VISITING THE AYUSH HOSPITAL AT DHARGAL…

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And coming away with a lot of food for thought! Amongst other things there’s llots of wonderful space here to have a full-fledged geriatrics department with mainstream Allopathy inputs in place for emergencies!

SEEKING a place where the hubby (three-quarters recovered from spinal TB affliction for three years) may get some alternate healthcare to boost vital rehabilitation, a friend drove me all the way out to the still brand new AYUSH Hospital at Dhargal in Pernem, north Goa, on quite close to the Manohar International Airport at Mopa. The so described satellite All India Institute of Ayurveda (attached to the Delhi AIIA) is said to be set handsomely amidst 2,000 lakh sqmts in the vicinity of Dargal village in Pernem taluka. Here is an impressive three-storeyed modern hospital complex set amidst monsoon green lawns (at least currently, gardens are coming up). The Goa AIIA hospital offers a gamut of Ayurveda treatments and even minor surgical procedures.
Past the first gates there’s a lovely pathway done up with Warli artwork. Park your vehicle (there’s no dedicated car parking space) and walk into the hospital to be greeted by a harmonious spacious reception hall. At the counters here one is told to come as early as 8am or so to get a token (Rs10) and then one could meet the consultant required depending on the nature of health problem one is seeking treatment for.
They have several OPDs for the various branches of Ayurveda, an Outdoor Patients Department as well as an Indoor Patients Department; from the sound of it the focus is mostly on the now well appreciated Panchakarma or Ayurveda’s “panchakarma” which is a series of treatments to de-tox the bodily system, a sort of deep-cleansing of body beautiful. Say, remove the years old junk clogged up in your colon and other things which don’t move out if we live a sedentary lifestyle before the computer all day long. Something like that.
The AIIA also has a an operating theatre for minor surgical procedures as required for such things as “ksharsutra” for fistulectomy, etc. There’s a pathology lab for diagnostic investigations like ECG, blood tests, x-rays. The Dhargal All India Institute of Ayurveda is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Ayush, government of India, and it is both a college and a hospital with generous campus space all around. See a whole lot of students while you’re here, most of them interning their practice in the hospital areas.
It is a little surprising to see that everything is organized along the lines of a mainstream Allopathy hospital, say like that of the Goa Medical College & Hospital – it is centrally air-conditioned, brightly lit with large wards for male and female patients. Patients are admitted to be treated for now such common things as being overweight or obesity, digestive problems, joint pains like arthritis, cardiac diseases, skin ailments, several kinds of degenerative conditions we suffer from because of leading self-destructive lifestyles or so to speak, in the rat race of chasing the good life.
Ironically, our comfort seeking modern urban, industrial ways of living are detrimental to health and happiness. Most of us familiar with Ayurveda know that it is primarily focuses on preventive healthcare with the key treatment being panchakarma routine (deep-cleansing of the digestive system via such main procedures as “vamana karma (therapeutic emesis), virechana karma (therapeutic purgation), asnuvasana vasti (oil/unctuous enema), asthapana vasti (decoction based enema), nasya karma (nasal administration of medicaments)” and some more including various fascinating types of “abhyanga” or massage of oil, medicated powder, etc.
Depending on the state of a patient’s health panchakarma can be contraindicated, if the patient is too feeble he or she may not be advised panchakarma. But it is true that once panchakarma is tolerated patients get rejuvenated as their digestive system works better. Panchakarma or the de-tox program may be of 7/14/21 days duration and one may feel like one is born anew afterwards (but not for long if one returns to one’s old ways of rotten lifestyles).
Once the body’s insides are cleansed courtesy such things as purgation, anema, massages, fasting…which means living on a limited specific diet along prescribed lines, one reaps the benefits of being back to more or less normal happy life as soon as possible. But there must be continuity courtesy what you have learned about your constitution which is defined by the principles of “vata, pitta, kapha” in Ayurveda.

Don’t knock it, there’s a lot to learn about the Ayurvedic ways of healing and then there are of course the complementary yogasana of various yoga masters, which aim to make the body more flexible from the inside out and outside in. Chatting a bit at the various OPD stations one learned that the therapeutic diet for patients plays a major role in healing too, and a student intern here advised me not to leave without visiting their “Pathyahartha block” where all the food is cooked for patients and relatives in tow.
At a rough guide they have aout 800 to 1,000 patients attending the ODPs, including patients in the wards doing one of the package or specific prescribed plan of treatment. Alas, I couldn’t make it to the kitchen block but one may know that there is something called Ayurveda-friendly cuisine and it is very well defined in the treatment of various ailmeants and diseases. My friend Mihir (who is a diabetic) and I did drop in at the hospital’s spacious canteen though where breakfast was closing and lunch about to start (for patient’s relatives).
I was lucky to get a plate of “poha” (Rs30, the portion was overgenerous and lackluster in taste, with a little salad helping); the lunch thali arrived a little later but it didn’t inspire any desire to eat…take your choice of veg, chicken, egg thali meal deals for Rs70. The day’s offerings are chalked up on a board here: shakes/juices (papaya, mango, chocolate shakes, watermelon and orange juice, sweet lassi, lemon soda).
Hell’s bells, Ayurveda-styled food may be necessarily low in salt, oil, spices…but it can be very flavorful if made with imagination. I’ve eaten better at very many naturopathy wellness retreats. Perhaps the entire AIIA’s “pathyahara” block is contracted out to “chefs” who have minimal or a dismal idea of preparing the time-tested Ayurveda recipes…or is it just about how to cut costs, earn more money?
AIIA Goa can do better! Apart from the wards, there are only four cottages for patients who may need more private treatment. While the wards beds are charged at Rs70 per night (with food and boarding) I think extra charges apply for the various treatments prescribed by the panel of Ayurveda doctors registered on the payroll of the hospital as full time or consultancy status. There names are not listed anywhere on the information available on enquiry.
In today’s stressed out times the country is bustling with Ayurveda-Naturopathy combo wellness retreats for the upper crust of society, but there’re very few places where the common people may go to recover health and grace and a desire to live anew — one can only wish that at least the public-funded systems of medicine be more economically or nominally accessible. After all the cardinal principle enshrined in Ayurveda is that of service to humanity and not being on par with Allopathy! Somewhere some evergreen values are going for a toss.

Postscript: The Dhargal satellite hospital in Goa offers Ayurvedic OPD services, including special OPD with consultation timings from 3pm to 5pm. The special OPD is a paid service from Monday to Friday. For a hassle free consultation and to avoid waiting appointment may be booked in advance. Monday to Friday special OPD is from 3pm to 5pm. Special OPD is a paid service with a consultation fee of Rs500 for Indian nationals and Rs1,500 for foreign patients. For special OPD call on No. 8322918205 or ask at the reception/billing counters at the hospital. Interestingly, there’s a 1- day Ayurveda wellness package available for US$50 for foreign nationals, it is guided by Dr Yogesh B Shinde. You may also get more details from the Directorate of Health Services in Panjim.

Goan Observer

VISITING THE AYUSH HOSPITAL AT DHARGAL…

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