Word of the Day - Petrichor
The smell of rain or actually the musty, earthy fragrance after a spell of rain. The word has Greek origins - petra meaning rock and ichor referring to the golden liquid that flows in the veins of the gods. However the word was coined by scientists when they distilled dry hard rocks with steam, only to find a yellow-coloured oil trapped inside them, that gave out that fragrance. The oil was believed to have been secreted by plants during summer and they were found in the rocks and soil as well. I just love this natural perfume that fills the air with the onset of monsoon.
Hello everyone, welcome to the monsoon issue of Journeys and Jottings. To be honest, I am not a great fan of the wet season but then there is something special about monsoons. It is a vibe. Not every rainy day however is romantic. But then as Gilbert K Chesterton says, “ And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.”
In this issue, we talk about monsoon mood and blues and I am going to share with you my experience at Gamyam Retreats, one of the most beautiful wellness retreats nestled in coastal Karnataka in Kumta. And in People Make Places we meet Dr. Prasanna Kakunje who is the wellness director at Gamyam and a well-known Ayurvedic Specialist doctor from Mangalore.
Tips to overcome Monsoon Blues
It is not uncommon to feel a bit down and depressed during the monsoons. When most of my friends gush about the glorious weather, I feel gloomy at the same time. Later my therapist told me that I could possibly be suffering from SAD- Seasonal Affective Disorder. And I realized that I needed to be a little kind to myself when the monsoons and the blues hit me. If you, like me feel a bit low during the monsoon, here is what I do to cheer myself up.
1, Add a dash of colour around me
I feel down if I don’t see blue skies and so I try to add a lot of colour around me - from the clothes I wear to the food I eat. I make my room bright and vibrant with loads of rugs and mats, cushions and covers to bring a bit of cheer,
2, Aroma candles, lampshades, and warm tones
The cold grey skies are a bit of a dampener and I ensure I am surrounded by warm tones. I love aroma candles, colourful lampshades, essential oils - anything that helps me feel warm and cozy
3, More chai and soups
No brainer I guess, but these are my favourite go-to beverages. My favourite pick-me-ups are nuts, dark chocolate, seeds, and of course some cheese, chaats and cookies. I love lemon grass tea and also have cravings for baked potatoes occasionally.
4, Music, deep breathing, and visualization
Music is always a mood changer. Be it chants or melodies, rock or retro, music and my mood goes hand in hand. Also, I start my day with deep breathing and visualization. I visualize the happy moments, and childhood memories around rainy days - paper boats in puddles, raindrops on roses, collecting rainwater in bottles and buckets and so many little things. This has really helped me when the blues hit very low.
5. Pets and plants
They are my eternal energy boosters. I dont need anything else if my plants and pets are around. I have not spoken too much about my interest in gardening or my doggos who are around me. One day, I will introduce you to them. But if you are a pet or a plant parent, you will understand what I am saying - the wonders they do to cheer you up.
6. Get a foot massage
Or a pedicure or a facial or any favourite spa treatment. I mean what else can be more therapeutic and the best form of self-care?
So do you have monsoon blues or SAD like me? Or are you the rain dance kind of person? What suggestions do you have to beat the blues?
You have got mail
A new postcard series, where one from the community shares a picture or two from a place and tells us a bit about it.
We have the magnificent Athirapally Falls in full spate shared by Susheela Nair, Bangalore-based food, travel writer, and photographer. You can contact her on insta.
Captivating Cascades of Athirapally
One cannot forget these spectacular waterfalls which formed the captivating visual of Kerala Tourism in the eighties. Since then the small town of Athirapally with its numerous falls has been attracting tourists who come in droves to witness nature’s headlong tumble into the depths below. It originates in the Sholayar river and traverses through the Vazhachal falls and plunges down a yawning chasm before creating the glorious spectacle of cascading water and flying spray. A favourite haunt of visiting movie moghuls, the breathtaking environs of Athirapally formed the backdrop of many romantic interludes of blockbusters like Punnagai Mannan and Raavana.
100 Stories of India - Kumta, Karnataka
Gamyam - Your Ultimate Wellness Destination
Close your eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. Now open them gently and as you read this, visualize this landscape in front of you. Imagine you are in the midst of a verdant woodland in one of the best wellness resorts in India. The skies do a happy dance as the balmy breeze teases the lusty leaves while they sway to a rhythm. I stand there, mesmerized listening to the sibilance of the crickets and the cicadas, and caught up in the whole drama of nature. The oceans roar, the waves crashing on the rocks, hugging the shore, only to be replaced by another. The salts of the sea tickle my nostrils as I gaze endlessly at the lush vista of tangled greenery. The rains tumble down, soaking my limp body, washing down all traces of fatigue while purging my soul. And at that moment, I just surrender to the will of the cosmos. I am at Gamyam Retreats, one of the pristine Ayurveda retreats in India, where Ayurveda and yoga are more than just buzzwords.
There are several wellness resorts in India and luxury retreats focussing on yoga and Ayurveda and then there is Gamyam. It is not just another “pin” marked on your virtual map but the ultimate destination for wellness set in a luxurious setting. Tucked away in nondescript Kumta, in Uttar Kannada, on the northern coast of Karnataka and flanked by the Western Ghats, Gamyam is a brainchild of the Denissons Group from Hubbali.
The majestic mountainscape with its deep woods and the vibrations of the mighty oceans is known for their raw natural beauty, dotted with ancient shrines that lend a tinge of numinosity to the region. The virgin river Aghanashini finds her destination in the Arabian Sea, not far from the retreat itself.
Gamyam itself means the ultimate destination. But to me, it stands for a purpose to make wellness a priority in our lives. And that is why the first question that greets me as I come out of my reverie is, “What is your Gamyam, People come here to find their Gamyam,” At Gamyam, the therapists and healers believe in helping people find the alignment between the body, mind, and soul through trademarked “Soulistic” healing and well-being.
People Make Places
I met Dr. Prasanna Kakunje, the Wellness Director of Gamyam Retreat as we sat down to have lunch. “Ayurveda is not just about what you eat but it’s about how you eat. You eat when you are hungry and the digestive fire is ready to devour the food,” he says as a bowl of delicious kheer or payasam is served first.
Dr. Prasanna Kakunje is a specialist in pain management and he uses his expertise in ‘Kaaya Chikitsa’ and Classical Ayurveda to treat his patients and also focus on wellness. He is the founder and Medical Director of Kakunje Ayurveda Wellness Home in Mangalore, but his interest in hospitality and wellness started when he worked as a consultant in Ayurveda apart from being a spa manager with Vivanta by Taj Resort and Palace. He also manages a Spa and wellness consultancy center by the name of Spambience in Mangalore. A lecturer in Ayurveda, he teaches at several colleges and was a consultant at Amrtasiddhi Ayurvedic Health Center at Ubud in Bali, Indonesia as well. His wife Dr. Anuradha Kakunje is an MD in Ayurveda too and they now live in Kumta with their son, Abhinav,
We sat down to do a personal consultation where we focussed on holistic treatment, understanding the concepts of alignment between the body and mind with the soul. And as I discussed my wellness journey, he shared the Gamyam story along with insights on Ayurveda and Yoga.
1. What is the concept behind Gamyam ?
Gamanam means moving, going, or motion. Gamyam is that destination towards which we are moving in life. So, spiritually it is denoting the ultimate goal or destiny of life!
Life is a continuous journey in which we rise our awareness from the finite (physical) to infinite. Every life form is in the process of evolution to reach a state where it can take up its journey of rising to that ultimate awareness or consciousness.
Also, every individual has his/her own destination and goals based on the phase of life he/she is in. Those goals are also called as Gamyam. Gamyam retreat is here to support and guide in achieving those goals. It may be a health goal, stress-relief goal, rejuvenation goal, spiritual knowledge seeking and so on.
2. How did your association with Gamyam begin ?
Classical Ayurveda is the practice and implementation of Ayurveda as written in classical texts like Charaka Samhita. Sushruta Samhita which are time-tested practices from more than 3000-5000 years ago. I wanted to create awareness and spread this knowledge of a healthy and happy life and help people unlearn wrong assumptions and myths around Ayurveda. Though classical Ayurveda is practiced by many experts, it is still not reaching and is not available to a major section of people. So I wanted to be a part of Gamyam to ensure the implementation of classical Ayurveda in this luxury segment. Gamyam is a luxury facility with traditional Ayurveda care combined with classical Yoga.
3. How are the principles of Ayurveda integrated with luxury and wellness?
Implementation of the very basics of Ayurveda which is nothing but the very basics of natural laws is the core practice at Gamyam. Prevention of diseases, promotion of positive health and treating the diseases are the primary objectives of Ayurveda. Combining that with Yoga to render a healthy and happy life is the goal. We are looking at not just giving some therapies, medicines, or diet during guest’s stay but we want to enable them with the knowledge and tools to practice this art of healing further in their lives.
4. There are so many wellness resorts and how are Ayurveda and wellness going to be different here
As mentioned, the practice of Classical Ayurveda and Yoga, Ayurveda beyond medicines and Yoga beyond Asanas, is our motto. Supporting our guests with the knowledge and tools to continue their practices learnt at Gamyam and to see that they bring in a transformative change in their health and life, is our mission.
At Gamyam, we cater to both healthy individuals (wellness seekers) and individuals with health problems (therapy seekers). Wellness seekers are those who are looking for knowledge to prevent diseases and focus on positive health. Health is a state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of diseases. Ayurveda clearly understood this a long ago and advises methods and teachings to align those parameters of health into a proper balance. We at Gamyam can guide you through this Ayurvedic lifestyle to maintain and promote your health.
For therapy seekers:
Ayurveda describes various kinds of health problems and how they develop when we deviate from the healthy lifestyle recommended by the texts and our components of health go out of balance. Then, it explains the methods to correct those imbalances and align them back to normalcy. At Gamyam, we treat various disorders by therapies, herbs, specific diet, cleansing, rejuvenation, and teachings for the right lifestyle practices to cure and/ or manage those health issues.
5. Can you please share some insights on Ayurveda
Ayurveda Avatarana: Uplift your conscience to a level where you will receive the knowledge of life! In Charaka Samhita, the oldest available classical text of Ayurveda that dates back to 3000 years ago, a beautiful mythological story has been narrated regarding the origin of Ayurveda.
Once upon a time, the Yogis were affected by diseases when they started following an urban lifestyle! They started searching for remedies for their health issues and gathered in the Himalayas. Then, Brahma (the ultimate knowledge) recollected the information of Ayurveda and it was passed on to Daksha Prajapathi, Ashwini Kumaras and then to Lord Indra. Sage Bharadwaja from the Himalayan gathering approached Indra and received the knowledge of Ayurveda and brought it down to teach to all the other sages. They all learned their parts and created various texts (schools) of Ayurveda.
This is not just a story but a beautiful narration of obtaining jnana (wisdom). This doesn’t happen somewhere outside with many people involved. Yes, this is a representation of how wisdom is attained by sadhana (efforts/practices) from within. We have to raise our consciousness to those levels and align ourselves to the infinite self, where the universal truth descends down and reveals itself.
6. There are so many misconceptions about Cuisine and Ayurveda
Ayurveda teaches to focus on the digestive capacity (Agni) as a very important factor in both curative and preventive care. One has to eat according to their digestive and metabolic capacities and those are very much variable from person to person. Hence, a single diet menu or a set of diets can not suit every individual at all times. Also, the food has to be modified according to the age, constitution, season, health condition and so many such factors.
In the Yogic teachings, it is mentioned to have food only to maintain the body and nourish the body and mind as much as required. One should not eat more than one needs. Usually, Sattvik and Yogic practice is that one meal a day is sufficient to do that! Don’t panic, we don’t push into it without considering your goals and needs!
Considering the above learnings, the food & beverages at Gamyam are aligned according to individuals’ optimal health and wellness needs. For therapeutic purposes, our doctors will coordinate with the kitchen and prescribe the therapeutically recommended diet for each individual. For wellness seekers, there will be diet menus based on the Ayurveda and Yoga principles which will be tasty yet healthy, well presented and are both regional and seasonal, and ultimately easy to digest and give maximum benefits.. Vegan and vegetarian options are available but we are an exclusive vegetarian kitchen.
7. Some wellness suggestions/tips that we can practise at home also
· Eat only when hungry
· Drink water only when thirsty or when the urine is dark. Do not drink litres of water without the need.
· Sleep by 10 PM or before. This reduces inflammation in the body and helps to repair and heal the systems regularly so that many diseases can stay away.
· Stay active during the day and do not sleep during the day. Maximum 20 minutes power nap is fine, when exhausted or else practice Yoga Nidra when needed.
Feedback
I do hope that you enjoyed reading this issue. Looking forward to your feedback as always. We are going to keep the flow of conversations going and I would really appreciate it if you will share my newsletter with your friends and family.
See you soon! You can also read my travel stories on my blog and follow me on my social media.
Blog - www.lakshmisharath.com
Twitter - www.twitter.com/lakshmisharath
Facebook - www.facebook.com/travelwithlakshmi
Instagram - www.instagram.com/lakshmisharath
I don’t hate monsoons , it’s just that it makes me feel less energetic and often makes me a bit depressed and down . I need to see sun to feel good . Drinking too much water is not good for your body as per Ayurveda - that’s a different thought
It's true that monsoons make us feel less energetic and causes us to slow down. The real SAD experience, I think, exists in the Northern hemisphere where the sun does not shine for most of the year. Our monsoons offer us a beautiful play of light!