Poovar & The Ayurveda Hospital
At last, right in the final knockings of this 8-week Indian odyssey, the stars finally align sufficiently for us to make a journey by train. It’s fifty odd minutes late pulling into Varkala, then trundles its way slowly through tropical scenery and past the bustling city with the commendably long name of Thiruvananthapuram, until we reach our stop at Neyyattinkara. It’s not just the place names which are longer than in England either: the train has many, many more coaches than you will ever see back home, consequently the station platforms are much longer – and so are the journeys. This train, number 16526, began its journey in Bangalore (Bengaluru) at 20:57 yesterday evening, and is scheduled to reach its final destination at 14:59 today, a total journey length of 18 hours.
We’re only on board for around 90 minutes of that time, moving on to a tuk-tuk to take us from Neyyattinkara to the coastal town of Poovar, our final destination. Still in the state of Kerala, we are now just 42 miles from India’s southern tip, around 500 miles north of the equator, and in a very unusual natural setting.
An elongated spit of sand forms a long narrow protective barrier, holding the rough Arabian Sea on one side and preserving attractive backwaters and lagoons on the other. Banks of the backwaters are tropically lush with coconut palms, bamboos, deciduous trees and even mangroves creating a collage of every imaginable shade of green. From our base at the Ayurvedic retreat, the view across the lagoon to the strip of sand is idyllic, the strip itself calling out to be strolled upon.
We take a boat across, but it’s a disappointing place, a little corner of brash commercialism in a beautiful natural setting. Surrounded by stunning beauty, this tiny strip has been hijacked by hawkers and sellers and people offering the shortest camel and horse rides on Earth. Fortunately we’ve told our boat man that we only need thirty minutes. We don’t last anywhere near that long and instead return quickly to the more extensive natural beauty which mankind hasn’t yet compromised.
Land side of the sandy barrier, the scenery is absolutely sumptuous, those numerous shades of green fringing the slow waters, trees leaning across narrower waterways to form nature’s guards of honour. It looks wonderful from afar, just as beautiful from within.
One of the absolute joys of the latter part of this trip has been the evening temperature, that soothing and lovely balmy warmth which is so perfect that it doesn’t even enter the conversation. Know what we mean? Now we’re here, in this Ayurvedic retreat where there is no alcohol, no bars, just a peaceful karma which relaxes the mind and revitalises the soul, it feels even more perfect, if that’s remotely possible.
A succession of retreats like ours line the leafy shores of the lagoon, all looking like cool, inviting places to stay. This part of coastal Kerala really is beautiful. Our retreat is a collection of individual wooden chalets set in extremely attractive gardens with pool, reception area, restaurant and the treatment “house” itself, actually termed an Ayurvedic Hospital. At any time of day, those in the midst of treatment wander around the gardens in their prescriptive green gowns and white hairnets, smelling of essential oils and no doubt feeling serene. We can’t help chuckling: the people make the place look like an asylum or a sanatorium.
Amusement aside, it’s a lovely place – not at all bad as hospitals go, you could say. It is, as we said earlier, calm, serene and full of good karma. A feeling of soulful peace is descending upon us before we even start our treatments. Of course, we dive in to the world of Ayurveda with open and inquisitive minds, but more of that in a moment.
Breaking away from the retreat for a couple of hours we take an excellent boat trip through the lagoons and backwaters, hoping for some decent birdspotting and pairing up with a boatman who purely by coincidence shares that very interest. Between the three of us we spot many (photo evidence speaks volumes) and the two hours pass all too quickly.
And so to the ancient world of Ayurveda, its story dating back more than 5,000 years and with its roots indigenous to the Indian sub-continent. Mention of the use of herbal remedies in the treatment of ailments is found in some of the World’s oldest written documents. The modern name is thought to come from the root words “ayu” meaning “life”, and “ved” meaning “knowledge”, or “science”. Literally, the science of life.
First, let me remind you that Michaela and I (especially me) are two of the least spiritual people you will ever meet. However, couple that with the fact that I carry an intense mistrust of modern medicine and don’t even like taking pills of any kind – all of which makes a combination which means we’re more than willing to believe in the power of ancient, and natural, remedies, much more than a pill which the “system” tells you to take. We are interested to the point of excitement to try these things which we’ve never experienced before. Here’s how it went…
Abhyangam, the full body Ayurvedic massage, is first up, in separate rooms providing female masseuse for Michaela and male for me. The first mental hurdle is accepting that I’m going to be stark naked in a front of another (clothed) man for 90 minutes, but once over that the relaxation quickly takes over. Definitely not deep tissue, Abhyangam features a combination of rhythmic circular moves and long sweeping strokes which become more and more soothing as the process unfolds. Afterwards the skin feels silky and soothed, the muscles glowing and calm. It’s an extremely pleasant set of sensations and we both enjoy considerable feelgood as we wander back to our chalet in our green gowns and white hairnets.
Sirodhara. Central to the whole concept of Ayurvedic treatment, Sirodhara is one of the more unusual applications. Warm oil is poured slowly on to the forehead for up to 45 minutes, the masseur gently rocking the pot from side to side so that the stream of oil moves back and forth, falling on to the head just above the eyebrow line. It’s a truly remarkable sensation. Michaela drifts off to sleep at least twice, I have no idea where my mind goes, sort of drifting in a semi-conscious no-man’s-land between asleep and awake, feeling a calmness of soul pass through the entire body. Awake yet not really aware, detached yet not quite asleep. Hypnotic? Yes. Transcendental? Quite possibly. We may not be spiritual but wow Sirodhara definitely takes your mind somewhere it’s never been before. It feels wonderful, frankly.
Kizhi. Not as soothing as the others but an interesting treatment nonetheless, in which a herb-filled compress pack is repeatedly dipped in warm oil and then “stamped” multiple times on the body from shoulder to ankle. This is repeated over and over, meaning that your body has been struck, or stamped, probably several hundred times before the treatment is complete. The immediate reaction is that you feel a little battered, but after a while the muscles once again begin to glow.
Aromatherapy massage, which Michaela enjoys while I opt for back, neck and shoulders only, again leaves her feeling serenely chilled and relaxed, body reinvigorated and mind soothed.
CONCLUSION. When we look back on our travels, we want to be able to say we did many different things, both inside and outside of comfort zones. We’ve partaken in Ramadan, gone down mines and climbed mountains, done a bobsleigh run, zip lined down a volcano, and seen many of the world’s greatest features, both manmade and natural – to name just a few. This week joins that list. The Ayurveda retreat has been a beautiful, peaceful place to stay in absolutely lovely surroundings, both within the retreat and outside in the whole surrounding area. The treatments have been a revelation, taking us through new mental and physical experiences and relieving the pain of arthritis as effectively as acupuncture does back home. Our five days at Isola di Cocco Ayurveda Hospital definitely joins that special list.
A rather special way to bring this Indian odyssey to a close, in fact.
AND LASTLY, A LITTLE TALE. At one point the peace and tranquility of Planet Ayurveda Hospital is shattered by the arrival of a family with a serious contender for World’s Most Obnoxious Kid. The brat emits an absolutely non-stop barrage of whingeing, whining, grizzling, tantrums, howling and fake tears; the only time it’s not doing all this and stamping its obnoxious foot is when it’s asleep. I sigh at one point, unable to take the onslaught of brat sound bites a moment longer. I turn to Michaela.
“Jesus”, I say, “what a brat! What sort of adult do kids like that grow up to be?”
“Donald Trump”, she says, without a hint of irony.
34 Comments
restlessjo
This is one I could happily follow you on, Phil. Love the guards of honour. I’ve never been especially interested in Ayurvedic therapy but I have a friend at t’ai chi who is fully committed. I could live without the green gown but like the fashion statement hairnet. Was the overall experience expensive? Enjoy your last days. Superb photos, Michaela xx
Phil & Michaela
Expensive for India, but not in the great scheme of things. We didn’t book a full package, just paid for everything individually when we got here. But in the end the whole 5-day stay, including accommodation, all food and drink (no alcohol), all the treatments, boat trip, and a taxi to the airport came to a total of £720 for two of us. Very good value for money! And we can definitely recommend both Kerala and Ayurveda, Jo. We even talked about coming back for more 😁
restlessjo
Thanks, Phil xx
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
I love your closing tale! That’s exactly what many people think about him. 😊
It sounds like you really enjoyed your stay there and (except for that child) really hit total relaxation. How wonderful.
Phil & Michaela
Correct on all counts. Such a good way to finish…
Eha Carr
Being totally selfish – I am making a face because this is over! Well, this journey, and I’ll truly miss seeing your name in the morning mail. But ‘thank you’. Out of this last send, and quite unreasonably I guess, I’ll remember those glorious floral displays at the hospital – and the last two concluding sentences . . . well, me at the moment 🙂 ! Unlike you I do feel spiritual but am not religious or at least not faithful to the Lutheranism into which I was born. And, tho’ I somehow earned a MB.BS a lifetime ago I also have a big mistrust in modern medicine. Am at the moment feeling great satisfaction being back almost full time studying natural integrated therapies with some of the top guns in the US and Europe. Not necessarily popular with those who do write out the few scripts I acknowledge I need. Me. You. Our lives. Have a safe and happy journey home . . . don’t forget us 🙂 !
Phil & Michaela
Thank you, Eha, as always, for your lovely comments. I am sure we will be back soon….
Monkey's Tale
Haha, good one Michaela! What a fascinating experience, I worked in health care for years, not the drug pushing kind, so I rarely go for these treatments because I find I’m too critical of their skills. But this sounds nice and relaxing. Maggie
Phil & Michaela
I was pretty sceptical until using acupuncture (out of desperation) to ease arthritis pains. The difference blew me away and the combination of that and everything we learn travelling the world has increased my interest in trying such things.
Toonsarah
The mangroves and backwaters alone look relaxing enough to lure me here. I’m not sure about all the treatments but certainly the massages sound good and if they relieved your arthritis I’d be inclined to follow suit and see what they could do for my aches and pains 🙂 Chris would definitely sympathise with your dislike of taking any pills but I suspect he’d also be sceptical about these treatments! As for your brat tale, I totally agree with Michaela 😀
Phil & Michaela
I was a sceptic too until the acupuncture v arthritis experience. Whatever though, it’s fascinating to explore ancient medicine, I’d much rather try things that have been practiced for centuries than a drug created for 21st century financial gain. In any event it was a very relaxing stay in a naturally beautiful part of the world.
Toonsarah
I’ve tried acupuncture for my tight Achilles and it certainly helps 🙂
Travels Through My Lens
Sounds relaxing and idyllic, except for the bratty kid. As a US citizen; I’m completely ashamed and embarrassed of my country.
Phil & Michaela
When the threats from the likes of Russia, China, North Korea and the Middle East worried us all a few years ago, none of us dreamt then that the biggest threat of World War would come from America. But it seems to be where we now are.
Travels Through My Lens
I know; and it’s completely horrifying. The majority of US citizens are against trump and everything he stands for. I just hope and pray we’ll survive this insanity. My husband, theTravelsketcher, and I have participated in several demonstrations, one just last week. We’ll continue to resist every step of the way. Thanks for listening; most of us are living in fear right now.
Phil & Michaela
I know. My daughter is now a US citizen but dual passport holder, but she lives in California, not Trump’s favourite state, and is in a same sex marriage, so needless to say we have a lot of angst surrounding various scenarios. I can’t believe we’ve had to do it, but we’ve put in place an escape plan to dash to our house in England if they suddenly need to get out quickly.
Travels Through My Lens
Yes, trump hates all of us in blue states, so it’s a good call to have an escape plan for your daughter and daughter-in-law. We have dear friends in a same-sex marriage; it’s awful to see the fear they live in every day. We can only hope this horrific nightmare will end sooner than later.
Travels Through My Lens
Trump hates all of us in blue states, so it’s a good call to have an escape plan for your daughter and daughter-in-law. We can only hope that this horrific situation will end sooner than later.
Phil & Michaela
I know. My daughter is now a US citizen but dual passport holder, but she lives in California, not the President’s favourite state, and is in a same sex marriage, so needless to say we have a lot of angst surrounding various scenarios. I can’t believe we’ve had to do it, but we’ve put in place an escape plan to dash to our house in England if they suddenly need to get out quickly.
WanderingCanadians
Beautiful captures of the backwaters, mangroves and birds. Sounds like your visit to the Ayurvedic Hospital was exactly what you needed it to be – relaxing and rejuvenating … except the part about the obnoxious brat.
Phil & Michaela
It was extremely lovely – the retreat itself, the beautiful area, and the Ayurvedic experiences.
Lookoom
At first, I wouldn’t have considered ‘wasting’ a few days on this therapy, but after reading about your experience, I might be half-tempted to change my mind.
Phil & Michaela
There’s got to be something in remedies which have been practiced and believed in for centuries, surely. Moreover, for us, travel is in part about new and different experiences, regardless of our personal beliefs. And this one ticked that particular box!
Anonymous
Such a relaxing way to finish off your tour…apart from Trump jnr.
Phil & Michaela
It was! (Your comment is labelled “anonymous” so I don’t know who you are, but thank you!)
grandmisadventures
seems like a beautiful and restful end to an incredible journey! 🙂
Phil & Michaela
It was just that, Meg – and very interesting to experience
Annie Berger
What a grand finale to your Indian adventure! I particularly liked your explanation why you both like to travel the world so much – to learn and experience and get out of your comfort zones. You certainly accomplished that beautifully in southern Kerala with your extended stay at the Ayurvedic Hospital. I’d like to think I’d also be comfortable wanting to partake of the same experiences you both did, but I’m not sure. Loved the spectacular photos of the mangroves and the floral displays at the hospital. I’d definitely want to do that boat ride, however!
Phil & Michaela
Yep, finding different things to experience is all part of it, really, Annie. This one was definitely on the unusual side.
Forestwood
You seem to find the most interesting places to visit – places away from that “brashness of commercialism,” and this is where the richest travel experiences are found. I have learnt a little about Ayurvedic medicine from a couple of my yoga teachers. So glad to hear you found relief from arthritic pains, and the Sirodhara sounds delightful, a bit like that zen-like meditative state, would you say?
Phil & Michaela
Possibly…but I’d even say it was close to hypnotic. Whatever, it was actually quite a serene and beautiful sensation. Yep, we do like to seek out different experiences when we travel…like to break the comfort zone a bit.
Jyothi
Beautiful captures Michaela and glad you had a great trip. BTW, not sure why or how, but I’m not getting your post updates, so I had to search for you 🙂
The Flask Half Full
1. Indian kids must CRUSH the spelling bee if they have to know how to spell places like Thiruvananthapuram and Neyyattinkara.
2. That guy’s fishing vessel doesn’t look especially, um, seaworthy.
3. I might be persuaded to go to India just for that Ayurveda retreat. I love a good international spa day. We did the full Turkish massage experience in Istanbul, and once I got over the modesty thing, I really enjoyed it.
4. Michaela is SPOT on about what kind of tyrant a kid like that grows up to be. I can’t wait for the day when our long national nightmare will be over.
5. Another wonderful set of bird photography.
Cheers!
Phil & Michaela
The ayurveda stuff is well worth the experience if only for the hypnotic factor!