Panchakarma care, massage for knee, waist, joint pains; treatments for skin, arthritis and gynaecological disorders

Mysore/Mysuru: Mahouts, kavadis and their family members, who have accompanied the Dasara elephants housed in Mysore Palace premises, are being given Panchakarma treatment by Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) Dept. for various ailments.

These include pain in the knees, waist, hands and legs, along with skin problems, arthritis, respiratory issues and gynaecological disorders.

The initiative comes following a request from the Forest Department, after which the District AYUSH Department set up a dedicated Panchakarma Treatment Centre within the Palace premises. The facility caters not only to mahouts, kavadis and their families but also to the staff of the Palace and Forest Department. Though the centre has been functioning since Sept. 4, the formal inauguration will soon be done by District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, officials confirmed.

Preference for Ayurveda

It is said that mahouts, kavadis and their family members prefer Ayurveda medicines over allopathic treatments, leading to the decision to exclusively provide Ayurvedic care.

District AYUSH Officer Dr. C. Renukadevi has deployed a team consisting of one male and six female doctors, along with two assistants and one massage specialist, to ensure proper care. The doctors serving at the centre include Dr. M. Sandeep, Dr. Mamata, Dr. Swarnalatha, Dr. Shwetha, Dr. Rekha, Dr. Pallavi, Dr. Divya and Dr. Ranjitha.

Ailments and treatments

The centre offers treatment for a wide range of ailments such as joint pains, back pain, elbow pain, skin conditions, arthritis, cough, cold, respiratory issues, gynaecological disorders and general fatigue.

Special focus is being given to stress-relief therapies, essential for those handling elephants and undertaking demanding physical tasks during the Dasara festivities.

Panchakarma therapy, steam treatments and Ayurvedic massages using specially prepared herbal oils are being provided. Medicines in the form of solutions, ‘churna’ (herbal powder) and other plant-based preparations are also given free of cost to the beneficiaries.

To support these therapies, the centre has been equipped with a Panchakarma table, steam equipment, weight and height measuring devices, and other necessary instruments. Considering physically demanding nature of the work, a massage facility has been set up specifically for mahouts and kavadis in case of joint dislocations or injuries caused by accidental falls. The centre has also installed a steam box and massage cot to aid in quicker recovery.

‘Kati Abhyanga’ ‘Jaanu Abhyanga’

It is common for mahouts and kavadis, who tirelessly care for the Dasara elephants, to suffer from knee and waist pain due to their physically demanding work. To address this, the treatment centre is providing ‘Kati Abhyanga’ therapy for waist pain and ‘Jaanu Abhyanga’ therapy for knee pain. Medicinal oils are being used for massages targeting pain in the hands, legs and shoulders, offering temporary relief from discomfort. Medicines are also being provided to treat gynaecological issues in women.

The Panchakarma Treatment Centre will function daily from 9 am to 4.30 pm for one month. Adequate stocks of medicines have been readied and eight doctors serving in various hospitals across the district have been deployed to ensure smooth operations.

— Dr. C. Renukadevi, District AYUSH Officer