Ayurdays 1

PIZHICHIL
It is an old method of oil bathing in which I would be laid flat on a special wooden tub and four men would pour warm oil on me continuously for about a hour and a half. Two others would operate the stove and pass on the vessels of heated oil.
It indeed is great that my whole body is rendered in shatters left to the medicines to react and reform, form back into shape in the rhythm of this mantra, slow, steady and sure like the rhythm of the stars, the sun, the moon, the air, the water and everything that is made and unmade, broken into shatters and reformed into shape like my fifty kilos of body matter left to the medicines to react in an oil tub.
Entering into the tub is done as a ritual. My wedding ring and golden chain were removed already. I had clean shaved my armpits and removed the pubic hair before starting from home. I am ready for a new growth – a changed healthy growth.
Raman Nair, the good old head nurse in charge of me came bouncing with a paper packet. See if they all suitable. If not we can get them changed. I opened the packet. Two loin clothes and two towels and a sachet of washing powder. We will need it he said. Get ready. Remove your underwears and come. I shall light the stove. Shortly his four assistants came with bottles and tins. Different types of medicated oils and ghees are mixed in prescribed proportion before heating. It is all done in the treatment room. Asif calls it the workshop. There is the special tub there adjusted at table height. Stoves, stands, racks, basins and handing ropes all covered with a strong odour of oils make the place look odd, something of some other era.

Two of the assistants, one with a bearded smile and other a dumb heavy weight, come to my bed and walked me to the workshop. I took Rs.101/- and held it tightly in my right fist. The other assistants came forward, removed my clothes, tied a loincloth around my waist and made me stand in position. I bent down and touched the wrinkled feet of the old Raman Nair and thrust the money into his hand. It is dakshina, a token of acceptance. Sir, I submit myself to you. Do as you feel fit and bring me health. I place my faith with this token money. Lets start. The leader seemed satisfied. The whole team came forward and helped me to the tub.

Once I was seated, the old man took a handful of oil, closed his eyes and prayed murmuring the name of all the local gods. Thereafter like a solemn ceremony smeared the oil over my head. Next the four others adjusted my position and kept the vessel-stands on the sides of the tub. A piece of unbleached cloth was torn into four. Each helper took a piece and dipped it in the warm oil. Raman Nair made a slight nod and the process started.
Streams of warm oil flowed down my body. The medicated molecules of the fatty liquid in accelerated motion found their way through the little pores of my skin, which usually discharged sweat. In the sudden heated onslaught the poor sweat glands were stunned into inaction. The warm oil had entered through the ducts, filled the little cavities and created a special situation of minute pressure, which made a sort of dermatological chaos. In the micro-milieu, these molecules delivered the required medicines into the tissues, the glands and the blood. The helpers mildly massaged the muscles facilitating the process. Slowly by slowly the level of oil in the tub rose up, the level of oil in my body rose up, the level of oil in the blood vessels rose up, the level of oil rose up around and many of my cells started floating in oil. The thin cell walls tried in vain to withstand the pressure but gave up tired. And the oil got osmosed into them threatening the very adamant toxic things, which caused me pain and agony. Right from the cells, the whole body was thus getting reshaped into a healthier unit.

First of all it was all water. From water did everything emerge, says the text. From water did emerge the long carbonated molecules entwined into strands, which formed the basis of life. From water did emerge the little lively cells, which swarm around in clusters forming columns and groups, which later migrated into the air and land. From water did emerge the Piscean creatures, which made the deep swinging dives into the oceans of air and got their fins changed into wings. From water did emerge the animals, which made the land their hatching place for the land itself had hatched out of the seas. From water did emerge the plants, the clouds and all that constituted the life.

The essence of water was still left in the plants and animals as the thick liquids. Some in me had got contaminated. So the great physician decided to extract the essence of water from seeds in the form of oil, purify it and add those little parts of corrective substances as medicines and pout it into my body. The little particles of herbs and chemicals, prescribed by Sushruta and Vagbhata now entered into my cells and changed their configurations avoiding the un-needed.

Thus from oil did emerge the reshaped cells, rejuvenated tissues, the reformed body. After the treatment the helpers wiped the whole body and I came back to the room to put on a set of fresh clothes on me. The whole room and outside looked so fresh and nice. The world, as Raja Rao said, is of course fit to live. Thank the Lord for it.