There Are No Shortcuts With Ayurvedic Medicine

Posted on December 3, 2009 by Vivienne DuBourdieu By Vivienne DuBourdieu

A clutch of journalists eating at Theva, Handana, Kandy

After climbing into the clouds to visit Nilambe, we stopped on the way down towards Kandy for an experience of Sri Lankan fusion food. Theva is a brand new, five star boutique hotel and the surroundings of the Handana mountain range are out of this world. It has been designed to make the most of the mountains around it.

Theva Residencies, Handana, Kandy

The décor is elegant and minimalistic, which means you are not distracted from the views – both outside and inside.

Above: a dessert created at Theva Residencies

Tooth Relic, Kandy

Sri Lanka‘s hill capital is a beautiful town, 488 metres (1600 feet) above sea level. Next to Colombo, it is Sri Lanka’s most visited place. T

he focal point of the town is the golden-roofed Dalada Maligawa, where the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha is enshrined.The relic has played an important role in local politics since ancient times; it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. The shrine is also very important to Buddhists and a continual stream of pilgrims and visitors arrive at its doors.

Lotus and Jasmine flowers, Kandy

The mountains of flowers – lotus, jasmine and frangipani – at the Temple of the Buddha’s Tooth are quite amazing but be prepared to get your feet dirty as shoes must be left at the entrance.
In the temple, the tooth is not actually visible but lies in a casket in a locked room.

This hardly seems to matter as there are so many other things to see, including historical artifacts used in the daily ritual ceremonies of the Tooth Relic shrine, caskets, Buddha statues and typical Kandyan gold and silver jewellery studded with precious gem stones, all donated by the devotees. However, as Dalada Maligawa is a temple where devotees visit to pray, a respectful silence is suitable in many areas.

The highlight of the year is the ten glittering nights of Aesala Perahera in July and August, when a replica of the relic casket is taken in procession, accompanied by exotically costumed dancers, drummers and around 100 elephants.The Aesala festival is not only the largest festival of the Temple, it is the largest festival in Buddhist Sri Lanka and it might be one of the largest festivals in the entire Buddhist world.

We returned to claim our shoes and meandered down an avenue where flower stalls sell lotus, frangipani and jasmine flowers to visitors.

Amaya Hills Hotel

This hotel is up a steep, winding hill road from Kandy and no place for wimps.

Immediately on arrival, we were sent to the ‘Ayurvedic’ centre. There was no health check; there was no discussion and the same kind of oil was used for all. It was a rude awakening to the negative side of Ayurvedic practice in Sri Lanka; hygiene appeared to be a foreign concept. That night, I had to wrap a towel round my pillow.

Buddha, Temple of the Tooth, Kandy

After the ‘breaking-in experience’, we were offered Sri Lankan and European food in the buffet. However, as tidbits of chicken and mayonnaise are dangerous out of refrigeration, I stuck to Sri Lankan food. It was fine but the lack of interested service, table settings, etc., made Amaya Hills seem somewhat half-hearted about tourism.

The best meal is breakfast, which I ordered for my room; alas, it arrived just ten minutes before we left for the coast. What I had of the fruit and patisserie was superb, though, and in the bright morning light, the room design and mountains were quite special.

As I left, two staff members barged past, asking whether I had used anything from the fridge bar. They ignored my ‘no’ and checked out the place like security police. Silly me; I thought they came for my luggage!

Call Amaya Hills the Sri Lankan sister to Fawlty Towers.

Siddhalepa Spa, Wadduwa

Devil dancers are sometimes used to remove toxins from the body in Sri Lanka

Hidden in landscaped, tropical gardens along the southern coast of Wadduwa, this Ayurvedic spa faces the Indian Ocean; the sea is too feisty for swimming during the monsoon period but the extensive internal swimming pool area makes up for that.

More importantly, though, Siddhalepa has authentic Ayurveda Therapy Programmes for detoxification, de-stressing, cleansing, deep relaxation, rejuvenation, etc.

The therapists are trained by consultants at the pioneering Siddhalepa Ayurveda Hospital in Colombo and, as well as participating in Ayurvedic treatments, guests are encouraged to learn and practice yoga and meditation.
The diet is of great importance with Ayurvedic treatment – as you may already have gathered – and, at Siddhalepa, resident doctors make individual recommendations to patients.

As a guest, rather than as a patient, you can ‘learn as you go’ from English descriptions of the different foods. For instance, you might choose Sri Lankan red rice for its nutritional qualities or papaya, pineapple and kiwi fruit for their benefic enzymes. The kidney-friendly asparagus soup for breakfast is delicious.

My suite at Siddhalepa Spa

Late in the afternoon, before the nightly entertainment, you are visited by smiling young men who light mosquito coils, draw back the bedclothes and sprinkle frangipani flowers around the place.

Treating Dis-ease at Siddhalepa

A chance to catch the doctor in charge of everyday affairs at Siddhalepa Spa is not one to sneeze at; I got to her office on time. “Stress” is top of the list for those visiting the Spa, Doctor Lalita Gunaratha said firmly as I puffed a little.

She sees all incoming patients and recommendsstays from three days for stress-related visits to seven or ten days for more serious matters. The first consultation takes about 45 minutes. Daily consultations and the prescription of Rasayana medicines follow this and patients are asked to commit to two hours daily of hands-on Ayurvedic treatment.

Dr Lalita Gunaratha, DIMS

“Arthritis, liver problems, lower digestive disorders, phlegm in the lungs and migraines” are next on the list, she affirmed. “The long-term effects of drugs can be pernicious. There are none of these with Ayurveda. Many clients come with complications after drugs have made an impact on their body.”

Dr Gunaratha retired from a general practice to this demanding position. Later, this good doctor took me on a tour of the Spa gardens, pointing out the raw materials used as the basis for medicinal products at Siddhalepa. Two specialists make these on the premises and more come from the Hettigoda factory.

Swimming pool at Siddhalepa Spa

She also arranged treatment for my digestive disorder and prescribed medicine; this had to be mixed with water and drunk before the treatment; a complicated sort of massage.My medicine tasted strange; especially after I swallowed it. However, there was no doubting the results in combination with the massage and some charcoal powder already acquired for me in Kandy by a visiting Buddhist and naturopath from Paris, Dayanath Wettsinghe.

Touch is the Key

Vidyani Hettigoda, Hotel Group Director

Until I met Vidyani Hettigoda, Hotel Group Director for the Hettigoda and Siddhalepa Ayurvedic Spas and Hospital, on my last day in Sri Lanka, I was far from finding ‘a key’ to Ayurveda. However, Vidyani put me on the right track. Touch is the key.

A former fashion model in the UK, Vidyani was frank about the experiences that took her home after 15 years in the UK. She said, “My grandfather was shocked to see my state.” As it happens, ‘grandfather’ was the celebrated kidney specialist and astrologer, Ayur Dr. Hendrick De Silva Hettigoda.

Over 200 years, four generations of Vidyani’s family have been involved in the diagnosis of ill health and its treatment. A health package normally involves a ‘sacred triangle’ of Ayurvedic diagnosis, medicine and yoga. “That’s a package for wellbeing in life,” she said.

Her father, Dr Victor Hettigoda, owns Siddhalepa as part of the Hettigoda Company. “We see natural healing as the future of the world,” she said, echoing a notion I had picked up at the Ayurveda fair.

Pulse reading is the central point of consultation with a patient. As Vidyani put it, “The pulse diagnosis is a practice in itself. Diagnosis of a patient’s health begins at the hair and goes down to the toes.

“On the way, the doctor examines the condition of a patient’s hair, scalp, forehead and skin – whether it is dry or rough; then there are the eyebrows, eyes, teeth, ears and vertebra. This is called Prakurhti.”

Leaning forward and taking my hand, she said, “Touch leads to your relationship with the doctor. This is a must. And it is entirely practical,” she added.

A spa attendee at Siddhalepa - German choreographer, Sandra Mueller-Spude

Most people are given special diets but here is a typical 'free choice' meal at Siddhalepa Spa

“The doctor will check for warmth or dryness, nail quality, and how your knees, ankles and toes are working. Only when he has checked all of this, can an Ayurvedic doctor know exactly what kind of treatment will regenerate you and ensure that you live a healthy life.”

Vidyani produced a 2,000 year old book with Sanskrit and Pali text inscribed on Ola leaf sheets – similar to those in Dalada Maligawa. “We have a library of these old books and use them to develop our products and treatments.

“For instance,” she said, “this page describes what happens with babies between the years of one and two; the problems and the remedies.”So Ayurvedic medicine is all about touch, experience and interaction. As Vidyani emphasised, that means, “Trust between the doctor and the patient.” And there are no shortcuts. “Any serious illness will take one or two years to resolve, i.e. a kidney malfunction or diabetes, etc.”

Taj Samudra Hotel

Sophistication is the order of the day at Taj Samudra, Colombo

My last hotel visit after a week in the lush green countryside of Sri Lanka was the opulent Taj Samudra in the capital, Colombo.Built in Rajasthani style, the Taj rises out of 11 acres of landscaped gardens, facing historical Galle Face Green on the waterfront.

My room had marvellous views over the gardens and the Indian Ocean. However, my impending departure at 5.30am spurred me on to find food.

I headed for the grill room with a steak in mind! Instead, I found myself in Navratna, their traditional Indian restaurant. At one end of the restaurant, a trio played love songs on mandolin, guitar, tabla and dulki.

Indigenous musicians at Navratna, Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo

For the first course, I nibbled on light, crisp vegetable paratha and ate a darkly rich mutton and spinach dish as the main course. This was as good as it gets. I then succumbed to a gulab dessert.

The next morning, I had breakfast on Kingfisher, which has just begun flying into London to Colombo via Bangalore. The service is as cheerful as the red uniforms they wear although a liking for Bollywood is necessary when it comes to videos.

Travel Details

Summer (off season) in Sri Lanka is 1 May to 31 October. Winter is 1 November to 30 April.
• Dalada Maligawa – Temple of the Sacred Tooth

http://www.maligawa.pooranee.lk/index_maligawa.html

• Theva Residencies, Amaya Hills – Introductory rates from £76 B&B pppn

http://www.theva.lk

• Amaya Hills – Room from £49 pppn

http://www.amayaresorts.com/srilanka/hills/amayahills.htm

• Taj Samudra , Colombo – FB £59 pppn

http://www.tajhotels.com/Business/Taj%20Samudra,COLOMBO/default.htm

• Siddhalepa Ayurveda Resort, Wadduwa – Ayuvedic treatment & FB package (single) £750 for six days summer or £1060 in winter

http://www.ayurvedaresort.com/index.html

• Senses Holiday of Sri Lanka for travel arrangements and an English-speaking driver

http://www.sensesholiday.com/

• Meditation Centres in Sri Lanka

http://srilanka.travel/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=464&Itemid=178&lang=en

• Kingfisher Airlines

http://www.flykingfisher.com/plan-book.aspx

The Ayurveda Trail in Sri Lanka

Posted on December 2, 2009 by Vivienne DuBourdieu By Vivienne DuBourdieu

: Green mangoes at Horathapola Estate

Just flying in over Sri Lanka is as sensual as sinking your teeth into a juicy mango. Tropical greens, lagoons, coral reefs and sandy beaches are lapped by the intense blue of the Indian Ocean as far as the eye can see. And there is always a faint whiff of frangipani blossom in the air.

: Frangipani by Sri Lankan artist, Anupvega

Colombo is the largest city and former administrative capital of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast while the government is now situated in a modern building by a lake at Sri Jayewardenepura, a short distance from the city.

Sri Lanka is primarily a Buddhist country and abounds with temples and monasteries serving the 80% of its populace who follow this faith.

Hindu temples, Christian churches and Islamic mosques are also to be found; the latter, primarily in the main cities and in the north.

When a country has recently been at war, it is hard to know what to expect. However, the only battlefield I encountered in Sri Lanka was the traffic. On the Sri Lankan roads, elderly buses, overladen trucks, noisy tuk-tuks and people on bicycles, elephants and bullock carts all battle for a path through the chaos; everybody toots, yells or rings bells as they approach and pass: like ants.

: Bullock and bird, Wadumunnegedara, Sri Lanka

My brief was to find out about the historical and practical aspects of Ayurvedic medicine in this tear-drop shaped country. With hindsight, that was rather ambitious. Over the next few days, I learned there really are no shortcuts with Ayurveda.

The Journey

Horathapola Estate, No. 6, Wadumunnegedara

At the Sri Lankan Tourist Board desk, I was plied with brochures; there to welcome me was Mark Forbes, manager of a boutique hotel where I was to stay overnight. To my surprise, he spoke perfect English.
In minutes, I learned there is a higher rate of literacy in Sri Lanka than there is in the UK; most people speak English as a second language.

After an hour’s drive from the airport, we turned down a dirt path towards an elegant, early 20th century English planter’s mansion. With elephantine ankles from two flights and the tropical heat, I headed straight upstairs for a long, cool shower in my vast, breezy bathroom.

: Artist Anupvega at Horathapola Estate, Sri Lanka

As local artist Anupvega was due to arrive, there was barely time to unpack and look around my antique-furnished bedroom with its king-size four-poster bed and starched white linen. This opened onto a vast verandah looking over lawns ideal for cricket and croquet.

Beyond this, as I was yet to discover, lie 50 acres of coconut, rice, cashew nuts, mangoes and other fruits, as well as spices and hardwood trees. Occasionally, a laid-back bullock can be found in the long grass with a bird in attendance – to remove annoying little bugs. Nature is marvelous.

Meanwhile, downstairs and still on Day One, we discussed art and mystical matters until it was time for a cooking demonstration on the preparation of Ayurvedic food. In charge of the kitchens at Horathapola are Wije and Nalin, who cook much of the food in earthenware pots on a traditional wood-burning stove.

Dinner that night included home-grown brown rice, eggplant moju, karavila sambal (bitter gourd), garlic curry, okra (ladies’ fingers) curry, black pork curry and mango curry. What a stunning introduction to the subtle flavours of Ayurvedic food.

: A marvellous dinner at Horathapola Estate, Sri Lanka

Some of the spices used here are chilli powder, salt, cloves, pepper corns and cinnamon sticks. Additionally, there is roasted curry powder, turmeric powder, cardamom, fenugreek and cumin seeds. Plentiful coconut milk softens the hotter elements and freshly chopped herbs and grated coconut are used to great effect.

: Garlic curry, stage one, Horathapola, Sri Lanka

If food and art both lift the spirits at Horathapola, the mixture of natural friendliness and attention to detail by the staff is something be cherished. Agreeing to meet manager, Mark Forbes at dawn for a trek around the estate, I slipped away early from dinner to get a few hours sleep.

An early start seemed propitious (it was my birthday) but there was nobody else up! Later, coffee was served under the vast canopy of a 100-year-old frangipani tree and I had my walk around the estate. Then there was a bullock cart ride. After bumping around the property for a while, modern transport seemed much more attractive.

Angam – Sri Lankan Martial Art

After breakfast, we left to see a demonstration of martial arts at the Academy of Angam in Colombo. This is the sole surviving link to a very special part of Sri Lankan culture and pride. Practiced in Sri Lanka since Kings ruled the land, when ‘the norm’ was for the ‘fittest to survive’, Angam remains a practice for those who are both spiritually and physically strong. The practice is carried forward from generation to generation and from father to son.

: Dr Wickremasinghe, a senior Angam teacher with protagonist

Angam includes innovative fighting and defensive techniques, such as crowd-holding with whirling steel ribbons; thrilling to watch but definitely not something you would risk getting close to. The execution of such techniques requires the unified strength of a strong body and the power of the mind.
The academy in Colombo is headed by renowned Guru, G. Karunapala.

Both Guru Karunapala and another senior, Dr Wickremasinghe, had a stillness and detachment to their movements and attitude that affected me deeply. The good doctor said the Academy planned to take Angam north to teach to youngsters, there. As with all martial arts, Angam provides a positive way for young people to focus and release energy.

Ayurvedic Lunch Thalangama Villas

Next, we went for an Ayurvedic lunch by the wetlands of Thalangama – an area with has a large bird population that has adapted well to the urban environment around it. Talangama Lake, near the new capital of Sri Jayewardenepura, emerged in the 1970s as a waterfront development. It is a short drive past the parliament buildings designed by ‘super architect’, Geoffrey Bawa.

: Pool at Villa Talangama, Colombo

Thalangama Villas is a small boutique hotel. The spacious master suite, with its own balcony looking over the lake, has a delightful bathroom, open to the wild. Two other bedrooms on the first floor share a bathroom. There is a great deal of living space – inside and outside the villa and the best thing about Thalangama is that, once you book, the villa is saved for your exclusive use.

: Lunch at Villa Talangama, Colombo

Lunch, at Villa Thalangama was fresh and wild. After the previous night, I recognised some of the ingredients and chose Sri Lankan dishes for preference. My plate shows Red Rice, Lotus root curry, an Aubergine (egg plant) pickle, Gotukola salad with St John’s Wort, a Raita combining cucumber, onion and tomato with spices and curd, fried Seer fish, Papadam, Ghee Rice and Mango chutney. In the centre of the picture is Jack fruit made into a white curry.
The staff looked after us as though we were guests of the family.

In War and in Health

That evening, we visited Ayurveda 2009– an exhibition geared to foreign investors and exhibitors. It came just as war had ended in Sri Lanka and the two events fused together in my mind.

: Masks to keep illness at bay, Ayurveda Fair, Colombo

In Sri Lanka, Ayurveda is regarded as ‘the future of medicine and healthcare’. They see ‘the world as turning away from chemical myth to natural herbs and towards traditional medicine’. The identity of Sri Lanka, then, has been linked decisively with the image of Ayurveda and the National Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka has named the new approach as ‘a national mission of indigenous healthcare’.

If Ayurveda provides a powerful symbol of holistic integrity in the country, it is to be hoped that the ending of war in Sri Lanka provides a similar opportunity for its inhabitants to work together as a whole. As with healing the body, so with the country.

The opening address by the President and Commander-in- Chief of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, at the historic Parliamentary fourth session on May 19th, 2009, seemed to bear this hope out.
“All the people of this country should live in safety without fear and suspicion. All should live with equal rights. That is my aim. Let us all get together and build up this nation,” he said.

Speaking in Tamil, he added, “This is our country. This is our motherland. We should live in this country as children of one mother. No differences of race, caste and religion should prevail here.”

Cinnamon Grand Hotel

On arrival at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, a Sri Lankan Tourist Board representative suggested that we visit one of the integral restaurants and choose our dinner, then have it delivered by them to our rooms.
The reason: most service staff in the hotel had been seconded to a huge, very chic wedding. So – from choice, after two days on the run and little sleep – I had a solitary birthday dinner. It was great to stop and ‘chill’.

: Cinnamon Hotel, Colombo

For starters, I ordered oysters followed by rare pigeon with steamed vegetables and finished with a decadent dessert. Dinner came with a smile and was beautifully laid out on a mobile, semi-circular table, complete with flowers and sparkling glasses.

: Rare pigeon with Garnish – Cinnamon Room Delivery

On another occasion, I would explore the Cinnamon’s extensive facilities. They have two swimming pools –one of them, the largest outdoor pool in the city, and there is an extensive spa, a bookshop and an art gallery. Kids can be looked after and amused in their own special playroom – a supervised and completely safe environment.

Nilambe Buddhist Meditation Centre

In Sri Lanka, they say that ‘Meditation’ means awareness. ‘Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. Watching your breath is meditation; listening to birds is meditation. As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation.’

: Novices staying at Nilambe Buddhist Meditation Centre, Kandy

The Nilambe Buddhist Meditation is a ‘lay’ meditation centre for western travellers and backpackers and is non-sectarian. The monastery is located in a former tea estate above Peradeniya, under the auspices of Guru, Upul Gamage (pictured). Yoga is practiced here on a daily basis.

: Upul Gamage talks about meditation techniques at Nilambe Buddhist Centre, Kandy

Pupils are taught how to free their minds from the world they live in, and how to look at every situation with detachment. People who are serious about meditation can stay at Nilambe and follow their daily schedule. As with other religious sites, women are asked to cover their legs and arms.
For me, group meditation was a welcome opportunity to recharge on a spiritual level.

Susantha Spice & Herbal Garden, Hingula

After leaving Kandy, we went to Susantha Gardens. Although the visit to these government-run, organic gardens was interesting, the knowledge came at a price.

My own interest related to an over-sensitive stomach and underactive thyroid but I asked academic questions about psoriasis, arthritis and lung problems. We were then given an ‘opportunity to buy products from their store’.

: Fresh fruit enroute from Kandy

The medicines were not priced. When I discovered what they would cost, I rejected several items but Susantha’s man kept switching ‘my discarded bottles’ with others at the till, insisting, “You need this… this… “

Despite my driver looking over my shoulder to see the bill, he failed to explain what was going on. It was not until I reached home that I realised ‘the game’ at Susantha Gardens was not exactly cricket.

Ceylon Tea Fort

In contrast to Susantha, a visit to the old ‘Ceylon’ Tea Fort, purportedly the island’s most exclusive chain of tea shops, proved entirely worthwhile. They have a smart restaurant, too, but this was not on our schedule. Another day… I bought several kinds of tea, including a Polpala Cloth bag of teas for improving the kidney function – it really does the trick – plus some good UVA Highland tea, extra special Silver Tip tea and green tea. The prices were displayed clearly and reasonable in price; it was a real pleasure to visit the Mlesna Tea Fort.