The History of Sri Lankan Ayurveda
Ravana a pre historic king of Sri Lanka was said to be a great physician who is believed to have written many books such as ArkaPrakasha,Kumarathanthra,Udissathanthra and gnadivignana being few of them.
There is a similar story in charakaSamhitha(Indian Ayurvedic book)about a health conference held in Himalaya for which the sage Pulathisi participated who is said to be the grandfather of Ravana
The both above references give an evidence that even in pre-historic period there was an internationally recognized medical system in Sri Lanka.
The Mahawansa, the main source of Sri Lankan history, mentions that king Pandukabhaya built a hospital in 4th Century BC which might be the first hospital in the world. It is evident that there was a glorious indigenous system of medicine in the country.
King Dewanampiyatissa built a hospital nearby Mihintala rock, the ruins of which is still remaining. There are some archeological evidences that there were renowned physicians during this period.
What’s Unique about Sri Lankan Ayurveda?
Indigenous Medicine of Sri Lanka “Helawedakama” is a unique heritage of Sri Lanka coming over centuries based on a series of ancient indigenous medical literature handed down from generation to another.
Sri Lanka is proud to claim to be the first country in the world to have established systematic hospitals. Some ancient cities of Sri Lanka; Polonnaruwa, Medirigiriya, Anuradhapura and Mihinthale still have the ruins of what many believe to be the first hospitals in the world.
Even today, Sri Lanka has numerous branches of Indigenous Medicine such as fracture healing, treatment for snake bites, eye-treatment, psychiatry, and treatment for abscesses, wounds and cancers and may others which are said to be still effective and accepted by the community.
There are many Ola Leave Manuscripts available which are related to Sri Lankan indigenous medicine. In addition, there are many valuable medicine, treatment methods, beliefs and techniques in some families coming from generations which are still un-documented.
Ayurvedic methods for immunity boosting/Approach to the current pandemic
There are such diseases in ancient Ayurveda texts which mention spreading of illnesses personto person in rapid rate. These diseases are collectively termed as “Janapadodvanshadiseases” (diseases outbreak as epidemics) as they spread rapidly which are caused bypolluted environment, water, habitat and season.
Covid 19 symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath may be correlated with“Vishamajvara” according to another reference. Therefore Sri Lankan Ayurveda is having soundmanagement protocol including preventive as well as curative measures to combat thisdisease. In addition the Sri Lankan community is nurtured with traditional knowledge in preventingcommunicable diseases which are being practiced for thousands of years. Whenpropagating infectious diseases, isolation and quarantine measures have been practicingamong rural community in Sri Lanka from hundreds of years and even today.
The main focus for this pandemic is prevention (general public and people under quarantine) and boosting immunity of general public and affected persons.
PREVENTION
The following preventive measures which being classical formulae can be used to kill ordeactivate viruses. This preventive program could be used for 14 days.
EXTERNAL MEASURES
Fumigation (Dhoopa)
A mix of following in equal amounts ground together to form a fine powder is traditionally used to fumigate the living environment:
Guggulu (Commiphora wightii), Neem leaves (Azadirachta indica),Wadakaha (Acorus calamus), dried turmeric (Curcuma longa), Suwandakottan(Saussurea lappa), mustard seeds (Brassica nigra)and asafoetida.
Method:
Take little amount of this powder, mixed with ghee and fumigate by sprinkling it on some live coals
Steaming (Wedhu)
Take handful of fresh leaves of Mango (Mangifera indica), Madan (Syzygium cumini), Divul (Limonia acidissima), AmbulDodam (Citrusa urantium) and Beli (Aeglem armelos) in equal amount, put them in an earthen pot, add sufficient water,cover it with a lid and boil. When it is boiled, remove the lid and steam the individual
INTERNAL MEASURES
CURATIVE MEASURES
Curative measures can be used in combination with above preventive measures
There are different kind of herbal preparations that can be used for treating Covid-19 patients
Immunity boosting measures
Simple Ayurvedic Procedures
Oil pulling therapy- Take 1 table spoon sesame or coconut oil in mouth. Do not drink, Swish in the mouth for 2 to 3 minutes and spit it off followed by warm water rinse. This can be done once or twice a day – helps to keep your oral healthy and removes germs
Mention the words Sri Lanka and images of palm-lined beaches with turquoise-blue water spring to mind. Unless you’ve visited the island, you probably won’t be aware of the luscious, green hill-country, the diverse range of wildlife and the rich heritage the country has to offer. Further still, you won’t have experienced the warm and friendly Sri Lankan people, the seductive aroma of spices and the mouth-watering cuisine.
I have been travelling to Asia for the past 20 years and as my mobility has decreased, I have found myself asking the same old questions which all travellers with disabilities ask before booking a holiday- “Does the hotel have an accessible bedroom and toilet? Will taxis take my wheelchair? Is there a lift in this museum? etc. etc. etc. For travellers with disabilities, the answers to these kinds of questions determine whether a holiday destination will be booked.
Whereas accessible tourism is widely accepted in Europe, it is generally a foreign concept in Asia. However, for travel-lovers and adventurers, Sri Lanka is becoming more accessible to those with disabilities. In the past few years, I have noticed that the concept of accessibility has been adopted by both government and private companies. Disabled parking bays and wheelchair ramps, for example, are now commonplace.
The tourism industry though had been overlooked and it is difficult to imagine that until recently there were no wheelchair accessible taxis in the country. This all changed in October 2019 when ‘Ayu by Walkers’ launched Sri Lanka’s first wheelchair accessible tour vehicle- allowing wheelchair users (and upto 4 companions) to tour the island in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle which is not only fitted with European-standard safety equipment but is also an ‘Environmentally Friendly’, carbon neutral vehicle.
At the same time ‘Ayu by Walkers’ introduced ‘Wheelchair Accessible Tours’ featuring iconic locations, such as Kandy, the ancient, archaeological cities of Anaradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the tea growing region and wildlife parks.
‘Ayu’ is part of ‘Walkers Tours’, the oldest tour operator in Sri Lanka, having started tours in 1969. The ‘Walkers’ brand is synonymous with providing excellent customer satisfaction and this is the ethos behind ‘Ayu’. Drivers and guides are English-speaking with a vast knowledge of Sri Lankan culture and history. The ‘Ayu’ training means that tour employees know how specific disabilities affect customers when travelling and can suggest suitable alternatives when needed. ‘Ayu by Walkers’ are making this beautiful island accessible to more and more people and with their knowledge of hotels and sites, they will create the perfect itinerary for you to experience the Magic of Sri Lanka!
By James Exton
CEO & Founder – Access the Globe
Member – ENAT
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