THE BACKWATERS

Ayurveda is a perfect ancient science of life; the word Ayur literally means life and Veda the science or knowledge. Ayurveda briefly explains the knowledge of the do's and don'ts one has to follow, which favours the well being of each individual to lead a healthy, happy, comfortable and advantageous life both physically, mentally and socially. Ayurveda also emphasizes that prevention is better than cure.

Kerala's equable climate, natural abundance of forests (with a wealth of herbs and medicinal plants), and the cool monsoon season (June - November) are best suited for Ayurveda's curative and restorative programs. In fact, today Kerala is the only state in India, which practices this system of medicine with absolute dedication.

Rejuvenate your body, mind and soul by taking Ayurveda treatment atleast once in your life time. You can take body rejuvenation treatment for seven days, 14 days or 28 days. If you have specific disease, please mail us and we will send you the treatment and the duration.

Pizhichil - It is one among the rare and special treatments of Kerala. In this treatment, lukewarm herbal oils are applied all over the body by two to four trained therapists in a special rhythmic way continuously for about 60 to 90 minutes per day for a period of 7 to 21 days. This treatment is done in a special table made from a single piece of Strychnos Nuxvomica wood. This treatment is very useful for Rheumatic diseases like arthritis, paralysis, hemiplegia, paralysis - agitanus, sexual weakness, nervous weakness and nervous disorders etc.

Njavarakizhi - It is a type of sudation process in which the whole body or any specific part there of is made to perspire by the application of certain medicinal puddings externally in the form of boluses tied up in muslin bag. Two to four masseurs apply this for about 60 to 90 minutes per day for a period of 14 days. This treatment is for all types of rheumatism, pain in the joints, emaciation of limbs, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and certain kind of skin diseases.

Sirodhara - Sira - means Head and Dhara means the continuous flow of a liquid. In this process some herbal oils, medicated milk, medicated butter milk etc, are poured on the forehead in a special method of about 40 minutes in a day for a period of 7 to 21 days. This treatment is mainly for insomnia, loss of memory, headaches, mental tention and certain skin diseases.

Vasthi - Otherwise known as Medicated Enema. Vasthi is a Therapeutic procedure in which certain herbal oils, herbal extracts, etc are applied through the rectum daily for a period of 5 to 25 days. This treatment is effective for arthritis, paralysis, hemiplegia, numbness, gastric complaints, rheumatism and chronic constipation.

Sirovasthi - Certain lukewarm herbal oils are poured into a cap fitted on the head and held for 15 to 60 minutes per day according to the patient's conditions for a period of 07 days. This treatment is highly effective for facial paralysis, dryness of nostrils, mouth and throat, severe headaches and other diseases of the head.

Udvarthanam - This treatment is otherwise known as Powder Massage. This is found very effective in the obesity, hemiplegia, paralysis, skin diseases, impaired circulation etc and similar diseases. In this procedure 2 therapists apply certain special Herbal Powders in a peculiar way on the body for about 30 to 40 minutes daily for a period of 14 to 28 days.

Abhyangam - This is a special type of oil massage in which strokes arte given according to the circulatory channels for 45 minutes per day for 14 days. This treatment is very useful for obesity, loss of skin luster, sleeplessness and fatigue.

Nasyam - Being one among the Panchakarma procedures, Nasyam is a treatment in which herbal juices, medicated oils etc, are applied through nose for 7 to 14 days. This treatment is highly effective for certain kinds of headaches, paralysis mental disorders, some types of skin diseases etc.

Kizhi - Herbal leaves or powders are made in boluses and are applied on the whole body or a part specified after dipping it in warm medicated oils. This is done for 45 minutes daily for a period of 07 to 14 days. This is very effective for osteo arthritis, spondylosis, sports injuries etc.

Sandhi Vatha Chikilsa - Unlike the modern medicine Ayurveda has very effective cures for Arthritic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteo arthritis, ankylosing spondylosis, cervical spondylosis, osteo porosis etc. This programme includes massage, lepanam, and oil application on affected parts, kizhi, steam bath, snehavasthy, kakshaya vasthy, pizhichil, njavarakizhi, snehapanam and internal medicines.

Snehapanam - This word literally means oral intake of medicated oils or ghee preparations. This is done as a therapeutic procedure and also as a preparatory process during the body purification therapy. In this Treatment medicated ghee or oils are given internally in proportionally increasing quantity for a period of 08 - 12 days. This treatment is very effective for osteo arthritis, psoriasis chronic constipation, haemorrhoids etc,.

Dahanyamla Dhara - Warm herbal liquid is poured all over the body in rhythmic way using a special vessel. This is done for 45 minutes to 01 hour daily. this treatment is very effective for hemiplegia, paralysis.

Yoniprakshalanam - Herbal oil and decoction are applied through the vaginal root, this treatment is good for gynecological disorders. It is also a purification process for genital organ.
Kativasthi - In this process specially prepared warm medicated oil is kept over the lower back with herbal paste boundary. This treatment lasts for 45 minutes to 01 hour and it is good for any type of back pain and spinal disorders.

Urovasthi - Like Kativasthi warm medicated oil is kept over the chest for 45 minutes. This is an effective treatment for Asthma, other respiratory problem, heart diseases and muscular chest pain.

Ksheeradhoomam - This is a special procedure in which a mixture for medicinal decoction and cows milk is heated and the steam thus liberated is passed to a tube and applied over the affected area or whole body. This is found very effective for facial palsies, speech disorders, ptosis and various nervous disorders.

Thalam - Special powder mixed with medicated oil is applied on the top of the head for 20 to 45 minutes. This treatment is helpful for curing ENT problems, insomnia, migraine etc.

Lepanam - This is a process in which medicated herbal paste is applied on the affected part, this is useful for various types of inflammatory conditions, skin diseases, arthritis, gout, etc.

Thalapothichil - Various medicinal herbs selected according to dosha predominance is made into a paste and applied to the scalp for 30 to 45 minutes. This treatment is good for insomnia, premature, greying and other problems to the hair and scalp.

Swasa Kasa Chikilsa - Respiratory diseases like bronchill asthma, prolonged cough, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis etc, can be very effectively treated in Ayurveda. This program includes body massage, urovasti, pizhichil, podikizhi, snehavashti, kashaya vasthy, nasyam and internal Ayurvedic medicines.

Sukhanidra - Ayurveda , the knowledge of the life is not only related with the body, but with the mind and soul also, this particular treatment program is very much helpful for conditions like insomnia (lack of sleep), anxiety and it improves immunity and self confidence. This treatment program includes body massages, shirovasthy, ksheeradhara, thailadhara, thalam, thalapothichil and internal Ayurvedic medicines , yoga and meditation.

Psoriasis Treatment Program ( Sidhma Chikilsa)- Ayurveda forms very effective treatment for all type of psoriasis and various other skin diseases. This special Ayurvedic treatment program last for 21 to 28 days. This program includes special lepanam, abhyangan, snehapanam, pizhichil, medicated steam bath, shirovasty, exclusievely prepared internal herbal medicines along with yoga meditation because, Ayurveda emphasis that most diseases are psychosomatic.

To know more about india visit this site: http://www.kerala-tour-operator.com

Satyanarayan is author and designer of the guide area of www.kerala-tour-operator.com. The writer is focusing on tips about keralatour

GREAT GETAWAYS

FROM MUMBAI

Thank God that Mumbai has any number of little beaches that you can escape to when the going gets tough. One such beach is Alibag, an evergreen favourite of the sun-and-sea-freak, a resort that you can reach in an hour by catamaran or a three-hour drive from Mumbai.

Alibag is like a tropical island, all lush trees and palm-fringed beaches. Coconut palms, mango orchards, chikoo wadis and paddy fields make Alibag a pleasantly verdant and unpolluted retreat. The area is particularly beautiful during the monsoons, with rain washed trees and the goodly smell of wet earth making you wish you could stay here forever.

Like other beaches on the Konkan coast, Alibag too has a historic fort, the Kulaba Fort, which is just off the main seashore. The fort can be visited during low tide when the waters have receded. It is important to time your trip otherwise you can get stranded once the tide comes in. However, if you do get marooned, there is a small village within the fort where you can potter around. From the main beach it will take about half an hour to walk to Kulaba fort, but a tonga can get you there quickly for Rs30-40. Built in 1680 by Shivaji, the fort is now crumbling - all that remains are the ramparts and a moss-encrusted step well. But it's still a great place to clamber around, look out at the sea and snap pictures of the shoreline.

Other attractions are the Magnetic Observatory and the white marbled Shri Vikram Vinayak Temple built by the Birlas. Though Alibag is great for sun-bathing, going for long walks and building sand castles, the waters are not very safe for anything more than paddling. There is a strong undercurrent and it is best not to swim out to sea unless you are a proficient swimmer. Hopefully, you will be lulled into complete submission by the Alibag magic and will want to spend your time lazing on the beach and not doing much else!

Other attractions are the Magnetic Observatory and the white marbled Shri Vikram Vinayak Temple built by the Birlas. Though Alibag is great for sun-bathing, going for long walks and building sand castles, the waters are not very safe for anything more than paddling. There is a strong undercurrent and it is best not to swim out to sea unless you are a proficient swimmer. Hopefully, you will be lulled into complete submission by the Alibag magic and will want to spend your time lazing on the beach and not doing much else!

Alibag is 108 km from Mumbai by road, a journey of 3 hours via Navi Mumbai. Konkan Railway trains from CST stop at Pen, 28 km from Alibag, from where you can take a bus, autorickshaw or taxi. The quickest way to get here is by launch (1 ½ hours) from Mumbai's Ferry Wharf at Sewri, alighting at Mandwa and catching a bus from the jetty to Alibag. There are catamarans and speedboat services (25 minutes) from Gateway of India to Mandwa. You can use autorickshaws to move around within Alibag.

Check train schedules to Alibag.
Best time to go
Any time is a good time!
Room with a view

Alibag has a range of accommodation options, from luxury hotels to mid budget motels and economy lodges. Tariffs range from Rs300 to Rs2000 and above for a double room. MTDC has a resort at Kihim (12 km from Alibag) and also offers tents for the budget traveller. Advance bookings are recommended, especially during the holiday season. For further information contact MTDC, Nariman Point. Tel: 022 - 2024482.

TAKE A BREAK

Think beaches, and you think of golden sunshine, soft sand, clear waters- days of lolling around with nothing to do except soak in the sun, go for a leisurely swim, or gorge yourself on fresh seafood…. Suntans, green coconuts. Windsurfing and snorkelling. Beach parties and lively music.

There are plenty of good beaches along the coastline of India- some famous, some barely beyond an obscure fishing village- but they're there, all right. And they're worth visiting. Silver sands, casuarina groves, coral reefs teeming with a dazzlingly colourful range of marine creatures- and lots to see, lots to do. Paradise? Not quite, but close to it.

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Ganpatipule, a charming little town along the Konkan coast in Maharashtra, is important to Indian nationalists as the birthplace of the leader Lokmanya Tilak. It is also of significance to Hindus as the site of a famous Ganpati temple. But what really sets Ganpatipule apart from the numerous other coastal towns and villages along India’s seashores are the unbelievably beautiful beaches of the place.

Ganpatipule is idyllic… sparkling waters against silvery shores; jagged palm fronds framed against magnificent sunsets. This is the spot where you can soak in hours of sun and sea-spray, watch time drift by, wonder at sunrises, marvel at sunsets, drink in the moonlight and dance on the moonbeams. And if you are looking for a spot of action, Ganpatipule is a venue for paragliding

Part of the excitement of going to Ganpatipule is the scenic drive through the Western Ghats – the chain of green hills along the Konkan coast. The beaches on the coastline are amazingly clear, of both rocks and hordes of visitors. All along the way are tiny fishing villages; groves of casuarina and tropical fruit; and stretches of clean, golden sand. Whether you go to Ganpatipule by rail or road, the route is as breathtaking as the destination itself.

Besides fabulous beaches and the ancient Ganpati Swayambhu temple, Ganpatipule affords a number of opportunities for excursions into remote fishing hamlets, villages and towns of the Konkan. The entire coastline is breathtakingly beautiful, with pristine beaches, overhung by cliffs and interspersed by pretty little creeks. Enthusiastic beach-lovers can actually hire a car and drive along the coast- it’s lovely all the way.

Access
Ganpatipule is 375 km away from Mumbai, the closest metro with an international airport. It lies 30 km off the Mumbai-Goa Highway, 50 kms short of Ratnagiri, which is the nearest railhead. You can take an overnight MTDC bus from Mumbai's Nariman Point. Or catch the magnificent Konkan Railway from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Victoria Terminus). Disembark at Sangameshwar or Ratnagiri and take a bus to Ganpatipule.

Ganpatipule is a small town, and you do not really require transport to get to the beaches. Rickshaws are available for short distances, but be prepared to haggle over fares. The State Transport buses are not particularly recommended. If you are making longer excursions, your best option is to hire a vehicle. The tourist taxis and cars are reliable though you do need to fix the fare in advance.

Best time to visit
Though winter is the touristy time to get to most beaches in India, Ganpatipule can be spectacular during and just after the monsoons (June to October). This is also the time when fewer tourists come to Ganpatipule, so accommodation will be easier to get, and crowds don’t inundate the beaches.

Accommodation
Low-to-middle budget accommodation is freely available in Ganpatipule. MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) has a resort right on the beach itself. It offers accommodation ranging from tents, dormitories and comfortable air-conditioned suites at affordable prices starting from about Rs 250 for two beds. Other accommodation, much of it privately owned, is off the beach; in most cases private properties offer more amenities and are proportionately more expensive. Other accommodation options include renting a room from the locals, who are geared for the tourist influx.

Further information can be obtained from the offices of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). Ganpatipule doesn’t have an MTDC office, but larger cities in the state- including Mumbai- do.