SYNOPSIS

HEALTHCARE AYURVEDIC
SPA INTERIOR

Submitted by

SURYA PRAKASH R’JANGIR

ENR.NO: 4293

On
23/03/2022

To Bro. Stany
Mittathanickal
St. Francis Institute of Art & Design
Borivali (W), Mumbai
MEANING:

Recognizing the need to cater to the physical and mental needs of the middle-class, large
corporations have explored different services and products. Increasingly, the
developments of services and products that focus on holistic lifestyle and holistic
medicine have caught the imagination of big and small corporations – as well as that of
the middle class, who become ready consumers. Aggressive marketing for ‘wellness and
spa culture’ under the banner of ayurveda is an indicator of ‘new age desire’. The
commodifi cation of ayurveda started in India when the large ayurvedic drug
manufacturers started to link commercially- prepared ayurveda to Indian civilization, and
as a symbol of it, with a revivalist inspiration (Nichter, 1996, p. 292). Today, ayurveda
has largely become a middle class urban phenom- enon and has turned into fast moving
consumer goods (Bode, 2008) that are offered as remedies for the urban middle class
diseases of affl uence, suchas obesity, stress, impotence, etc., as well as to enhance
body–beauty–health conscious-ness.

Ayurvedic service providers broadcast advertisements over various media repeatedly

and portray a new image of wellness and the healthy life their clients enjoy. They offer a
broad spectrum of choice, and packages include physical exercise, tutorials about healthy
life, yoga sessions, various ayurvedic oil and massage therapies, dietary regulations, etc.
Such adver-tisements for spas and wellness centres ‘frequently portray images of slim,
bronzed and fi t people enjoying an active and outgoing social life’ (Laws, 1996, p. 202).

The branding of ayurveda as a market strategy for the health consumer has become an
important factor in the creation of‘NewAge orientalist desire’. UsingVedicVillage asa
case, thispaper showshownew age orientalism hasbeen spread in modern India to middle
class professionals, entrepreneurs and overseas health tourists. With this representa- tion,
ayurveda hasbecome awellnesstherapyinsteadofameanstorestorehealth,andaffluent
peoplecannowbuy a package of ‘ayurvedic healthy life’ without changing their lifestyles.
In addition to Euro–American health tourists, emerging middle classprofessionals and
entrepreneurs inmodernIndia have alsobecome anintegral partoftheprocess of‘newage
orientalization’.Thispaperconcludesthatthecommodifiedversionofayurveda, whichhas
beendevel- opedintheWestaspart of‘wellness andspaculture’, hasbecome popular among
theaffluent middle classinIndia andabroadtoday, andthroughthistheWesthasclaimed and
justifiesauthorityoverEastern medicine.

Various advertise-ments for dietary routines and physical exercises proclaim how
individuals can infl uence and control their physical and mental images (Laws, 1996).
Many advertisements and web pages for such health tourist resorts use Western actors
and actresses and show Westerners enjoying healthy lives, thanks to Indian medical
systems.This paper examines the development of the notion of ayurvedic holistic lifestyle
services and products in response to modern demands. A case study of the Vedic Village
will enable us to understand how the indigenous ayurvedic health system has been
commodifi ed to cater to both local and global consumers.

A traditional synchronized full body massage given by two experienced

Ayurveda therapists using Sesame oil; also known as the “four-
handedmassage.” Abhyanga improves physical consistency, helps to liquefy
toxins and induces relaxation, whilst normalizing blood pressure and
eliminating impurities.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This research is based on qualitative study. The objective is to explore the nature and trend
of the commodifi cation of ayurveda. Promoting ayurveda as a market strategy turns out to
be a form of ‘New Age orientalism’, with ayurveda playing a part in new consumption
behaviour. The rapid growth of ‘wellness and spa culture’ for rejuvenation is the key break
here.

The field work was conducted in the Vedic Village, a recently-built ayurvedic tourist resort
and spa which middle class and wealthy patients and clients visit. It has been developed by
a pri-vate commercial enterprise based in Kolkata, the Sanjeevani Group. It is located in
Rajarhat, a rural area approximately 40 minutes drive from Kolkata city centre and only 20
minutes drive (around 15 kilometres) from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International
Airport. The major reason for choosing Kolkata is my language advantage. It is a city
habited predominantly by the Bangla-speaking ethno-linguistic group to which I
belomodern culture and cater to upper-middle-class lifestyle requirements. Currently,
there are 40 ng. The well-appointed villas and rooms present an environment of character
and well-equipped villas available for health tourists to stay in. However, the target is to
build approxi-mately 500 houses inside the village compound and sell them as vacation
houses to outsiders of the upper middle classes who aspire to such a lifestyle.

The cost range is approximately INR 3,000,000–4,000,000 (US$ 75,000–100,000),

depending on interior decoration and facilities.

Many owners of these houses stay in the Village for a period of time each year; at other
periods the Sanjeevani Group manages the villas and fi lls them with tourists. As in many
resorts with privately-owned housing units, this system guarantees a source of income for
the owner, depending on the occupancy rate. The total village complex occupies 120 acre
of land and is surrounded by lakes and ponds.

During fieldwork, there were five professionally trained ayurvedic and alternative
physicians working in the Vedic Village spa resort, including two ayurvedacharya with
Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degrees and three holistic doctors
holding Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) degrees. One of the
holistic doctors had professional training in Naturopathy, while the others had expertise in
acupuncture in addition to their BHMS degrees. Apart from these trained physicians, there
was a professionally trained Yoga master and dozens of ayurvedic therapists working in the
Vedic Village wellness centre and health spa to provide Yoga session and ayurvedic
massage therapy. The largest number of service providers were ayurvedic-trained
therapists, who held diploma degrees in ayurvedic therapy – most of them were from
Southern India, particularly Kerala state.

The Vedic Village today offers three types of alternative therapies: ayurvedic therapies, spa
massages, and wellness therapeutics. All these include different massages of various
duration and price. Many health tourists are attracted because of the therapeutic services
that Vedic Village offers in a tranquil environment.

The fieldwork was completed in two phases, during August–September 2004 and
JulySeptember 2005. The major data collection techniques for primary data gathering
employed in this research consisted of individual interviews with semi-structured
questionnaire2, and participant observation. Statistics from the Vedic Village client register
book were also collected.

In my fieldwork I interviewed two ayurvedacharya (ayurvedic physician) and fi

veayurvedictrained therapists. Ayurvedic-trained therapists were selected randomly. Three
of them were male and two female. The same questionnaire was used to interview each
therapist.Each interview took around 30 minutes.Two ayurvedic practitioners working in the
Vedic Village are husband–wife and interviewed individually with the same questionnaire
used for interviewing ayurvedic therapists. Interviews with ayurvedic practitioners took
longer than therapists, approximately 45 minutes for each interview. All the interviews were
recorded through voice recorder and prior verbal consent was taken before recording
interviews. Apart from this a total of 15 clients at the Vedic Village were interviewed with a
different set of questions. Eight of the clients were female and seven male. Clients were
selected randomly. Each interview took approximately 30–40 minutes depending on the
individual client. Two Indian clients had monthly incomes of INR 30,000; another four had
incomes of INR 50,000; three more earned INR 100,000; and another, INR 20,000. Of
overseas clients, two had monthly incomes of INR 45,000 (US$ 1000); one, INR 44,000 (US$
965); one, INR 81,000 (US$ 1775); and one, INR 100,000. Two of theoverseas clients had
University-level educations, one had post-graduate education, and two were then post-
graduate students. Among the Indians, seven had bachelor’s degrees, two had Master’s
degrees, and one had higher secondary education. In the Indian context, such Indian clients
are considered as belonging to the upper-middle class. Out of the fi ve interviewed clients
from abroad, two were from the USA, one from the UK, one from the United Arab Emirates,
and one from Spain.

AYURVEDA AND ITS CENTRAL CONCEPTS

Ayurveda is the systematisation of the Vedic medical knowledge and healing practices that
were present during the Vedic era. The word ayurveda consists of two Sanskrit terms: ‘veda’
means ‘knowledge’ or ‘science’, while ‘ayu’, means ‘life’ or ‘duration of life’. Ayurveda thus
refers to the knowledge of life or the science of life. Ayurveda defi nes ayu, or life, as a
combination and coordination of four parts: atta (the soul), mona (the mind), indrio (the
senses) and sharer (the body) (Joshi, 1997). Each of these parts has a specifi c function in
maintaining the balance of the body (Joshi, 1997, p. 15).
Whenever there is a disconnection among these four elements an immediate physical,
mental or spiritual imbalance arises.

The two most famous classical ayurvedic epics, the Caraka Samhita and the Susruta Samhita,
were written in Sanskrit and are part of the Brahmanic tradition. According to ayurvedic
thought, the human being is a creation of panchamabhuta (fi ve cosmic elements: space, air,
fi re, water and earth) and atta (soul; Susruta, sutro sthnas, chapter 1, paragraph 18)3.
Another powerful conceptual tool in ayurveda is that of the three dosha (humours). The fi
ve elements of panchamabhuta have different impacts on dosha because of their changing
natures according to time and season (Joshi, 1997, pp. 8–9). According to the Caraka
Samhita, ‘all the physiological diseases are originated and caused by the alteration
of(bayupitto-koph (air, bile and phlegm) or the functional capacity of dosha’ (Caraka, sutro
sthna, chapter 1). As a result, if the equilibrium of the dosha is maintained, disease cannot
occur in the body. It is mentioned in the Susruta Samhita that ayurveda has two purposes: fi
rstly, to cure patients; and secondly, to maintain the health of healthy persons.
The text also recognizes that the body and the mind are the two comple-mentary
constituents of a living being and the sources of disease: some diseases emerge from the
body, others from the mind, and a few are both from the body and mind (Susruta, sutro
sthna, chapter 1, paragraph 20).

AYURVEDA AND ORIENTALIST PLAY

Edward Said argued that orientalism is a mir-ror for looking at the Orient and/or to enter
oriental society’ for Occidentals. Said per-ceived orientalism as an ideological category
rather than a geographical one; for him, orientalism expresses a ‘mode of discourse with
supporting institutions, vocabulary, scholarship, imagery, doctrines, even colonial
bureaucracies and colonial styles’ (Said, 1987, p. 2). Under the shadow of orientalism, the
West not only dominated the Orient but also restructured and claimed authority over the
Orient. The relationship between Occident and Orient is one of power domination and
complex hegemony. (Said, 1987, pp. 2–3).

India was constructed by the orientalist ‘as the domain of spirituality’, although ‘inferior to
the real sacrament, Christianity’ (Prashad, 2000, p. 42). It was also the favorite ‘Object of
Western fantasy’ and of the ‘German Romantics’, who considered India to be an abode of
Spirit (Lopez, 1998, p. 6). One of the popular manifestations of such European romance
about India is the attempt to fi nd the answer to occidentals’ own perceived lacks ‘through a
process of projection’ (Lopez, 1998). However, the situation became reversed as European
colonial interest accelerated, and ‘Indian colonial rule was justifi ed by the argument that
the British were an enlight-ened and rational race of rulers who had to lead and develop the
Indian people, steeped as they were in ancient prejudices’ (Veer, 1998, p. 483).

The orientalist ‘play of opposites’, as noted by Lopez (1998), has been found throughout the
history of Europe’s relation to India. This opposition, as concerns ayurveda, has shifted
several times during the colonial and postcolonial eras. During the early phase of the East
India Company regime, many company offi cials consulted ayurvedic practitioners, in
addition to European doctors, who also served as con-sultants to members of the Indian
elite (Jeffery, 1988, pp. 50–51). At the same time, the Court of Directors in London
encouraged its employ-ees to investigate the value of local Indian ayurvedic medicine and
medical texts (Jeffery, 1988, p. 51). Later, colonial expansion and Western medical
intervention during the nineteenth century did not simply determine the rise of allopathic
medicine or an ideology of imperial control. Rather, they showed how each ‘played off the
other within the unfolding of a particular historical process’ (Comaroff & Comaroff, 1992, p.
216). As it was uneconomical to import med-ical professionals trained in Western medicine
from Europe to provide health care in India, the colonial administration founded the School
of Native Doctors in Kolkata in 1822, where lec-tures were given on modern (allopathic)
medical subjects side by side with ayurveda (Jaggi, 1979). This illustrates a sympathetic
attitude and tolerance of the colonial administration to a synthesis of ayurveda and Western
medicine in India.

This situation however, was reversed after the foundation of Calcutta Medical College in
1835, by which time colonial rule was already rooted strongly in Indian soil. This was a
pioneer Western medical educational institution in India. Several other colleges and schools
were opened for teaching Western allopathic medicine by the second half of the nineteenth
century (Jaggi, 1979, p. 11). Thus, nineteenth century Western medical intervention and the
colonizing project were inseparable in many senses, and the interrelation between them
was dialectical. Although the imperial establishment and biomedical intervention did not
engage in the same reciprocal relationship in some parts of the European colonial regime,
there was a clear ‘elective affi nity’ (Comaroff & Comaroff, 1992) p. 232). Bythe second half
of the nineteenth century, however, ayurveda was clearly opposed by Western medical
practice in India. The pre-dominant Hindu community was depicted as superstitious and
sometimes religiously extrem-ist. As ayurveda was inseparable from the Hindu community
in India it was thus stigmatised as a form of religious healing. Ayurvedic education was then
shifted to Sanskrit colleges, and practi-tioners trained in ayurveda were not allowed to
practice as registered medical practitioners. . START-224

Western medical intervention in India was a ‘colonizing process’ which ‘illustrate[d] the
more general nature of colonial power and knowledge and [illuminated] its hegemonic as
well as its coercive processes’ (Arnold, 1993, p. 8). Colonialism was not a one-way project in
which colonizers imposed their mission upon colonized; nor was it a two-sided affair in
which the colonized had some infl uences on the way the colonizers acted. Rather, it was a
‘complex business’, and the colonizing mission underwent a continuous reconstructing
process, which Comaroff and Comaroff (1992, pp. 232–293) called ‘the colonization of
consciousness and the consciousness of colonization’.

Such complex business of colonial hegemony or coercion contributed another phase of

orien-talist play about ayurveda: at the beginning of the twentieth century ayurvedic
education was separated from the Sanskrit colleges and many independent new ayurvedic
teaching institutions were established in various parts of British India by the emerging
Indian nationalist elite. The British administration was tolerant of this, how-ever, not
because of its fl exibility but because most of the newly-founded ayurvedic training
institutions adopted integrated educational cur-ricula, whereby some courses from the
allopathic medical sciences were taught side by side with ayurvedic courses. The notions of
integrating indigenous medical systems with mainstream bio-medicine especially in a
medical pluralist society may also conceal various forms of ‘social inequality’ and ‘cultural
divides’ (Broom, Doron, & Tovey, 2009, p. 698). There are ‘epistemo-logical tensions
between bio-medicine and com-plementary and alternative medicine (CAM)’ and the
process of integration devalues indige-nous medical knowledge because of the unequal
‘power relations’ (Hollenberg & Muzzin, 2010, pp. 35–37). The ‘paradigm appropriation and
assimilation’ process under integrated medical practice which is dominated by the bio-
medical practitioners disregards ‘CAM theoretical para-digms’, ‘devalues CAM knowledge’,
and cannot ‘holistically understand CAM paradigms’ (Hollenberg & Muzzin, 2010, p. 52). In
this sense medical integration is a new form of mar-ginalization of indigenous or
complementary or alternative medicine by biomedicine.

In India, the trend of integration could pro-long the hegemonic presence of colonial
medicine beside ayurveda; and in fact this eventually led to a gradual decline of ayurveda.
By the end of the nineteenth century ayurvedic practitio-ners had already widely recognized
that, in order to combat the increasingly widespread European medical intervention, it
would be necessary to adopt ‘certain forms of European institutional practice’ (Langford,
2002, p. 7; Leslie, 1976). It was thus not uncommon to fi nd Western medi-cine practiced by
the ayurvedic graduates in the later period of colonial rule, as a result of their integrated
education backgrounds and many modern ayurvedic graduates are able to prac-tice
medicine from an allopathic perspective and dispense allopathic drugs (Welch, 2008, p.
130).

The fi nal phase of orientalist play has emerged during the post-colonial revival era, when
India was presented in the context of a ‘generalized Orient’ but one in which the beautiful
mystery of India has been used in a variety of ways in the US (Prashad, 2000, p. 21). The
emerging rise and growth of ayurvedic ‘wellness and spa culture’ in the West (Euro–
America), and also in the East (India), in recent decades is relevant to the analysis of
‘Orientalism’. This trend can be described as ‘New Age Orientalism’, under the infl uence of
which the term ‘ayurveda’ has become a brand name in the West, where marketing strategy
targets middle class Western health consumers (Selby, 2005). Vedic Village is a
representative of such development – the objective is to recreate a simplicity of lifestyle
under the ‘Vedic’ brand. To enable individualsto experience holistic living, the Vedic Village
offer a comprehensive ayurvedic medication program under its wellness plan.

NEW AGE ORIENTALISM

New age orientalism is a recent tendency in ‘American romanticism to idealize the East and
to critique the West’ that has become a ‘source of new stereotypes of the East’ (Reddy,
2004, p. 217). Let me spell out the difference I fi nd between orientalism and new age
orientalism with reference to ayurveda. If orientalism is about ‘superiority’ (West/East or
Occident/Orient), new age orientalism is about ‘ authority’. Under nineteenth-century
European orientalism, ayurveda was presented as an Eastern healing practice with an
unscientifi c basis and practiced by apprentices called kabirajes. Such representa-tion clearly
illustrated the inferior position of ayurveda to that of Western allopathic medicine, which
was claimed to have scientifi c grounding and validity. Particularly during the later colo-nial
era, Western medicine claimed its superior-ity over Eastern medicine, and was introduced
into India as a ‘colonizing process’ that eventu-ally became a monopoly in the state health
care service. The ‘play of opposites’ under oriental-ist discourse was thus ‘disputive’, and
practi-tioners of ayurveda strongly opposed and tried to resist this monopolization of
Western medi-cine by the state. However, ‘the West’, or the colonial administration,
scarcely tried to gain authority over ayurvedic practices until the early twentieth century.

New age orientalism, in contrast, is about ‘authority’, where the ‘play of opposites’ is
complementary rather than disputative. Ayurveda has been regarded as alternative
medicine, holistic medicine, indigenous medicine, complemen-tary medicine, etc., and
dissimilar to Western medicine. All these idioms have ensured that the ‘authority’ of the
Western medical system over the Eastern medical systems is in place but is not in dispute.
However, both orientalism and new age orientalism symbolize the romanticizing of the East
by the West.
There are various distinctive features of new age orientalism in reference to ayurveda.
Firstly, new age orientalism emerged as part of the New Age Movement to cater the need of
the urban middle class in the West, and has gradually shifted to the East and became
popular among emerging middle class entrepreneurs – those having disposable income.
Vedic Village is an example of this, as both affl uent Indian entre-preneurs and overseas
health tourists head there to fi nd relaxation and rejuvenation and to revit-alise body–mind–
sprit. As one health worker commented,
Two kinds of peoples generally visit Vedic Village health spa. A large group of peoples come
for relaxation and rejuvenation. They are very much concerned about cost of ther-apy,
duration of therapeutic session and satis-faction. This group of clients are particularly
demanding about their satisfaction during we provide therapies. They also contributed a
large share of our income. However, a minor-ity group of clients also come for truly medi-cal
reason. They are reluctant about the cost of treatment or time but desperate to get a cure
from ayurvedic or alternative treat-ment which they did not get from allopathic treatment

Over the last few decades, the New Age Movement has emerged from a crisis of modernity,
which has created a new desire for healthy life among some modern people who have come
to perceive modernity as, indeed, in crisis. Such people are dissatisfi ed with modernity and
have lost faith in the certain-ties of capitalism. The New Age Movement has offered an
alternative way to look at life, particularly for middle- or upper-class people in capitalist
society whose lives are not work-ing well (Heelas, 1996, p. 138). Capitalism has signifi cantly
damaged the social concern of individuals for their fellows, and some have started to search
for spiritual forces to rescue themselves from the ‘slough of despondence and sensuality in
which civilization seems to be perishing’ (Prashad, 2000, p. 45). Spiritualism from the East
has thus become an alternative and lucrative choice for this group of people to rescue
themselves from alienation (Prashad, 2000, p. 45). In the health fi eld, such people criticise
the mainstream capitalist medical establishment, and especially allopathic domi-nance in
health care. They are especially dis-satisfi ed with the isolation of Western medical practice
from the decision-making process, so that they attempt to dip into ‘spirituality’ in
alternative healing (Heelas, 1996, p. 141). One foreign health tourist recalled her experience
at Vedic Village. Marita,4 from the USA, vis-ited Vedic Village for her broken bone. She
subscribed to an ayurvedic package treatment. Marita commented:

In 2004, my foot was crushed, with a bro-ken bone. During the treatment in the US, I was
informed that the nerve of my leg was damaged. It is called complex regional pain
syndrome. I took physical therapy for seven months but it did not really work well. Finally I
switched to surgery. After the surgery my leg became very painful and turned a blue colour.
I was fascinated about Asia and clas-sical ancient cultures of Asia and medicines. There are
many sensitivity centres or energy activity centres in NY called Shakra. Before I came here, I
did research on the internet and knew about ayurveda. But lots of things here depend on
faith, because I am delivering my body to the therapist. I know about the Vedic Village from
my friend who suggested me to come here. Her health improved tremendously after the
treatment she received here. I feel very good after taking this ayurvedic treatment. I
improved so much. My digestion and walking also improved a lot. I have good times and bad
times. I had headache, indigestion problems, but overall I feel better. I came in India for
ayurvedic therapy only because I can’t afford the ayurvedic therapy in New York. I can also
get the relevant food related to my therapy which I can’t get in NY

Secondly, commodifi cation and commer-cialization of the East for the Western con-sumer,
and recently for the Eastern consumer, is a popular feature of new age orientalism.
‘Wellness and spa culture’, which is a relatively new phenomenon in modern Indian society,
is a good example of how ‘Eastern remedies’ are commodifi ed for consumers in India and
overseas. This ‘culture’ involves the emergence of health tourist resorts, which provide
alterna-tive medical and health services, in India and elsewhere. For the months of January,
April and July of 2005, 73% of the clients visited Vedic Village for ayurvedic therapy, 17%
went for massages and relaxation services, and only 10% of the total number of clients
consulted an ayurvedic physician5. The primary aim in visiting the Vedic Village is for
relaxation and stress reduction. The Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) under the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recognized the potential of ayurvedic tourism in the
National Policy on Indian Systems of Medicine & Homoeopathy – 2002, which stated that
‘facilities for pancha-karma and yoga would be encouraged to be offered in hotels. Indian
System of Medicine parks would be developed in collaboration with state tourism
authorities’ (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, 2002, article,
16.17). This growing interest in indigenous medicine has inspired Indian indig-enous drug
manufacturers, ‘who see in this a massive export potential’ (Banerjee, 2000). A massive
growth of ayurvedic resorts, spas and vacation housing under private initiative is also a
signifi cant trend. Many resorts are located at beaches and carry out aggressive market-ing
campaigns to attract international health tourists. Most visitors coming for alternative
healing take part in wellness and spa activities, favouring ayurveda for rejuvenation
purposes. Most are Indians from the upper middle class, tourists from Western countries, or
wealthy and affl uent Indians living overseas. Many of the wellness packages are targeted at
profes-sional middle and upper class clients who have suffi cient disposable income to
engage in such consumption.

Statistics from the month of January, April and July 2005 show that about 90% of the total
income of the Vedic Village wellness centre is generated from ayurvedic therapies, 6% of the
income from massages, and only 4% of the income fromdoctor’s consultations6. This is a
clear indication that ayurveda isclosely associated with ‘relaxation therapy’ and less with
medicaltreatment options. Thus the response for well-ness services hasbeen overwhelming.
There has been a consciousness in the number of people, both local and overseas visitors,
visiting and using the various wellness facilities in the Vedic Village.

One local visitor described his experience in the Vedic Village thus:

I don’t have any idea about ayurvedic treat-ment. I joined the program for my weight loss
after seeing the advertisement where they advocated that the therapy they are provid-ing
is ayurvedic. I have never experienced any ayurvedic treatment. I still don’t know much
about ayurveda and even I don’t know any-thing outside my celluloid weight loss therapy.
Before visiting Vedic Village, I took some Kerala massage to reduce pain. They told me to
take some health package but I couldn’t take it due to my business. So I only can give time
for 1 hour on Sunday and even sometimes I can’t come on Sunday because of emergency. I
saw the advertisements of the Vedic Village and its activities in newspapers and on
television and fi nally decided to come here.

The third popular feature of new age orien-talism is the increased feminization and
naturalization of ayurveda. Classical ayurvedic texts mention ayurvedic treatments as
contributing to the health of kings and court leaders, soldiers, and male members of upper
castes (Dunn, 1976). The representation of ‘female’, as depicted in the ayurvedic discourse
of the early medieval period, was a gendered one, and ‘women were margin-alized, if not
altogether excluded’ (Shah, 2006, p. 45). Women’s sexuality in the ayurvedic texts
reproductive health discussed in classical ayurvedic texts has been replaced by the ‘beauty
paradigm’, and natural beauty, which can be achieved through using ayurvedic products
and services, has become an important part of Indian femininity.

However, proponents of the Euro-American New Age have transformed early ayurvedic
ideas about women’s health into an essential segment of the modern wellness industry, and
medicine is transformed into wellness (Selby, 2005, p. 120). The beauty of women has
become a prime consumer target for the recent development of wellness and spa culture,
and middle class profes-sionals are the clients buying alternative health service packages
provided by the wellness cen-tres. Beauty has become an exclusive ayurvedic commodity,
particularly for middle class elite women, who spend a large amount of their incomes for
body–beauty care – and in Vedic village, there were more female than male cli-ents. From
January, April and July 2005 statis-tics, it is shown that a total of 321 female clients visited
Vedic village wellness center, while the number of male clients was 2487. Most of thefemale
clients received therapy for back pain or weight loss, or got facial massages. Their main
concern was to undergo ‘natural’ treatment with minimum side-effects. Many who visit the
Vedic Village went as couples, but sometimes women visited on their own or with other
women.

Today, a trend of wealthy women routinely visiting health tourist destinations and spas, and
indulging in massages and natural herbal health services, is emerging in India. This increase
in women’s visits has also affected the consump-tion of ayurvedic products and services for
wellness and beauty purposes. Ayurveda was traditionally male dominated in terms of its
mythological origin and historical develop-ment. Increasing female involvement refl ects a
growth of Ayurevedic products and services in recent years providing a clear indication of
feminization bought about by corporations such as Vedic Village. As noted earlier the
develop-ment of the ayurvedic wellness and spa indus-try in India promotes ayurvedic
products and services as an integral part of the process of the new age orientalization where
ayurveda has been presented as wellness therapy for rejuvena-tion or beauty instead of a
complete way of life to restore health. Under this effort, the impor-tance of women’s
reproductive health discussed in classical ayurvedic texts has been replaced by the ‘beauty
paradigm’, and natural beauty, which can be achieved through using ayurvedic products and
services, has become an important part of Indian femininity.

Questioning enlightenment values of the West and celebrating the East are other popular
characteristics of new age orientalism (Reddy, 2004). If the Enlightenment values of the
West were promoted by the discourse of modernity, new age orientalist values are inspired
by a post-modern discourse. Under these new values, the orientalist discourse of ayurveda
has been ‘deconstructed’ and is no longer in dispute with conventional Western medicine.

The ‘Vedic’ daily routine promoted by the Vedic Village is an example of how the Vedic idea
of dinacharya (daily regimen), which is prescribed in the ayurvedic text Ashtangahridaya,
written by Maharshi Bagbhat, has been celebrated as the glory of Eastern ayurvedic
medicine. The text prescribes vari-ous rules and regulations leading to a healthy life, on a
daily basis. However, the dinacharya described in the text is far from the dinacharya
promoted by the Vedic Village. For example, to obtain wellness of the body–mind–sprit, the
promoted by the Vedic Village. For example, to obtain wellness of the body–mind–sprit, the
ayurvedic routine in the Vedic Village includes the process of cleansing/purifi cation,
correction, dietary change, and behavioral motiva-tion. In the text are regulations pertaining
to physical motivation, purifi cation and postures for sleeping and waking hours; and for
personal hygiene, physical exercise, and dietary intake. However, it also prescribes
acceptable behaviour and moral and social values that individuals should uphold
(Ashtangahridaya, sutra sthna, chapter 2). Many of these values are closely related to the
Hindu/Buddhist teachings of morality.

In the Vedic Village, the dinacharya regi-men consists of several sessions, starting with the
Brahma muhurta. A photo of the Hindu god hangs on the wall of a small therapeutic room in
the Vedic Village, in front of which clients pray. After the prayer, vaktra shuddhi, or oral
hygiene, begins – a neem twig is crushed at one end and used as a toothbrush, with herbal
tooth pow-der, the entire process being called dantadhavana. Afterwards, clients take a
sunrise walk and assem-ble at the Yoga Hall for a Yoga session. Although Yoga is a different
medical practice having its own principles and philosophy, because of its recent popularity
among the middle class, Yoga has been incorporated and promoted under the ayurvedic
dinacharya program – although there is no mention of Yoga in the dinacharya (daily
regimen) described in the Ashtangahridaya text. This is followed by abhyangam shirodhara,
a traditional oil massage therapy from the Indian state of Kerala is given. It should be noted
here that the ayurvedic text Ashtangahridaya suggests to massage oil on the body gently at
least once a day, or every second day (Ashtangahridaya, sutra sthna, chapter 2, paragraph
8– 9). However, the Vedic Village dinacharya program presents such practice as oil massages
therapy in a manner that hinders an understanding of the true meaning ofayurvedic oil
massage8. The entire Dinacharya package offered by the Vedic Village symbolizes how
ayurveda has been contaminated as a result of its new age orientalist celebration.

Last but not least, new age orientalism is rooted in the process of the presentation of
ayurveda as holistic healing and consumption of spirituality. While European orientalism has
presented the East as uncivilized, barbaric or savage, American orien-talism perceived the
East as a domain of spiritu-ality (Reddy, 2004). Modern spiritualism, which originated in the
eighteenth century in an orien-talist-romanticist fashion, has become a ‘wellbeing’ culture
today. In this new culture people consume spirituality as part of an extension of capitalism
(Heelas, 2008). Ideologically the concept of well-ness requires a lifestyle change, which
combines physical activity with relaxation of the mind and intellectual stimulus – basically a
kind of fi tness of body, mind, and spirit (Schobersberger, Greie, & Humpeler, 2004, pp.
199– 200). There are two major aspects of this concept of wellness, the phys-ical aspect and
the spiritual aspect. The physical aspect emphasizes exercise or fi tness, dietary prac-tice,
and behavioural motivation – what is called ‘lifestyle change’, or rectifi cation (shonsodhon)
in ayurveda. The spiritual element of wellness consists of purifi cation and revitalization of
mind and soul.

The key Vedic Village practices in its wellness program are based on the Susruta Samhita
chapters on ritucharya (seasonal practices). According to the text there are six seasons
(ritu): winter, spring, summer, rainy, autumn and dewy. The six seasons each bring different
natural and envi-ronmental conditions, which influence the func-tioning of the human body,
mind and humor (bayu-pitto-koph – air, bile and phlegm; Susruta, sutro sthna, chapter 6).

As a result, the human body experiences different conditions and develops various adaptive
mechanisms to main-tain its balance with the natural environment. Vedic Village provides
lessons on ritucharya (sea-sonal practices) for their clients, which primarily demand a
lifestyle change. For example, the text outlines that, during rainy, autumn and dewy
seasons, the moon (which is considered a god) becomes stronger. During these seasons,
salt, food, and honey are produced in abundance and all living species become stronger. On
the other hand, during winter, spring and summer, the sun (also a god) becomes stronger,
bitter humors in nature increase and all living species become weaker. Living species have to
take necessary action in order to adapt to the different environ-mental conditions.
However, out of 15 clients interviewed, 11 engaged in ayurvedic thera-pies for relaxation
and rejuvenation, and were not aware of how seasonal practices affect their state of health.
None of them were living per-manently on the village campus which is full of duplex villas
with all modern amenities to cater to the modern upper middle class lifestyle. Vedic texts
have thus been romanticised, and particular concepts have been manipulated to cater to
the needs of New Age health desire.
.
Another development is that ayurveda has been promoted as holistic healing and equated
with many other massage therapies without any distinction. For example, the Sanjeeva Spa
treat-ment, the Kerala Ayurvedic Therapy, the One-hour Wellness Therapy, and a one-day
Sanjeeva healing package called the Sanjeeva Glow one-day package are all offered under
‘holistic heal-ing’, and clients often misunderstand all these services as ayurvedic.
Furthermore, three out of the fi ve practitioners working at Vedic Village hold the title of
‘holistic doctor’, although they graduated in BHMS (Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine
and Surgery) and hold that degree.

With clever marketing in media, the Vedic Village has begun to gain a reputation both at
home and overseas as a reputed ayurvedic well-ness provider, which provides holistic
therapeutic treatments in a safe natural environment. Such a reputation has led to a steady
stream of foreign visitors to the Vedic Village for alterna-tive treatments and lifestyle
experiences. As the fi ndings have shown, local visitors to the Vedic Village are mostly Indian
middle class profes-sionals or wealthy business persons who come for relaxation therapy.
Their main objective isto rejuvenate themselves and/or to relieve stress. The majority of the
Indian visitors do not con-sider Vedic Village as a place for ayurvedic med-ical treatment but
one for massage therapy spa treatments for rejuvenation and removing stress.

CONCLUSION

This paper has shown that ‘ayurvedic wellness and spa culture’ has become popular in recent
decades, for several reasons. Firstly, ‘ayurvedic wellness and spa culture’ has become popular in the
West to cater to middle-class consumers in search of treatments for health rejuvenation and
relaxation. As part of the New Age Movement in the West, a commodifi ed version of ayurveda has
been popularized as an alternative remedy to sat-isfy middle class health consumers. As a result of
globalization, this has also attracted middle class professionals and entrepreneurs in India who do
not consider ayurveda as their primary mode of treatment. For entrepreneurs, the ayurvedic health
tourism and wellness industry is a way to make money. Likewise, for the Indian govern-ment, the
creation of health and wellness tour-ism brings much-needed foreign currency into the Indian
economy. Such a practice of com-mercialized ayurveda symbolizes the self-aggran-dizement of the
new age orientalist desire. Vedic Village, as representative of this development, makes use of two
aspects of ayurveda: ‘ayurveda’ an alternative healing for rejuvenation, and as an attractive New Age
health product.

Secondly, the ayurvedic texts Susruta Samhita and Ashtangahridaya contain chapters on dinacharya
(daily regimen) and ritucharya (seasonal practices), etc., which Vedic Village is promoting
problematically in their own commercialized versions. Although a large number of consumers today
consume ayurveda as wellness therapy, rejuvenation therapy, health products and dietary
supplements, quite a few of them look for ayurvedic treat-ment as their primary mode of healing
(Banerjee, 2000). Thus the content of ayurveda has become a matter of consumer products.
Consumerism is thus already rooted in the ‘ayurvedic wellness and spa culture’, and ayurveda takes
the form of a commodity rather than as a means of restoring health. This commodifi ed version of
ayurvedahat has, so far, been developed in the West under ‘wellness and spa culture’ has become
popu-lar among the affl uent middle-class in India and abroad today, and through it the West
continues to claim, and to justify, its authority over Eastern medicine. This is a process that has
developed as much as the process of professionalization of ayurveda did at the beginning of the
twentieth century, under colonial rule.
The post-colonial state then restructured traditions instead of reviv-ing traditional ayurvedic
education, training and apprenticeship. At the dawn of the twenty-fi rst Century, ayurvedic
‘wellness and spa culture’ has created a new identity for ayurveda, and ayurveda has been
regarded as wellness therapy. Affl uent Indians now begin to know of ayurveda not as their
ancient medical system, but as relaxation and rejuvenation therapy. An Indian female
visitor recalled her experience in the Vedic Village. Aporna Shen9, a 36-year-old Indian
attorney, vis-ited Vedic Village for a facial massage. She went there with her police-offi cer
husband, although her husband did not take any massage therapy. Aporna commented
that:

I don’t know too much about the Vedic way of life or the way Vedic Village is functioning.
Our new generation really does not know that much about this. I would consider the
medication I am taking as a therapy. It is absolutely great for reducing stress. I am taking this
therapy to relax myself. I am a lawyer and my job is full of ten-sions and meeting different
deadlines. In addi-tion, I have a two-year-old son who also keeps me busy. Vedic village is an
ideal place for relax-ation and to get away from city life. The Vedic village complex is
absolutely beautiful. There are also spa treatments available in Kolkata but this is really
exceptional.

Abstract
Ayurveda is a science of life with a holistic approach to health and personalized
medicine. It is one of the oldest medical systems, which comprises thousands
of medical concepts and hypothesis. Interestingly, Ayurveda has ability to treat
many chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and asthma, which
are untreatable in modern medicine. Unfortunately, due to lack of scientific
validation in various concepts, this precious gift from our ancestors is trailing.
Hence, evidence-based research is highly needed for global recognition and
acceptance of Ayurveda, which needs further advancements in the research
methodology. The present review highlights various fields of research including
literary, fundamental, drug, pharmaceutical, and clinical research in Ayurveda.
The review further focuses to improve the research methodology for Ayurveda
with main emphasis on the fundamental research. This attempt will certainly
encourage young researchers to work on various areas of research for the
development and promotion of Ayurveda.

Keywords: Ayurvedic research and methodology, personalized medicine,

Rasayana, traditional medicine
Introduction
Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicinal system remains the most ancient
yet living traditions with sound philosophical and experimental basis. It is a
science of life with a holistic approach to health and personalized medicine. It
is known to be a complete medical system that comprised physical,
psychological, philosophical, ethical, and spiritual health.[1] In Ayurveda, each
cell is considered to be inherently an essential expression of pure intelligence
hence called self-healing science.[2] In addition, to the self-healing concept,
the use of herbal treatment is equally important in this Indian traditional
system of medicine.

According to the World Health Organization, about 70–80% of the world

populations rely on nonconventional medicines mainly of herbal sources in
their healthcare.[3] Public interest for the treatment with complementary and
alternative medicine is mainly due to increased side effects in synthetic drugs,
lack of curative treatment for several chronic diseases, high cost of new drugs,
microbial resistance, and emerging diseases, etc.[4]

Ayurvedic treatment is although highly effective; proper mode of action,

pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacovigilance of many important
Ayurvedic drugs are still not fully explored. Moreover, the comprehensive
knowledge of the basic ideologies of Ayurveda is poorly acceptable
scientifically due to lack of evidence. In the modern time, when the Western
medicinal system is reached almost at the top because of validated research
and advanced techniques, there is an urgent need to validate basic principles
as well as drugs used in the ayurvedic system of medicine with the help of
advanced research methodology. Therefore, advancements in the ongoing
research methodology are highly required for the promotion of Ayurveda.

Why Ayurvedic System of Medicine Lagging Behind?

Undoubtedly, in comparison to allopathic treatment, Ayurvedic treatment is
more effective in most of the chronic diseases. However, the popularity of
Ayurveda is rather lesser as the majority of the global population prefers
modern medicine because of its ability to give fast relief from diseases as
compared to Ayurvedic treatment. Recently, the awareness and thus fear of
toxicity to allopathic drugs and the high cost of healthcare are causing an
increasingly large number of people to seek alternatives. Rather than
competing and veering towards the Western medicine, the Ayurvedic scientists
should work to enhance the core competency of Ayurveda without
compromising its fundamental principles.[5] Some major points which are
responsible for trailing the Ayurveda are as following.
Young Ayurvedic scholars, although enthusiastic, are not clear about their
views on the future of Ayurveda. Moreover, they are not even very clear that
how to expose their valuable research outputs on Ayurveda

Only a few organizations have well-established research infrastructure for

exclusive research in Ayurveda. Experienced researchers with knowledge of
modern technologies are required to conduct advance and quality research in
Ayurveda

There is a lack of cooperation and willingness of Biomedical Scientists who are

often unduly skeptical and carry prejudice

More than a thousand Ayurvedic postgraduates pass out each year and enter
into the streamline of academics and practice. Among them, only a few choose
their profession as researcher in Ayurveda

Neither has the Ayurvedic teaching changed in the last 50 years nor have the
textbooks enriched with new research methodologies.

These are some of the following major points those should be highly needed to
consider in the Ayurvedic research for its advancement.

Improvement in research methodology

Research methodology is a way to systematic collection, analysis, and
interpretation of data to solve a research problem. India does not need to
prove the validity of Ayurveda to its people, authorities, and own scientific
community because it is a recognized traditional medical system of the
country. There is a need of fundamental research on Ayurveda to refresh and
upgrade the tremendous knowledge diluted through time particularly during
the British rule. This kind of research will certainly upgrade the fundamental
knowledge of Ayurveda, which will be benefitted not only to Indian but also to
foreign nationals. This will assure Ayurveda to be practiced with its whole
potential and allowed to gain wide recognition. Research is a process that
converts data into information, information into knowledge, and knowledge
into wisdom. In the present scenario, Ayurvedic researches are failing in this
aspect as these are unable to disseminate the knowledge gained from the
exercises.[6]

The glorious past of the research methodology of Ayurveda is based on the

tools of examination known as Pareeksha and inspired from the philosophical
term Pramaana, which refers to the evidence.[7] These tools of the
examination include (i) the direct observation (Pratyaksha), (ii) the inference
(Anumana), and (iii) the authoritative testimonies or literature (Aptopadesha).
The modern day research also depends on these three basic tools whose
efficacy has been augmented by the utility of the scientific and technological
innovative devices. These methods of investigations have been planned to
develop the backbone of the Ayurveda system in the form basic principles
under the fundamental research. The quality researches on Ayurveda basics
with advanced scientific techniques can expand the knowledge and path of
current medical science. Predominantly, drug researches done in the field of
Ayurveda in the last six decades have not enriched the Ayurvedic
understandings or Ayurvedic concepts. However, these researches have
created a better understanding of Ayurveda by the modern medical fraternity.

Now, it is the time to define Ayurveda itself that whether the use of herbs is
Ayurveda or the use of herbs and other treatment modalities as per Ayurvedic
principles is Ayurveda. The research methodology should be planned and
adopted accordingly. At the time of deciding research methodology in
Ayurveda following things should be kept in mind.[8]
Basic differences between Ayurveda and modern science should be taken into
account when designing the research protocols

The main concern must be given to the classical approach of Ayurveda

Research protocols should be designed on the basic concepts of Ayurveda, i.e.,

Prakriti, Agni, Dhatu, Srotas, Rasayana, Shatkriyakala, Agnibala, Ojabala,
Manobala, etc.

The research work should involve experts both from Ayurveda and biomedical
specialties

The holistic and integrative approach involving body, mind, and spirit should be
considered for research

Before starting the clinical studies; a complete knowledge about diagnosis of

the disease, materials to be used, process to be adopted, and accurate dosage
form is highly needed

The approach of personalized medicine should be followed during treatment.

Research methodology in the advancement of Ayurveda varies with each

assignment or project. The major areas of research can be divided into five
major areas, namely, literary, fundamental, drug, pharmaceutical, and clinical
research. Although there is no single way to conduct research, certain methods
and skills can make research efforts more efficient and effective.

Encouragement of research on Ayurvedic fundamentals

Fundamental research needs to be done in the fields of Ayurvedic physiology,
pathology, pharmacology (fundamental and clinical), and pharmaceuticals. The
basic concept of Srotovijnana (knowledge of channels) as a main matrix of
Ayurvedic biology has been highlighted both by fundamental and applied
knowledge.[9] A living body is a system which comprised innumerable
channels designed as an inner transport system for a variety of functions. The
health and disease depend on the system of Srotas, which is prone to lose its
function by various factors including erroneous food and lifestyle. Ayurveda
developed a therapeutic technology for Samshodhana (biopurification)
familiarly known as Panchakarma therapy. Ayurveda can be better understood
through philosophy and physics rather than modern biology because the study
of the full spectrum of the Srotas can help to define the phenomenon of
relationships in structural and functional biology.[10] Moreover, the
fundamental concept of Ayurveda for a perfect health including restoration
and maintenance can also be understood through quantum theory.[11,12]

The fundamental research in Ayurveda caters demands of the society and the
medical fraternity; the modern scientific research has been initiated in
Ayurveda in the field of basic principles. The aim of basic research in Ayurveda
is to explore the scientific innovations and opportunities in fundamental
concepts of Ayurveda. The fundamental research includes replacement of faith
and suppositions with the scientific reasoning complimented with the facts and
figures. The objectives of the investigation in the fundamental research are
categorized into the human body (Purusha), the disease (Vyadhi), the medicine
(Aushadha), and the right time for action (Kriyakala).[13]

Validation of Ayurvedic drugs with reverse pharmacology

The reverse pharmacology refers to reversing the routineclinic practice to the
laboratory examination for the proper validation of a traditional medicinal
system.[14] It is an interesting and important scientific approach to develop
new drug candidates or formulations from already known facts in traditional
medicines through sound preclinical and clinical researches.[15]

Previous researches, particularly for the past few decades, validated a few
concepts of herbal drugs by reverse pharmacology, which is obviously
tremendous work for Ayurveda. These researches also supported the use of
crude drugs rather than plant isolates or purified fractions for clinical trials due
to the combined effects of phytoconstituents. Such researches generated a lot
of interest in researchers towards herbal medicines and consequently, in the
last decade a demand of Ayurveda and other traditional medicines has
increased in the medical world.

In addition, the reverse pharmacology approach can help in reducing failure

rates of clinical implication of the herbs or their formulations which are already
described in Ayurveda. This approach gives an opportunity to seek new
synergistic combinations and improvements in bioavailability and innovative
strategies that can play a significant role in drug development. Various
previous studies on piperine revealed that its combination improves the
bioavailability of synthetic drugs such as propranolol, theophylline, and
rifampicin.[16]

Day by day, drug industry is facing serious challenges, as the drug discovery
process has become extremely expensive, riskier, and critically inefficient.
Postmarketing failures of blockbuster drugs and a serious innovation deficit are
the major concerns of big pharma companies. Consequently, there has been a
remarkable shift in favor of single to multitargeted drugs, especially for
polygenic syndrome based on the traditional medicinal knowledge.

Evidence-based benefits of traditional approaches

There are many evidences, which supported Ayurveda performances

better than Western medicine, mainly in case of chronic diseases, but it
needs to validate with advanced scientific procedures. Ayurveda
recommends the use of copper pot for water-purification as copper pot
has antibacterial effect against important diarrheagenic bacteria including
Vibrio cholerae, Shigella flexneri, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli,
enteropathogenic E. coli, Salmonella enterica typhi and Salmonella
paratyphi, which is scientifically validated.[1,17] Ayurveda also has the
ability of wound healing via a topical route with the help of various
preparations.[18] Moreover, many Ayurvedic formulations and Rasayanas
have scientifically validated in various in vivo models. In this connection,
Amalaki, an Ayurvedic Rasayana, and Rasa Sindoora, an organometallic
derivative of mercury are effective in longevity, development, fecundity,
stress tolerance, and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein levels of
Drosophila melanogaster.[19]

On the other hand, Bhasma, an ash obtained through incineration of

plants and animal derivatives (horns, shells, feathers, etc.), metallic, and
nonmetallic minerals, etc., is another example of traditional approach in
which the starting material undergoes an elaborate process of purification
(Shodhana), followed by the reaction phase, which involves the
incorporation of some other mineral and herbal extracts.[20] Bhasma
preparation is similar to the present-day nanotechnology having nano-size
(25–50 nm) particles. Although Bhasmas are complex materials,
physicochemical analysis using modern techniques can be most attractive
for the standardization of Bhasma medicines. This can be certainly helpful
in building confidence in the use of such products for medication by
ensuring safety, efficacy, and batch to batch uniformity.[21]

Encouragement of interdisciplinary research

There is a need of involving all basic sciences such as Physics, Chemistry,
Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology together with Ethnopharmacology,
Ayurvedic Drug Discovery, Pharmacoepidemiology, Reverse Pharmacology
and various other areas for the better understanding, and optimistic
outcome of Ayurveda research. In the past few years, the interdisciplinary
concept of research is also introduced in Ayurveda mainly for integrative
medicine.[8]

In Western countries, the multidimensional approach by combining

traditional and modern medicine is growing day by day. The clinical
efficacy of many traditional medications for a variety of diseases has been
found comparatively better than that of modern medicine.[22] The
Ayurvedic system of medicine is very safe that can help in reducing the
enormous burden of mortality and morbidity caused by the various side
effects of conventional prescribed drugs. This traditional system is also
found effective against various diseases where pathogens developed
antibiotic resistance. Thus, interdisciplinary researches are highly needed
to fight against most chronic diseases.

Improvement in quality of herbal drugs

Most of the Ayurvedic Rasayanas (Medhya, Jeevaniya, and Lekhaniaya,

etc.) are based on the herbal products. Many herbs such as
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera Dunal.), Shatavari (Asparagus
racemosus Willd.), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia (Thunb.) Miers),
Amalaki (Embellica officinalis Gaertn.), and Bhallataka (Semecarpus
anacardium Linn.) are well-known Ayurvedic Rasayanas, which are
proven immunomodulators. Adjuvants are required for many of weak
immunogenic vaccines, and
Ayurvedic rasayanas may offer better and safer immune drugs that can
be used as adjuvants in such vaccines and also in cancer treatment.
[23]

Herbal extracts of therapeutic relevance are of great importance as

reservoirs of structural and chemical diversity. Interestingly, more
than 120 distinct phytochemicals from different plants have capability
as lifesaving medicines. These compounds have been achieved through
chemical and pharmacological screening of only 6% of the total plant
species.[24] The National Institute of Health has already started
extensive research for anti-inflammatory compounds from turmeric,
ginger, and Boswellia with the aid of Ayurvedic knowledge. The
screening of numerous herbs for treating cancer has been done using
traditional knowledge on such herbs.[25] Moreover, a variety of drugs
of immunomodulating capacity from traditional medicine can provide
newer opportunities to improve therapeutic spectrum.[26]

In case of herbal drugs, consistency in the chemical composition and

bioactivity are essential requirements for their safe and effective use
because the quality is the primary need for safety and efficacy of
plant-derived medicines. In case of Ayurvedic preparations, most of
the drugs are polyherbal formulations, and proper quality control is
still a serious issue. Consequently, till the date, the acceptability of
Ayurvedic drugs in the international market is very poor. There must
be some procedures and techniques to analyze these drugs (extracts
or formulations) for their composition and strength.[27] Thus, there
is a need to insure the standard quality of Ayurvedic products.

Active involvement of government

The government should be prepared a timeframe roadmap for the

progressive development of Ayurvedic education and research.
Science-based approaches may be promoted, utilized, and inculcated
in the education of Ayurveda like traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
It is most appreciable that China has about 95% of Department of
Traditional Medicine in their government hospitals. That is why their
traditional medicinal system got global recognition and acceptable
everywhere.[28] Recently, Youyou Tu, has won Nobel Prize in
Medicine for discovering Artemisinin, a drug that has significantly
lowered mortality rates from malaria, based on a TCM remedy.[29]
India has to develop similar type of policies in the healthcare system
for the development of Ayurveda.

Development of Ayurvedic pharma sector:

The drug manufacturing industries and other supporting industries

play important role in the development of Ayurvedic medicine. The
whole supporting system, i.e., raw material collectors, dealers,
processing and manufacturing industries, Ayurveda practitioners,
and consumers must be encouraged. Around 1100 medicinal plants
are used as medicine and among them at least 60 plants are of great
demand.[30] Today, as the demand for herbal products is increasing
day by day, enough availability of raw materials with reasonable
prices is a big challenge for the industries. Hence, some strict steps
must be taken by the government as well as industries itself to fulfill
the supply and meet market demand. There is a need to ensure
correct raw materials for the medicine and for this purpose, it is
important to carefully monitor entire cycle of raw material collection
such as harvesting, processing, transportation, and storage before
their use. Moreover, selection of the correct germplasm using modern
DNA fingerprinting and chemoprofiling techniques be used taken on
priority basis.[31]

Upgradation of Ayurveda literature

Ayurveda is continuously facing constraints and difficulties from
regulatory authorities and the scientific community, which is coming in
the way of its global acceptance.[32] The available literature on the use
of Ayurveda for the treatment of diseases is still not evidence based.
There is a need of more evidence-based researches in this area to make
the literature adequate. In this connection, Digital Helpline for
Ayurveda Research Articles provides a first of its kind resource to access
research articles on Ayurveda must be improved and updated. More
than thousands of articles indexed in renowned PubMed every year,
unfortunately, out of them a very few belong to Ayurveda research.
However, the articles based on TCM cover around 12% of total
published papers.[33] Therefore, Ayurvedic literature has to make its
huge contribution in PubMed for the international recognition.

Revalidation of clinical trials

The clinical trials on Ayurvedic medicines must be revalidated to find
out better treatment modalities by improving scientific procedures,
dose forms, and side effects of any given drug. The development of a
method to allow placebo controls for changing and individualizing
therapies is an important step in providing the basis for a meaningful
comparison of not only classic Ayurveda but also other traditional
medicinal systems with allopathic treatment in ways acceptable to
Western standards. This approach also shows that double-blind,
placebo controlled, randomized studies are possible when testing
classic Ayurvedic versus allopathic medications. Larger trials are needed
and are clearly possible.[34] The Ayurvedic clinical trials must follow
consolidated standards of reporting trails statement for global
recognition.

Combination of Ayurveda and Western medicine

No doubt, Indian system of medicine has already received much
attention in academic fields. The popularity of Ayurveda is mainly due to
its therapeutic efficiency against most chronic diseases where modern
medicines are ineffective.[35] The Western medicine, on the other hand,
introduced in Asian countries in early 16th century, when travelers from
Western countries began to settle and found themselves in greater
contact with native people.[36] This medicinal system got high popularity
within a very short period due to its fast action over traditional medicinal
systems.

Interestingly, there are certain examples of Ayurveda and Western

medicine work well when used in combination. For example, rheumatoid
arthritis, a chronic and immune-mediated disease that causes pain and
inflammation are not well treatable in modern Western medicine.
Present, methotrexate achieves a response in 40–60% patients which
cannot say satisfactory at all. Furthermore, methotrexate is associated
with distressing and potentially serious side effects. As a result, 68–94%
of arthritis patients use complementary and alternative medicine
therapy including Ayurveda.[34] Therefore, Ayurveda and Western
medicine should be considered as two sides of a coin, and they must
come together to work for humankind.

Resolution of controversies in Ayurvedic drug

It is not always the case that Ayurvedic medicines do not show adverse
effects. In a random sample of commercially prepared Ayurvedic drugs
purchased online via internet, it has found that nearly 21% contained
detectable levels of lead, mercury, and arsenic. The Rasa shastra
medicines were more than twice as likely as non-Rasa shastra medicines
to contain detectable levels of such metals which are said to be highly
toxic for the body.[37] Such reports are to be addressed appropriately, so
that the concerns can be answered in time preventing further damage to
the heritage. These Ayurvedic formulations must have to critically
standardized before their marketing.

Improvement in personalized medicine with modern technology The

concept of Ayurveda treatment is broad, which heal the human being
as a whole whereas Western system of medicine has traditionally
operated from only a cure model. Now, the time has come to create a
new model of the medicinal system by combining both healing and
cure models. The value of health care could be increased tremendously
through personalized medicine that could be helpful to predict disease
risk, prevent progress of disease, and manage treatments more
efficiently. Moreover, the developments in the area of
pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics can help the practitioner to
achieve the target of personalized medicine.[38] A personalized
medicine does not mean just the right drug for the right individual but
the right drug for the specific disease affecting a specific individual.[39]
This concept will surely make clinical trials more efficient by reducing
the cost usually raises due to side effects, and prescription of drugs
those are not effective in certain genotypes.[40]

The concept of personalized medicine is very old and used as long as

people have been practicing medicine.[7] In recent time, the
personalized medicine is all about DNA while single nucleotide
polymorphism and epigenetic factors influence drug response and form
the basis of personalized medicine.[41] Hence, the personalized
medicine must be improved with the help of modern scientific
techniques to promote Indian system of medicine.

Conclusion
Today, the cost of health care is constantly rising, and affecting people's
ability to afford health coverage. Drug-based medicines are being
unaffordable for economically poor countries like India and problematic
in the Western countries due to numerous side effects. The drug should
be the last rather than first mean of treatment, beginning with the
 natural healing method like Ayurveda. One of the Ayurvedic treatment
modalities such as Panchkarma can remove disease before its
manifestation. Having all the above beauties, Ayurveda is still lagging
behind because of the lack of scientific evidence in many cases and poor
research methodology.

REFERANCE:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280834881_New_Age_Orientalism_Ayurvedi
c_'wellness_and_spa_culture’

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5041382/