Kalari Kovilakom Ayurveda Treatment Centre
Kerala, India
Hidden away off the tourist trail near Kollangode in the Palakkad District of North Kerala, Kalari Kovilakom Ayurveda Treatment Centre is certainly a palace dedicated to the ancient Indian holistic alternative medicine system. Surrounded by tranquil plains, coconut groves and paddy fields at the foothills of the stunning Western Ghats mountain range, Kalari Kovilakom is a stunning 200-year-old Keralan castle, converted into an Ayurvedic retreat by the CGH Earth Group.
But the history and beauty of the property are not the only reasons that disciples head here to attempt to transform their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health through Ayurvedic medicine. While the four-poster beds and luxury bathrooms in your air-conned accommodation might kid you into thinking this is a Westernised, coddled version of an Ayurvedic retreat, this is Ayurveda at its most authentic. Kalari Kovilakom serves up undiluted Ayurveda in accordance with the principles of the system established more than 5,000 years ago, so it’s perfect on many levels as a great place to put your fast-paced 21st Century life on pause for a few weeks.
Here, the Ayurvedic doctors use traditional Ayurveda to treat the root cause of your ailments, not just the symptoms, to help you achieve long-term wellbeing. But when you’re not undergoing treatments or practicing yoga, you can chill in your elegantly appointed room, amble around the peaceful gardens or explore the stunning natural beauty of the surrounding area.
Kalari Kovilakom Palace is all that remains of what was the ancient Vengunad kingdom and was built more than two centuries ago by Rani Dhatri Thampuratti, the then Queen of Vengunad. The CGH Earth Group has been careful to retain the palace’s historic nature, converting it into a modern-day haven of traditional Ayurvedic healing, while priding themselves on their staff’s professionalism, kindness and attention to detail.
There’s also a 19th Century temple within the palace grounds dedicated to the Hindu deity Ayyappan, and every January, the Kollengode Arattu festival sees a procession of elephants brought into the palace grounds where they are fed, watered and decorated with ornate headdresses, before an offering is placed at the temple shrine. The elephants then parade through the town and after midnight, the procession ends where it begun, at the palace shrine.
Ayurveda Treatment Centre
Your Ayurvedic journey begins with a comprehensive consultation with one of the retreat’s vaidyas, aka Ayurvedic doctors, before a bespoke programme is prescribed to help you achieve your particular wellness goals. Your programme will always include a personalised Ayurvedic diet, as well as daily yoga, meditation and massages in one of the retreat’s 12 light and airy treatment rooms.
A stay at this health retreat is no leisurely walk in the park, however – your schedule is packed from the minute you open your eyes. Your daily wake up call is at 5.30am, ready for an hour of yoga before breakfast at 7am, then your multiple treatments for the day begin. Supper is at 6.30pm and bedtime is at 8.30pm
Taking place across the clinic’s 12 treatment rooms, there are a range of different treatment paths to opt for, though it’s worth noting that the minimum stay at Kalari Kovilakom is two weeks to give the Ayurvedic treatments a chance to have any real effects.
One of the most hardcore treatment programmes is the Panchakarma Chikitsa complete detox, an intensive cleansing programme which includes induced vomiting, enemas and other purges.
Less hardcore is the Manashanthi Chikitsa stress management course, which includes oil-based body treatments, therapeutic sweating and lots of Ayurvedic potions to be taken.
The Sthoulyaghna Chikitsa weight management course works by increasing the metabolism, purifying the body and eliminating cellulite. Or you can ask them to craft a programme for you for a specific ailment, such as certain skin issues or musculoskeletal problems.
Depending on which therapies have been prescribed to you as part of your personal programme, you could experience Elakizhi, a traditional ayurvedic therapy where warm bundles of medicinal leaves infused herbal oils are gently massaged all over the body, during which the heat opens pores to allow the herbal properties to sink in, while rhythmic strokes improve circulation and ease stiffness. Or perhaps it might be Kadeevasthy, a treatment for the lower back where a paste made from black gram flour is moulded in a ring on your skin like a kind of doughnut around the lower spine, and medicated hot oil is poured into it to concentrate treatment to that area.
Massages include Abhyanga, an Ayurvedic massage designed to relax your senses, improve circulation and re-energise the mind, performed by two therapists using traditional ayurvedic herbal oils crafted in-house.
To Stay
Kalari Kovilakom offers 19 palace rooms, with calming decor including exposed wooden beams and Athangudi tile or red oxide floors, complete with modern amenities. The living spaces and gardens have been designed to create a nurturing and warm environment to complement the healing process.
Housed on the 1st floor the newly appointed Vengunad Premium Suite features a balcony, a foyer, a living room, one bedroom and two bathrooms.
To Eat
An Ayurvedic diet focuses on balancing your body type (dosha) with whole, fresh, seasonal foods and puts an emphasis on mindful eating. It integrates specific tastes including sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent, focusing on fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, legumes, nuts, seeds and spices with processed food a no-no. The main meal of the day is at lunchtime, with a light evening dinner to help digestion.
Here, produce is harvested from the Palace’s own organic gardens within the grounds, and you can look forward to a plant-based Sattvic ayurvedic diet, featuring a tempting array of nutrient-rich dals, curries, spiced vegetables and kitchari, a nourishing porridge of mung beans, rice and spices.
Location
Coimbatore International Airport – 80 km (2 hours drive)
Cochin International Airport – 102 km (2 hours 20 mins drive)