Dr. Khadiwale's Bookstore

Dr. Khadiwale's name is everywhere in town; we stopped at his bustling pharmacy next to the elementary school; little more than a small box with thousands of formulas in dusty bottles. He has a smart mustache and animated personality, full of charm and enthusiasm. He offered us a tour of his nearby factory, but alas, his busy schedule and frequent trips to Bombay.

Instead, several doors down, a right turn after the bodhi tree growing in the center of the street, inside a small, blue shuttered shack, books are stacked to the ceiling. In Sanksrit, Marathi, and English, the Ayurvedic classics tower over every aspiring physician that steps inside. Books published in India have a distinct musty smell that makes me feel like I'm in an ancient library with hidden secrets. Much of the Ayurvedic literature is unavailable in the United States - Charaka, Susruta, Ashtanga Hridayam, Kashyapa Samhita.

Journal Entry at the Botanical garden.

"I am writing from the Ayurvedic Botanical Gardens at Tilak Ayurvedic College in Pune, India. Professor Tanuja Nesari and Dr. Asha Kapse are guiding us to the plants we merely studied and used overseas. Here they are, green and vibrant, unique, special.

Growing in the garden I see many varieties of Ficus, Prunus, Solanacea. It seems every corner I visit in the world; I meet a Castor plant and Dhattura. Jasmine vines growing up the walls of the university. Tulsi is purple. Look, little tomatillos on the Ashwagandha.

Purple veins of the vidanga, she is heating and sharp. Amalaki shines playfully, a light green with a vine in her branches. The shy lajjalu closes her leaves when we touch.

A Cinnamon tree trying to grow from it’s humble pot but she's made a big impact on the world. Aloe Vera. A solanaceae that almost looks like a thistle?!?

Piper longum, hello friend of pepper. Here is Vitex again, I keep hearing about you but I don’t know you yet. Vacha, wet, coming out of the water. And bhumi amalaki, microscopic fruit, I couldn’t tell from the pictures of you in textbooks.

Finally, turmeric, here you are. Vibrant, vigorous, but with your gentle, yellow halo. Behind the sunlight, I see the veins of your leaves; you are glowing."

Pancha Karma with Dr. Marda

Many westerners start their own pancha karma clinics after a few weeks of training. But here I met doctors who trained for 10 or 20 years in university and clinic before opening their own practices. When I walked into his office, Dr. Marda immediately took my pulse and accurately interpreted my medical history. I had met many Ayurvedic healers but here I was glad to find a doctor, a clinician. He declares, "Ayurveda even treats acute diseases. When my patient has a heart attack, I rush to their home and save their life with simple herbs including ginger." He also said, "We're not health tourism. Our treatments hurt but afterwards you will have a new life and feel great."

I signed up to attend his clinic in the evenings and also for Pancha Karma treatments which included medicated enema, daily massage with oil, and sweating. Pancha Karma is a full body cleanse removing the root cause of disease. Seven days later I had a completely new awareness of my body and the connection between digestion and my emotional well being.

Ayurveda treatments in the west include incense, beautiful music, and a quiet peaceful environment. But in India massage therapists have animated conversation during treatments, talking on cell phones, laughing and bustling about. Instead of the subtle aspects of Ayurveda, here we found nuts and bolts treatments that healed and helped people with critical illnesses; helping clients show up for work the next morning.

Dr. Vasant Lad's Clinic

We were grateful to attend our beloved teacher Dr. Lad's clinic in Pune which was an incredible learning experience. We were visited by twenty patients a day. Tubercular patients; arthritis, rashes, and many other kinds of diseases we don't see very often. Repetition was helpful. In India patients actually had access to their own medical records. Patients arrived with armfuls of X-rays, complete diagnostic history and results from blood work. We felt every patient in the United States should also have a copy of their medical records.

Instead of simply herbs, Doctors here use formulas. Many of the formulas contain mercury, lead, and other heavy metal compounds specially processed for safe human consumption. Other formulas contain cow's urine and exotic ingredients not normally used as medicine in the West. We found cow's urine to be acrid, astringent. Therapies can include leeches, enemas, vomiting, and even branding! In Ayurveda every substance can be both a medicine and a poison, depending on how it is used and in what quantity. My favorites include the medicated wines which are fasting acting, pungent, and kindle the appetite.

Cooking In India

Dividing my time between home and clinic, I experimented with Maharastrian cuisine on the weekends. We hosted Sunday potlucks at our apartment. I enjoyed my Saturday afternoons shopping in local markets, learning about new fruits such as chikoo. Sweet Lassis with a dollop of heavy cream kept us healthy and happy between meals. Local chai with crushed ginger. Fried, tasty street foods and bel puris on Jewel Beach with 'Uncle', our local friend in Bombay. Here are some of the recipes we learned and experimented with overseas:

- Saffron milk thousand layer crepe cake
- Coconut and Cilantro Savory Pancake
- Fried Tapioca Patties with Cilantro, Cumin, and Peanuts
- South Indian Sambar with Coconut
- Peas, Fennel, and Mint
- Soft Idly in Sweet Yogurt

Reading the Sanskrit classics.

Language is a window into feelings, a style of thinking, and the gems of knowledge of a culture. Every doctor insists we read the classics as part of our early training. Charaka is one of the greatest Ayurveda classical doctors. Through memorization and meditation on his Ayurvedic poetry, we can begin to understand Charaka's mind and approach. That is how we deepen our understanding.

Leaving India

With the help of Dr. Lad and Dr. Marda, Ayurveda kept me healthy during my entire trip overseas. We had the wonderful opportunity to see Ayurveda in its homeland. Ayurveda is powerful and beautiful but we have to help each other understand this incredible art and science.