Another Legend of Kerala Ayurveda

Kerala Ayurveda is famous across the globe for its effective treatments without any side effects. Almost all diseases have effective treatments in Kerala Ayurveda and people, even from far away nations visit this tiny southernmost state of India to take treatment for various diseases.

History of Ayurveda in Kerala is many centuries old and there are many well-reputed Ayurvedic treatment centers in Kerala which are centuries old. The mantle has been carried from generation to generation and even now it is glowing brightly.

Edathotty is one such traditional ayurvedic family in Kerala which is located at Idayar, near piravom in Ernakulam District. There is a legend behind this ancient Christian family becoming a name to reckon with it in Ayurveda.

Edathotty family was basically a Brahmin family, who are believed to be converted to Christianity during the visit of Saint Thomas in Kerala. Once, a strange Brahmin from a faraway place was passing through Idayar. As it was too late in the evening he decided to take shelter in some houses. On those days, most of the people used to travel by walk and it was regular practice for them to take shelter at different homes during the night. Being a Brahmin, he enquired about Brahmin houses in the locality with some people and they directed him to Edathotty.

However, the head of Edathotty did not want to deceive the Brahmin by hiding the fact that they have converted to Christianity. However, the Brahmin was not much interested in religion as he was too tired and hungry. He stayed at Edathotty house that night. When the family head went to wake him up the next morning, he found the Brahmin to be dead. Frustrated with happening, he informed the local people about it.  They all gathered there but could not recognize the Brahmin. Hence they decide to do his funeral at the local Church where the Edathotty family visits regularly and according to the Christian rituals.

After the funeral, when the family head came back to his home, he saw the rucksack left over by the Brahmin. He opened and saw many books. To his astonishment, he saw a note which is supposed to be written by the Brahmin in the previous night. In that, he mentioned that his time was almost over and the books in the rucksack should be taken care of by Edathotty family. He further said in the note that the family members should learn Ayurveda from those books and should start practicing as Ayurvedic Doctors.

Since then, members of the Edathotty family started learning Ayurveda and became very famous Ayurvedic Doctors. They passed the knowledge generation by generation and there were many famous doctors in that family.

Edathotty Kunjithomman Vaidyan

Although there were many famous Ayurvedic Physicians in that family, Kunjithomman Vaidyan was the most famous one. He shot into fame even before he officially starts practicing. He was learning Ayurveda during those days and as he was passing by one of his relative’s house, he saw a crowd there.  Upon enquiring about the reason he understood that the lady in the house was suffering from labor pain and delivery is not happening even after a long time. Many doctors have come there and did many treatments but everything went in vain.

At that time, some of the family members saw him and requested to do something to save the mother and child. He went inside and examined the lady thoroughly. Then he came out, took two midribs of the blade of coconut leaf, and tied it together. Then he entered the room and asked everybody except a nurse to clear off from the room. When all left he closed the door and went near the lady. He once again examined the stomach of the lady closely and beat at one specific point of the stomach with the midrib of coconut leaf. It was so powerful that the child came out of the stomach.  All were happy and from that day onwards, Kunjithomman Vaidyan also being regarded as a doctor. 

Kodungalloor Kochunni Thampuran, a Great Scholar and Ayurvedic Physician

Kerala had given birth to many scholars in the past. These scholars have worked hard to reach the fame of Kerala till the horizons. Kodungalloor Kochunni Thampuran was one of them. Although he is more known as a renowned author in Malayalam and Sanskrit, he was an expert Ayurvedic Physician too.

Ayurveda, the traditional stream of medical science in Kerala is very popular nowadays around the world. There are many excellent doctors and institutions across the world who are practicing Kerala Ayurveda. Now it has been accepted as a medical science that can compete with modern medical science in any manner. Here is a story to prove the excellence of Thampuran in Ayurveda.

Although he was a native of Kodungalloor, he used to stay for more days at the Hill Palace in Triounithura, the capital city of the erstwhile princely state of Kochi. He was regarded as an advisor by the Kochi King and hence it was necessary for him to be there for more effective communication.

On those days, there was a toddy tapper, who was staying near to the palace and was suffering from leprosy. As he could not afford costly treatments, he did not go for it and hence the disease became serious. When it reached almost at the peak stage, he came to know about the presence of Kodungalloor Kochunni Thampuran at Hill Palace. Those were the days when untouchability was prevailing and he was barred from going near Thampuran as he belonged to a lower cast. Hence he sent the request for help through one of Thampuran’s assistants. Hearing it, Thampuran asked him to come inside the palace. As he was an untouchable as per the standards prevailing then, he hesitated to do so. Still, Thampuran forced him to come up and he went. Then Thampuran told him to take fifty seeds of marking nuts everyday in milk. 

Thampuran’s disciples shocked to hear this. The seeds of marking nut are highly poisonous and are being used by the washermen to put marks on the clothes. They use these seeds with high precautions while marking. When a single seed will create a lot of troubles when taken in, thampuran is asking to have fifty such seeds daily.

The toddy tapper expressed his inability to buy milk due to financial problems. Then Thampuran asked him whether he consumes toddy and he told yes. Then Tampuran asked him to have the seeds along with toddy.

Almost forty-one days are over and on the forty-second day, the toddy tapper came in front of the palace. He was completely recovered by that time and was healthier. He presented a bunch of bananas along with cash to Thampuran as a mark of respect. Thampuran accepted the bananas and returned the cash. 

Vayaskara Mooss, Another Legend of Kerala Ayurveda

Myths have a significant role in forming the culture and tradition of Kerala, the southernmost stated in India. Even it has a myth regarding its formation. It is believed that Kerala has been formed by Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu by throwing his ax into the sea from the hills of Gokarna. After forming the state, he has appointed eight Brahmin families to take care of the health of people inhabiting here. They are known as “Ashta Vaidyas” or eight doctors. These families are carrying out the practice of Ayurveda, the traditional medical stream of India even now. Vayaskara family in the Kottayam district of Kerala is one such family.

There are many stories about the effectiveness of their treatment. Here are a few of them.

Logic and common sense are the two qualities needed for a medical practitioner. The medicines prescribed in the texts will be the same, but the result of the treatment depends upon how a medical practitioner uses it. Even the children of this family are blessed with these two qualities hereditary. Here is a story about it.

Once, the head of the family has gone outside to treat some patients, and painting of the house was carried out then. On those days, quick lime was used to paint houses. A big bucket was kept outside the house filled with the liquid of quick lime. When the cowherd of the house released the cows from the shed, they all came there and drank this liquid and fell sick. Ladies in the family got worried as there were no communication systems on those days to inform the head of the family about the incident. After a long thought, they called a little boy from the family who was playing in the compound and narrated the incident. They asked him about the remedy. He asked the servants to bring lots of beetle nuts, and make a paste by crushing it and mixing it with water. As per his suggestion, they did the same. Then the boy gave the paste to the cows. After having a specific quantity of that paste, all the cows got relieved. When the head of the family came back, the ladies narrated the incident. He called the boy and asked him who told him about this medicine.

The innocent boy replied quickly that nobody has told, but he thought it will do as he has heard so many times the elders telling that the lime is too much on the beetle leaves which they used to chew, hence one more piece of beetle nut is needed. Thus he came to the conclusion that the beetle nuts can neutralize the effects of excess lime and he prescribed the medicine.

As mentioned earlier, this family is one of the eight families appointed by Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Hence, they take it as a service rather than a business. Even now they will not prescribe unnecessary medicines to the patients. Here is a good example of it. It happened very recently.

Once, a rich man in that area called Mathews suffered stomach aches. He was not able to eat anything though he was rich enough to buy any food article. He consulted many doctors of all medical streams, but there was no result. Finally, he came to Vayaskara Mooss. Vayaskra Mooss is a surname used by the male members of the family and in each generation, they are known by that name. Then Mooss examined him thoroughly and asked him what he used to have. He told that he was a poor man a few years back and was not in a position to buy costly rice. Hence he used to have a bean of rice which collect from various houses. However, he is having the best quality rice in the present as he has enough money with him. Mooss recognized the diseases and told him to mix a small quantity of bean of rice in water and to make a paste. He should have it before each meal.

Mathews, who became a rich man quickly could not digest this idea. He was highly egoistic and take this prescription as an insult to him. What he thought that the Mooss will suggest some costly medicines. Depressed with the treatment of Mooss, he went back and consulted another Ayurvedic Doctor of the locality called as Govindan Vaidyan. He narrated the entire incident and told the doctor that Mooss has insulted him by suggesting a cheaper medicine.

Govindan Vaidyar, who had great respect for Vayaskara Mooss was sure that the medicine suggested by the Mooss was the right one, still, he did not say it to Mathews. Instead, he told Mathews to have a special medicine prepared by him.

“But it will be costly” he added. Mathews said that he is not caring about the cost. He bought the medicine paying an exorbitant price. The name of the medicine was Kasthoori Rasayana. After having the medicine for three weeks, Mathews cured completely. He wanted to tell the incident to Mooss and went to the Vayaskara house. There he revealed that he had taken a costly medicine from Govindan Vaidyar and now he is relieved of the pain completely. As the answer to the query of Mooss Mathews told that the name of the medicine is Kasthoori Rasayana.

Following a burst of loud laughter, Mooss told Mathews that it was his fat that he had to eat the bean of rice from Govindan Vaidyar’s house although he had the same at his own house. This Rasayana was nothing but a paste of bean of rice. 

Alathoor Nambi, the Legend of Kerala Ayurveda

There are many families in Kerala who are enjoying a high reputation for their effective Ayurvedic Treatments. Most of them are learning the traditional Indian medical science, Ayurveda from their ancestors, thus keeping the reputation of their family in high esteem. Alathoor Nambi’s family, which is one of the most important families in traditional Ayurveda is located in Alathoor near Ponnani in the Malappuram district of Kerala. Although they were experts and masters in Ayurveda, there are some incidents that made their treatment more effective. The legend about this is as follows.

Nambi is the sir name of the family and all the male members carry this as a suffix. Once a Nambi, who was also an expert Ayurveda doctor lived here. It was his routine to visit the nearby Shiva temple everyday morning. One day he noticed two birds sitting in the branch of a tree on his way. They started chiming “kwaruk… kwaruk…”. He ignored the same.

However, it has become a regular thing. The birds were present in that tree and they repeated the words “kwaruk…kwaruk…” every day when Nambi passes through. One day Nambi stopped hearing this chiming and replied.

“Kale hitha mithabhoji

Krutha chamkramana kramena vamashaya

Avidhrutha moothra poreesh

Sthreeshuyathathma chayonara soruk”

It was a verse which means who is having only limited food on time and who walks regularly, who is sleeping with his left hand, who will not block his urine and stool, and who is not crazy in sex is the person who will never get ill. Suddenly the birds disappeared. It is believed that those birds were Ashwini Devatas, the twin gods related to medical science. What they were asking regularly was “kwaruk or ka aruk” which means who will not suffer from diseases in Sanskrit. Nambi could give a convincing reply and they satisfied with that.

After a few days, two Brahmin boys came to Nambi’s house and requested him to teach them Ayurveda. Nambi agreed and they started learning the subject staying at Nambi’s house. Both of them were brilliant and at the same time very mischievous too. They used to put forth many puzzles in front of Nambi as their doubts. They used to give more versions for a verse when Nambi interpreted the same in his own way. Gradually Nambi came to know that he is learning more by teaching those boys and this increased his interest and he started ignoring all their mischief.

One day they set fire the guest house situated inside the compound. On some other day, they were going along with Nambi to treat one of his patients. On the way, there was a river and no boats were available there. They had to cross the river using a narrow bridge made with the trunk of a coconut tree. When they were in the middle of the river, they pushed Nambi into the river. Although he had to swim half the way and continue the journey with wet clothes, he did not scold them.

Nambi kept on teaching them even after these incidents. One day, when Nambi was out, one of his patients suffering from headache came there. He was a regular patient and whenever he suffers from headaches, he used to visit Nambi. He used to get some relief with the medicines prescribed by Nambi, but could not cure it permanently. On that day when he came there, Nambi was not there. These two boys took the patient inside a room. They went outside the compound and collected some herbs and came back. They closed the door and started squeezing the herbs to make oil. When they applied the oil on his head, the skin covering the skull has come up. After removing the skin, they cleared off the skull of some worms. It was these worms that used to make a headache. After removing them, they replaced the skin and applied the oil again. The patient got a permanent relief and he went out with great joy.

All this time, the children of the Nambi family were watching entire incidents through a small window. When these Brahmin boys came out, they saw the children watching them through a small window. They called them and told not to watch like this as they may develop squint-eye.

Later when Nambi came back children narrated entire incidents. Without telling anything, he went inside for lunch. When he was having lunch, the two Brahmin boys came there and told them that they have learned enough and now planning to leave him. As they did not have anything to pay as guru dakshina (fees for teaching) they will give him a divine book which contains divine remedies. They insisted that only those belonging to that family should see what is written inside the book. As he was having lunch, he received the book with his left hand. He followed them to say goodbye till the gate. There he pleaded them to reveal their right identity. Pleased with his devotion and love they told him that they were Ashwini Devathas the twin gods related to Ayurveda. They blessed him that his medicines will never go in vein and as he received the divine book with left hand, the medicines will be more effective if he gives with left hand. They told that at least one member in the family in all generations will have squint eye. It is happening even today.

There is one more legend behind the practice of giving medicines with the left hand. One day this Nambi was sitting in the portico. Then an old Brahmin came there suffering from some stomach disorder. Nambi asked him to stay there for a few days for treatment. He agreed. However, the diseases did not cured even after applying several courses of medicines. Then Nambi used a tube which he inserted inside the throat of the patient and started applying liquid medicine through that. He used to catch hold of the tube with his right hand and apply the medicine with his left hand. After three days of treatment the patient got cured completely.

When he was about to go back, Nambi requested him to reveal his identity. He told him that he is none other than Thaksha, one of the Ashta Nagas (Eight serpentine gods in Hindu mythology). He blessed Nambi that his treatments will be more effective if he applies the medicines with his left hand. Even now the new generation of this family used to apply medicines with left hand.

There are several stories highlighting the expertise of Nambis in Ayurveda, but due to space availability I am keeping them all for next occasion.