the cancer patients with some satisfactory outcomes.
Served by 168 doctors and about 600 supporting staff, this is perhaps the biggest and oldest Ayurvedic hospital in Bharat, and obviously in the world, which has total of about 600 beds for patients spanning three cities, out of which almost third are for economically deprived sections of the society who get complete free treatment including food and medicines. The organization sees on daily basis approximately 1000 patients in OPD without any cost to them, that includes about 50-60 Cancer patients as well.
However, just as the Allopathy stream does not give any guarantee to any patients for any outcome, AVS also cautions the aspirants not to think that their conditions will definitely be reversed, which obviously means that, even after doing their best, the outcome will always be dependent on several factors. However, they accept most of the cases of cancer for treatment. The good news is that, there are hardly any cases of the frightening kind of side effects that one experiences in the ‘Chemo-Radiation-Surgery’ ecosystem.
My objective in writing this article is to spread the good word that this organization is truly a blessing for all Bharatiyas, and actually the whole mankind, because here hundreds of thousands of people over this long period of its existence have benefitted by experiencing huge turnaround in their conditions. People from more that 52 countries take the benefit of this hospital. One must book almost a year ahead for in-patient treatment, so one can imagine the popularity of this organization and the positive impact it provides to the people.
Many have experienced complete cure from their medical conditions, while several others have been able to arrest the progress of the same and enjoy much better quality of life. My wife has been here for five times, while I have been here twice. I have spoken to several people with regards to their experience and I found that most of them did experience benefits. I spoke to people who have been coming for the last several years, being here for the first few years for actual treatment and once experiencing turnarounds, continue to come here for maintaining the quality of life. I found that people are coming for blissful environ here as well, much more than just maintenance. The happiness, the satisfaction and the feeling of being blessed fill the air here.
The doctors, the backbone of this organization, are so humble and respectful, that you do not want to believe it could be for real. And, this is true for the junior-most to the senior-most doctors. Most of the staff members as per our experience over the last many years are sincere, always giving their best and are very respectful to everyone.
The hospital as well as the treatment and medication charges are quite reasonable and the administration is very honest to deal with. The standard of cleanliness, the quality of the rooms, premises and overall physical infrastructure is pretty good.
All the treatments start with the prayer to the Bhagwan Dhanvantari, considered as the Bhagwan of Health and medicine.
Having personally experienced the positive outcomes ourselves, I could not resist sharing our stories as well as of those blessed people for the benefit of those who do not know about this organization.
I would share nine stories in this piece. In some cases, the outcomes are nothing but stunning and absolutely unbelievable. I personally had always believed in the system of Ayurveda but if one comes here and speaks to a few people, you are in for complete astonishment and big surprises.
This also shows what wealth of knowledge our rishis created for us and for the entire mankind thousands of years back and what Bharat can do to help the whole humanity without filing for any patent-rights, without claiming any ‘Intellectual Property Rights’, which is the ATM of the researchers of the Western world.
Hopes and Outcomes
- Patel
“Patel lives in Florida, USA. He was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis sometime in 1989/90. He was prescribed with Methotrexate/Prednisone and Azulfidine mega dose tablets.
All these three medications are very powerful and are the drugs of choice in such medical condition. All of them have severe adverse reactions/side effects as well. Methotrexate potentially can cause liver damage while long term use of Prednisone can cause osteoporosis, reduce immunity, make your skin thinner apart from many other side effects. Mr. Patel was on all of these three medications for almost ten years and even then, his symptoms hardly improved. He was then directed to take Biological Injections (Enbrel, Humira). This was the breaking point, so he did not start on those medications, especially because he himself is a US-based pharmacist, so he knew the adverse effects about these medications. Instead, he started looking at alternatives, and by chance he learned about AVS from his aunt, from England, who was also at AVS that time in February, 2000.
After learning about AVS, he decided to go to the AVS Hospital at Delhi as it was convenient for travel and also to take a chance. When he went there in 2000, he saw Dr. Ramesh Varier, who was at that time CMO and Chief Researcher at Delhi Center. He took charge to not only treat him, but cure him with Ayurveda. He started experimental oral powders and creams that have now become the Gold Standard for Psoriatic Arthritis at AVS (Psorkot tablets and Creams) and also Rhukot for Rheumatoid Arthritis that are better alternatives than the Allopathic medications, as they do not have the severe side effects associated with the chemical-based medications. When I spoke to Dr. Varier, he told me that when he saw Mr. Patel for the first time, he was completely crippled, with hardly any normal hand or body movements possible. He could not, for example, lift or carry his wallet like how a normal person could do. He had difficulty in holding a pen and signing normally. He had difficulty in living a normal life, who also had Psoriatic scales all over his body.
Dr. Varier started him with the treatment protocol that AVS has developed which is customised for all the individual patients along with some experiments exclusively for him that Dr. Ramesh personally undertook. His symptoms started improving, his scales started disappearing and his normal movements began in a couple of years time and was completely cured of his Auto Immune condition (Psoriatic Arthritis) in about two years time.
When I am writing this, it is 18th April 2024 and Patel, who is 65 years old, was here in February for his 25th visit. He lives a very normal life, in fact lives a very active life, has so much energy, travels 11 months out of 12 globally and feeling highly blessed. He comes here now for maintenance, according to him.
- Soni
She lives in San Diego, California. She was diagnosed with Psoriasis as well as Arthritis. She came here in 2005.
She never took any Allopathic medicines, while she tried to manage with natural treatment and food control. At home, she started taking Wheatgrass/Carrot juice. She also had stopped certain foods.
Psoriasis had affected her entire body except her face and front chest portion, while she also had difficulty walking. She could barley walk for more than a few steps.
Her symptoms got worse in 2005 and she came here in the same year. Ever since she has been coming here, with the exception of 2021/22, due to Covid. When she was here for the first time, she took the treatment for two weeks, went away for two weeks, due to some personal issues, and again came back in two weeks time. Then, she took one-year supply of medications.
Her symptoms started getting resolved in about two years and in 5 years’ time, her body became completely clear of the Psoriatic scales and her Arthritis too was gone. She observed very strict regime of diet as per the advice of the doctors here along with all the medications for almost 15 years.
We met her here in February this year and I cannot express in words what I saw in her eyes. The gratitude of having found AVS was written all over her eyes that changed her life so completely.
- SP
Ms. SP lives in Virginia, USA. She was diagnosed with Rheumatic Arthritis (RA) sometime in 2014. She was prescribed to take Arava (Leflunomide) and Hydroxychloroquine by her Allopathic physician. Her condition was so bad that she could not hold any object normally. They had to change all the door handles in the house as she could not turn the round handles on the doors.
She has been regular here since 2014 except in 2021 and 2022. She started feeling much better 6-9 months after her first visit to AVS. Her specialist in the USA observed that RA factor had gone down, and recommended reducing some dose of both the medications. After six months, again she saw her specialist who found further improvement and her dose was further reduced. Now, she is on about 25-30 % of the initial doses of her Allopathic medications while taking Ayurvedic medicines round the year. She experiences no pain in the joints and has no concern about RA factor any more.
The happiness and the bliss she was feeling due to her visit to AVS was indescribable according to her.
- GP
Mr. GP, husband of Ms. SP also lives in Virginia, USA. He pulled his muscle while doing some exercise and slowly started experiencing sciatica pain sometime in 2016/17. As those who know what is sciatica, know that in Allopathy, one has to regularly take pain killers to manage the symptoms. So, he too did the same for almost two years, and while he had severe problems standing/walking/lying down, he was able to sit. He could not walk for more than five minutes. MRI showed L-4/L-5/S-1 impingement. He was given cortisone injection, which helped only for a few weeks. He came here to AVS in 2018 and saw Dr. Smitha.
His treatment plan was very interesting. On his back, a ring was made with some flour dough and in that medicated oil was poured to create a small reservoir. During the treatment of one hour, every ten minutes, medicated oil would be changed to maintain the temperature. His treatment continued for two years. He was also prescribed some Ayurvedic medications which helped him walk up to 25-30 minutes without any problem. He also took physiotherapy and, in the summer of 2019, it all went away. As we spoke in February this year, he said that coming to AVS along with the combination of therapies, lower back exercises etc. helped him a great deal.
- Gandhi
She lives in California. She met with an accident sometime in 2007-08 when her car was hit by another car from the rear. She took Physical therapy for 2 ½ years. Her MRI showed that in her spine, L-4/L-5 were affected. She also developed sciatica pain, so was not able to sleep well. Her husband also had shoulder injury from that accident, who had great difficulty in carrying a normal grocery bag even for a few steps. She already also had diabetes, which got worse when steroid was being administered to treat her condition which increased her blood sugar levels. This led to neuropathy, which is numbness and pain in the hands and feet.
An old couple from Kerala, who was visiting their son in the neighbourhood, suggested them to go to AVS as soon as possible. They assured her that it would definitely help. So, both the wife and husband decided to come here in 2010. By this time, both were experiencing severe back pain, for the whole day, and could hardly sit. They were taking too many painkillers, which made them feeling groggy/drowsy whole day.
Initially, the treatment was not very helpful. So, senior Dr. Varier took the case in his hands and started to treat her. In one month, her whole life changed. She calls it was simply a miracle. She stopped taking Allopathic painkillers as she started feeling much better. She was able to get normal sleep now on a regular basis. Her sciatica pain also went away.
Mrs. Gandhi also mentioned about another incredible experience she had here. She had developed an overactive bladder and her doctor in California suggested surgery for the same. She did not make any decision then as she already had all her plans in place to come to AVS, so she told her doctor that she would see him after her India trip and would make a decision then. At AVS, they treated her with kati-snan (bath for the waist), and after two weeks of her treatment she went back home. In California, when she saw her doctor, he could not find any problem with regard to her overactive bladder and that surprised him completely. While talking about this particular incident, her eyes became moist expressing profound gratitude for AVS.
- Vandana Shah
My wife, Vandana, has been having osteoarthritis and myalgia, muscle pain all over the body, for a long time. For the first time, she admitted herself in 2016 for four weeks. She was treated for her conditions and on discharge, she took medicines for 6 months. She found that the treatment as well as taking medicines helped reducing her pain substantially. In 2015/2016, she had nerve impingement at C-3/C-4/C-5 that affected her sensitivity in some of her fingers as well as in her arm. Before visiting AVS, she undertook a few physiotherapy sessions that helped her somewhat. However, after coming to AVS in January, two weeks of treatment resulted in complete normalcy. She has been to AVS for four times after that and each time she comes here, she finds definite help to her conditions. Late last year, she had nerve impingement in the lower back that gave rise to the sciatic pain. Expectedly, at the end of her two weeks’ treatment early this year, sciatica was a history. She says it is definitely a blessing to have found this wonderful organization.
- Moledina
She lives in Canada. Sometime in the year 2000, she started feeling depression. By and large, most people would consult psychiatrist in such a scenario. Since I am also part of the same medical profession, a practising pharmacist in Canada, I exactly understand how the whole situation takes the course. Not everyone in this part of the world would take this route, but most of them do. And, most psychiatrists generally would prescribe anti-depressant medications only. Obviously, she was also prescribed an anti-depressant Celexa. She religiously took this medication for about four years, but she did not find it helped her much. Then, she learnt about AVS and decided to try it out.
So, she came for the first time in 2003. By that time, she also was having challenges with anxiety, bone loss and body pain.
In about two-three years, she started experiencing much relief from those symptoms and with time, she started feeling much better. She also found that her bone density improved year after year thanks to the medications that she was prescribed here at AVS. Back home in Toronto, she also underwent spinal surgery for putting a metal disc in her spine for her spinal issues. And, she also took oxygen therapy as a part of Regenerative therapy that also helped her. According to her, a combination of Ayurvedic and Regenerative therapy helped improve her quality of life.
Whatever is good and helpful from either side must be used. The New-Age, rather than calling it mainstream, Allopathy medicine is great for trauma, accidents, surgery, and infections and is also great for diagnosis. For chronic non-communicable and lifestyle diseases, it prolongs the lifespan by managing symptoms. I have never heard or seen anyone completely cured of Rheumatoid Arthritis/Psoriasis/Sciatica etc. in my entire life during my practice in the New-Age medical stream, while here at AVS, the number of cases cured of all these ailments are legion.
In any case, by and large, a combination of the New-Age Medicine and Ayurveda could be of great help, which should be the standard approach, rather than having an ideology of ‘only my way is highway’.
In the last twenty years, she has been here for 10 times, but she plans to make it now once a year visit.
- Rao
Shri Rao is a resident of Texas, USA. He came for the first time with his Physician wife this year. The very first time I saw him was sometime in February when he came seeking relief from his sciatica inflammation and pain that had made his life miserable. Walking using a cane at the young age of around 68, he had some misgivings after undergoing treatment, including surgery, from the Allopathy stream of medicine. He was in pain all day in the range of 5-7 on a scale of 10. To control his pain, he used to take high dose of Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Naproxen as needed. Allopathic medications taken over a long period cause a lot of adverse reactions. He was looking forward to a treatment plan where he could be free of pain such as this. In the AVS hospital, I used to meet him every day, sometimes 2-3 times a day and he was all jovial all the time, but was hiding his pain and suffering behind his witty jokes.
Here is an update one month after discharge in his own words:
I spent the last 10 days (with the permission of my doctor, of course) in Tirupati Hills, Balaji. I had wonderful darshan 3 times, as well as was fortunate to have enjoyed abhishekam and Vastralankara in both Balaji and Padmavati temples. The point is, the lines for darshana here are lot more intense than I found at Guruvayoor. I sat in the sanctum for over an hour on the floor. By Vishnu Bhagwan’s anugraha and some help from Ayurveda, I did not suffer any ill effects to my sciatica. Yes, the rest of the day, I was resting and had room service. So, I WILL declare Ayurveda is working, maybe in ways we cannot explain nor understand – – now a true believer. Y’all gotta be patient as it takes time 2/3 months minimum. God bless LLAP 🙏
And, now this is the update, in my words, two months after discharge as I write this on 18th April, 2024:
He is pain-free at home. If he does exert himself physically, then he has to take a low dose of Tylenol but not Naproxen and he is able to get relief from pain. He understands that since Ayurvedic medicines are not chemical-based, he has full faith that there will be no side effects. He is truly happy with the progress and he is controlling his diet. He is also regularly doing Yoga as well apart from eating the most appropriate, non-processed and 100% vegetarian food.
- Oza
She lives in California. Her tribulations and triumph are the ingredients that make the story truly incredible.
She was afflicted by Lyme disease sometime in 2012. Her symptoms were so severe and her affliction was so bad, which was at stage 3, that she was administered antibiotics by intravenous route for about 6 weeks. After that, she was administered antibiotics orally for a few weeks. However, her conditions did not improve much, so her physician resumed the administration of antibiotics by intravenous again. After a few weeks, most of her symptoms reversed, but she could not bend her left leg which compelled her to use wheelchair for her mobility.
Meanwhile, she was recommended by one of her family members to go to AVS as one of her relatives had experienced positive outcomes from some treatment that he had received here.
She came for the first time in 2013 on a wheelchair and received the treatment for one month. During her stay, sometime during this period, she got rid of the wheelchair. Not only that, she also slowly recovered her normal function of knee bending and before she left AVS, she was able to comfortably sit cross legged on the floor.
When she came here, she also had a medical condition very similar to muscular dystrophy. During normal course of living, or conversation, suddenly her back muscles on the left side would freeze and she would feel great difficulty even in breathing, and the only option she would have would be to call 911 (that is an ambulance in North America) for an emergency visit to the hospital.
If you visit the website of ‘Mayo clinic, USA’, you will find out that there is no cure for this medical condition.
After her very first visit to AVS, at the end of her one-month stay, she experienced relief from even this condition.
While speaking to her on the phone in April, she was very happy talking about her experiences at AVS. It was very much obvious that her life was completely changed thanks to AVS.
Her physician daughter practicing on the USA also always encourages her to visit AVS.
Ms. Oza has been coming regularly ever since till the Covid time, along with her husband. And she resumed her visits to this wonderful place last year and would like to continue coming here.
Conclusion
Even though I have shared the experiences of only nine people who, by Ishwarkrupa (grace of Bhagwan) as well as anugraha (grace) of our Rishis, the founding fathers of Ayurveda, had complete turnaround in their lives, there are hundreds of thousands of them. Personally, I have spoken to many of them, though I documented only the above cases. Many cases are similar in nature.
However, the thrust of my writing here is that Ayurveda is not just a science of healing or curing one of the diseases. This Samskrit word literally means science of life, and life encompasses not just one aspect, but all the aspects right from birth till death and everything that we go through between the two.
Today, more than ever before, in Bharat, there is a concreted effort to negate this science, to deny its rightful place and to bring it down so that the Allopathy medicine can have field day. The case going on in the Supreme court against Patanjali Ayurveda shows that there is more to it than meets the eyes.
I belong to the Allopathy stream of medicine, but I would not hesitate to say that for most of the chronic and lifestyle diseases, Allopathy has no real answer while Ayurveda does have.
What Ayurveda is lacking is the clinical documentation of the treatment while Allopathy stream does have a wonderful system of documentation.
In the Allopathy stream, over a period of last 75 years or so, hundreds of medicines which were once considered as wonder drugs for some particular ailment when launched, have been withdrawn mainly because they had too serious adverse effects, while on the other hand, over a period of five thousand years of its life so far, not a single Ayurvedic drug is withdrawn.
As regards clinical trials, trillions of Bharatiya-s over a long period of its civilization are the case studies who have stuck to it which shows that they have faith in this science and that is the living proof.
Unfortunately, we still have a large population which is still colonized and thus they come in the way to the people who can receive the benefit of this stream.
However, we are hopeful that Ayurveda will definitely get back its place in the sun sooner.
Lastly, let me reiterate that not everything is wrong with Allopathy. Far from it. It is great in case of infections, trauma, accidents, surgery and for diagnosis. There is not an iota of doubt about that.
The world would be a great place to live if we can find a thread strong enough to connect these two as well as other streams such as Naturopathy, Homeopathy etc. together.
May we all around the globe be blessed with the light of such an understanding.
Astu !
Udit Shah
(Windsor, Canada)
DISCLAIMER: The author is solely responsible for the views expressed in this article. The author carries the responsibility for citing and/or licensing of images utilized within the text.
