Brand adulteration hits Kalari on its vital spot

Renowned for various defensive and offensive powers, Kalari and its allied branch of treatment, Marma, is widely used for the treatment of various ailments.
The major curative power of Marma chikitsa lies in healing the defects of marmas (sensitive spots in the body). Ashtangahridayam, the last word in Ayurveda treatment, refers to 107 such marmas in the human body.It is ideal for treatment of bones, discs, joint disorders, rejuvenation of nerves and blood circulation. In the modern era, this method is best used for curing cervical spondylitis, say experts. “I’ve cured some patients in a serious condition who were written off by well-known hospitals,” says noted Kalari expert Sudhakaran Gurukkal of Edakkad C V N Kalari.
There are several patients who fly down from the West to consult Gurukkal. 70-year-old Gordon Fleming from Italy, a patient of Gurukkal, is one of them. He was suffering intense pain in his right ankle, which got stiff. “Doctors there termed his illness a natural problem with aging. He couldn’t walk or climb staircases,” Gurukkal recalls. However, a few weeks after marma treatment, Fleming went back a happy man.
“After the treatment, he could even climb a four-story building with no trouble”, Gurukkal confirms.Marma chikitsa is not an internal medicine. On the contrary, it’s about assisting the body to cure itself.
Babu Vaidyar, who runs a treatment centre at Kalpetta, said massage was an integral part of the treatment, which strengthens muscles and restores blood circulation.
“It totally rejuvenates the entire system. Soft massage is done using the hands, while hard massage is done with the legs. Leg massage is generally done to correct body stiffness,” Vaidyar said.Many foreigners come to the state to learn Kalari, to start Kalari centers in their own countries. Meanwhile, traditional practitioners are worried that Kerala’s pristine martial arts form is now being diluted.
For fast bucks, fake practitioners in North India, where Kalari is less known, are packaging the curative properties of Kalari and Marma.
Curative powers of Marma Chikitsa
* The major curative power of Marma chikitsa lies in healing the defects of marmas (sensitive spots in the body) by assisting the body to cure itself.
* Ashtangahridayam, the last word in Ayurveda treatment, refers to 107 such marmas.
* It is ideal for treatment of bones, discs, joint disorders, rejuvenation of nerves and blood circulation.
Courtesy:Deccan Chronicle