A Trip To India: Ayurveda And Some Unexpected Zingas
ServiceSpace
--Richard Whittaker
2 minute read
Jan 27, 2016

 

At the end of last year, I spent three weeks in India, in a place called Vaidyagrama [Punarnava Ayurvedic Trust]. It’s near Coimbature. I went for an Ayurvedic cleanse, something I’d never even heard of two years ago. Well, one never knows what kinds of influences can appear in one’s life.

There are a number of highlights. I got to meet Ragu and Nisha, [Seeds + Transformation] which was a great treat. Ragu and Nisha are farming organically -- inspired, as I understand it, by Fukuoka’s radical “do nothing” method of farming. Quite unexpectedly, Ragu and Nisha are friends with the people who founded Vaidyagrama and live nearby. It’s not exactly surprising, given Punarnava’s mission: to create an eco-friendly, green, sustainable community based on Ayurveda and natural farming outside Coimbatore.

Near the end of my stay, an international conference on Ayurveda was convening sponsored by Vaidyagrama. Five hundred people were expected from all over the world. Authentic Ayurveda, according to the way Vaidyagrama's founding visionary, Dr. Ramkumar [one of four founders], looks at it must be grounded in the gift economy. It’s not so surprising then that Ragu and Nisha and Dr. Ramkumar are friends.

When I went for the three-week cleanse, I consciously decided not to even think about doing any interviews. I brought no recorder. And I’d never heard of Dr. Ramkumar. However, one thing led to another and pretty soon I heard some things about this Dr. Ramkumar that made me look into learning more. It wasn't long before I felt compelled to ask this man for an interview. (Although I'd never used my iPhone to record an interview I did have it with me.) 

He was willing, and as we were talking he began to say things about a gift economy approach to living as part of authentic Ayurveda, I couldn’t resist asking, “Have you ever heard of Nipun Mehta?” Dr. Ramkumar said, “Oh, he’s giving a keynote for us at the conference.”  

What were the chances that I’d go to India to some random place and then Nipun would show up to give a speech? Hahaha. 

There’s so much more, but that’s a nice start. I look forward to getting the interview transcribed, checked and put up online. And by the way, I totally recommend Vaidyagrama for your panchakarma. Great people. Great place.


photo: dining tent first evening of the conference   

 

Posted by Richard Whittaker on Jan 27, 2016


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