Periyar Wild Life Sanctuary,
with its 777 sq. km. lies 2200 m above sea level.
It is home to elephants, tigers, leopards, bison,
antelopes. Wild boars and a wide variety of birds.
This is a unique experience, seated
atop an elephant, guests are taken along trails into
the depths of the forest. A trained handlers and guides
will accompany the safari. This is time for an intimate
communion with nature. Here there are no automobiles,
only the sounds of nature emerging from a profound
silence .During the warmer season one can get to spot
animals drinking water beside the lake and at other
watering holes in the jungle.
.....................................
Special Packages
* Onam Package
* Monsoon Package
Contact
reservation for attractive packages with house boat
at Kumarakom and stay at Munnar
Ayurveda
Ayurveda
is an ancient system of holistic health care
and is native to the Indian sub continent. It
is presently in daily use by millions of people
inIndia, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The word Ayurveda
roughly translates as science of life. Ayurveda
is concerned with promoting healthy living along
with therapeutic measures that relate to physical,
mental and spiritual harmony. Guests at the
Ayurvedic center at the Elephant Court will
be under the care qualified Ayurvedic Doctors.
For
purification of
the body five different
procedures have
been described by
the Ayurveda texts.
These five procedures
are basically known
as Panchakarma (etymologically,
five actions). This
is a process used
to clean the body
of toxic materials
left by disease
and poor nutrition.
The three stages
of Panchakarma therapy
Panchakarma is always
performed in three
stages – Purva
Karma (pre-treatment),
Pradhana Karma (primary
treatment) and Paschat
Karma (post-treatment).
The patient who
opts for any one
of the five therapies
has invariably to
undergo all the
three stages.
Snehana (oleation
/ oil therapy) and
Swedana (sudation)
are the two Purva
Karma procedures.
Snehana (internal
and external oleation)
loosens the Amam
stuck in various
sites of the body
and Swedana dilates
the channels to
facilitate its movement
towards the Koshta
(alimentary canal).
The Amam that reaches
the Koshta is eliminated
during the Pradhana
Karma (primary treatment).
Diet regimens, restricted
bodily exertion
and the intake of
health-promoting
drugs come under
the Paschat Karma
(post-treatment).
Sweating
leads the
doshas to
fluidity,
making it
easier for
it to flow
out of the
system. It
opens up the
pores and
rid the body
of impurities
through the
sweat glands.
There are
two principal
ways of inducing
the sweat.
External
application of heat
or retention of
body heat such as
by exercise, use
of heavy clothes
or blankets, fasting,
use of alcohol etc.
Active
heating done within
a well heated chamber,
medicated steam,
sauna, hot water
bottle, sunbathing,
exposure to fire
(or use of an infra
red lamp), plasters
of hot substances
such as mustard,
hot baths, or showers
(especially with
medicated oil or
water), and hot
packs.
Plants
such as castor root,
barley, sesame,
black gram, jujube
and the drumstick
plant all encourage
the body to sweat
more easily. Do
not administer therapeutic
sweating to persons
who are pregnant,
persons with bleeding
disorders, who have
used alcohol recently,
persons who are
very fat or very
thin, persons with
diarrhea, jaundice,
anemia. It is also
not recommended
for people who are
very angry, hateful
or jealous. Patients
suffering from fainting,
dizziness, nausea,
fever, and similar
ailments should
not undergo the
sweat therapy.
After
detoxification
the practitioner
may prescribe
herbal or mineral
remedies to correct
imbalances in
the doshas. These
have the necessary
medicinal qualities
to stimulate agni
and restore balance
in the doshas.
They are not prescribed
to eradicate disease
because the disease
is just a symptom
of dosha imbalance.
Herbal remedies
are usually prescribed
in liquid form
or as dried herbs,
although they
can also come
as powder or tablets.
The ingredients
are pre-prepared,
but the blends
are prescribed
individually.
Each ingredient
is classified
by the effect
it has on lowering
or increasing
levels of the
doshas. Prescriptions
are usually made
up of groups of
herbs, to which
you add eight
cups of water
and boil until
the liquid is
reduced to one
cup. You may have
to take the remedy
two or three times
a day.
Most Ayurvedic
practitioners
will also advise
you on lifestyle,
food and exercise.
There is no one
healthy diet in
Ayurveda, just
a diet that is
suitable for you.
It is important
to eat to suit
your constitution
and the practitioner
may prepare a
special diet sheet
for you.
Exercise, such
as yoga, is also
important for
physical and emotional
health and the
practitioner will
advise on the
exercise that
is best suited
to your constitution.
This
breaks down into
two types of preparatory
treatment: "Snehana"
and "swedana."
Snehana involves
massaging herbal
oils into the skin
to help eliminate
toxins. Blended
oils treat specific
disorders such as
stress, anxiety,
insomnia, arthritis,
or circulation problems.
Oils can also be
massaged into the
scalp for depression,
insomnia, and memory
problems. Snehana
can sometimes involve
lying in an oil
bath, which is thought
to be even more
effective for you
to absorb the herbal
oils' properties.
Swedana means sweating.
It is sometimes
used with the oil
treatment, but on
a separate day.
Steam baths encourage
the elimination
of toxins through
the pores and together
with the oil treatments,
they make the detoxification
more effective.
(see the description
above).
After
detoxification
the practitioner
may prescribe
herbal or mineral
remedies to correct
imbalances in
the doshas. These
have the necessary
medicinal qualities
to stimulate agni
and restore balance
in the doshas.
They are not prescribed
to eradicate disease
because the disease
is just a symptom
of dosha imbalance.
Herbal remedies
are usually prescribed
in liquid form
or as dried herbs,
although they
can also come
as powder or tablets.
The ingredients
are pre-prepared,
but the blends
are prescribed
individually.
Each ingredient
is classified
by the effect
it has on lowering
or increasing
levels of the
doshas. Prescriptions
are usually made
up of groups of
herbs, to which
you add eight
cups of water
and boil until
the liquid is
reduced to one
cup. You may have
to take the remedy
two or three times
a day.
Most Ayurvedic
practitioners
will also advise
you on lifestyle,
food and exercise.
There is no one
healthy diet in
Ayurveda, just
a diet that is
suitable for you.
It is important
to eat to suit
your constitution
and the practitioner
may prepare a
special diet sheet
for you.
Exercise, such
as yoga, is also
important for
physical and emotional
health and the
practitioner will
advise on the
exercise that
is best suited
to your constitution.
The
age-old set of exercises
known in the west
as "yoga"
offers a significant
variety of proven
health benefits.
It increases the
efficiency of the
heart and slows
the respiratory
rate, improves fitness,
lowers blood pressure,
promotes relaxation,
reduces stress and
allays anxiety.
It also serves to
improve coordination,
posture, flexibility,
range of motion,
concentration, sleep
and digestion. It
can also be used
as supplementary
therapy for conditions
as diverse as cancer,
diabetes, arthritis,
asthma, migraine
etc., and help to
combat addictions
such as smoking.
It is not, in itself,
a cure for any medical
ailment. But as
part of the well-known
Dean Ornish program
of diet and exercise,
it has contributed
to the reversal
of heart disease.
