I'm no granddad when it comes to experience and wisdom in the world of nurturing kids or even the world of ayurveda. For that matter, you do not need to be a granddad who has had experience hands-on with herbs and other homegrown cures or medicines. For a science so pure, ancient and efficient it does require a very deep understanding of what the application of the science could do for us. Thankfully, we've fortunate to have initiatives like Dabur from the ayurvedic fraternity around us that such a wonderful science is at our everyday disposal.
From a personal perspective, my ancestral lineage all comes from a very traditional Indian village background. Farming, community businesses, homegrown vegetables, woven clothes all come interwoven into the fabric of my family. Owing to my dad's profession, I've been only a tourist face to my native place, and have lived only in cities all my life. That's where the juxtaposition shows up. The cities are a tad opposite to what the more traditional villages adopt in their daily lives. While my mom and dad have made traditional habits a daily part of their lives, I've been a mix of both.
A mix of lemon and honey with water marked the start of the day. It would be followed by a bath with herbal elements like Shikakai, besan on a completely oiled body! A very low fat, green breakfast marked the first meal of the day. Such were the practices followed in my family, until I started college or so. Once I took my daily habits into my own hands, things have taken a different turn altogether! Gymming folloed protein shakes, synthetic cereals made their way onto the breakfast table. Once they were skipped for a few days, the difference would be greatly visible. Burping gastric gases, improper bowels and what not! Then my mom would chirp in, 'Listen to me, have good food like the ones I feed you :)'.
I would helplessly nod at her suggestion and then revert to the tried and tested natural foods. The same with my bathing habits. Until I reached the teen mark of my life, I was given a regularly periodic body massage with some Lal Tail, and then the hair would be washed with Shikakai and some Amla Shampoos. Once I was exposed to the world of chemically strong shampoos, the shine in the hair would be wonderful for an hour after the bath. After that, it would turn frizzy and appear unwashed at all! Though those were a few negative impacts of the improper habits that I brought into my life, I fall sick very rarely. A common cold that comes to me, leaves within a day. The last time I was down with fever was ages ago! Looking back, I realise all this was a gift of the immunity I built up within me over a period of time, thanks to my mother's traditional habits at home.
The point I'm trying to make here is, though we undervalue the effects and importance of traditional and nature based products, they do good like no other. After my college was over, my sister had a baby boy and that made me even more aware of their values. I'm really close to my kid-nephew and would be a part of every ritual followed for him, everyday! Then did I learn that, the red coloured oil used for massage called Lal Tail was more of a common household, generic and trusted name that was passed on from generations.My mom knew of it, my grandmom recommended it and maybe even her mom would have used that.
More than my own life, since I have had a first person account of bringing up my baby nephew, the traditional habits got into me even more. He would be given a nice oil massage around the head, which my mom referred to as 'Siro Dhara'. I also remember his cute face when he would be given a teaspoon of Honey and ginger mixed together. As he grew up around me, I noticed that he was growing up faster than kids around him, with a sharper level of intelligence. He'd spoken his first words by his 10th month, started walking within the same time. He could greet people by his first birthday, and could recite the alphabet by the time he was two!
So, was he born with an extra set of intelligent organs? No, we are all born with the same kind of body compositions and the way were are brought up in our formative years decide how and what we shall grow to be. Its absolutely important that we take into our daily habits, atleast some part of the good values that our forefathers have set for us. So, have a little peek into the traditions at home, and you shall find a very visible, difference in your lifestyle!
With this little article, I've only given a little insight into what I've seen at my home, and how good they've been. There are many resources out there to enlighten you about the usage of ayurveda, and my little job here is to do my bit in driving you towards them! Thanks to this initiative by Dabur, I've reflected on a topic that I haven't thought about or written about in a very long period of time.
No comments:
Post a Comment