Author:
Publication: Tehelka
Date: February 28, 2009
URL: http://www.tehelka.com/story_main41.asp?filename=cr280209Taking_Ayurveda.asp
Introduction: Kairali is a world-renowned
name in the practice of ayurvedic treatments, with centres in India and across
the globe
AYURVEDIC TREATMENTS HAVE great relevance
today, as change in eating habits and modern lifestyles have made even the
very young prone to ailments such as obesity, diabetes, spondylitis, arthritis
etc. With over 80 years of experience in creating a reputable brand of ayurvedic
health centres, the Kairali Group has earned the trusts of hundreds of satisfied
customers from all over the world.
A pioneer in the development and running of
ayurvedic health resorts and spas, the Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort in
Palakkad in Kerala provides a truly holistic experience. The resort as a whole
has a distinctive design that blends with its surrounding trees and herbs.
Its 30 villas have all been built to conform to vastu shastra and each villa
is unique, depicting various cultures of India. Each is fully equipped with
modern amenities as well. The resort provides ayurvedic treatments, which
are ideal for modern maladies that are usually stress-related. Apart from
the Palakkad resort, the group has two other properties in Karnataka: 12 colonial
suites at the Om Beach Resort in Gokarna and the Estuary View Resort in Karwar,
located in the heritage fort, Sadashivgadh, overlooking the confluence of
the Kali river with the Arabian Sea. Unparalleled hospitality and selfless
service have seen to it client and guests return satisfied and rejuvenated.
Kairali is among the top 50 wellness destinations in the world by National
Geographic Traveller. It's also won awards such as Spa Asia Crystal Award
for Best Ayurvedic Centre in the Asia Pacific region and PATWA (Pacific Area
Travel Writers Association Award) Award for pioneering and promoting ayurveda
in 2007.
Different ayurvedic packages are available
for a host of ailments.
Apart from directly run resorts, the group
also has several franchises, in places such as New Delhi, Khajuraho, Mumbai,
Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh
and Maharashtra.
Overseas centres and franchises are in Kanagawa,
Yokohama and Tokyo in Japan; Almati, Kazakhstan; Selangor, Malaysia; Auckland,
New Zealand; Czorsztyn, Poland; Floreal, Mauritius, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Lebanon.
Kairali is truly a global brand of ayurveda.
Branding Wellness
PROVIDING A COM PLETE range of solutions,
from beauty to fitness, to healthy eating out, VLCC straddles the world of
wellness
By redefining wellness, VLCC has acquired
the status of India's largest health and beauty brand. The group has a pan-India
presence, with over 225 outlets in 75 cities and 10 million customers.
With over 5,000 employees, a third of them
doctors, dieticians, nutritionists, cosmetologists, psychologists, physiotherapists
and counselors, VLCC's services provide holistic wellness, marrying scientific
research and traditional therapies. The group's mission has always been to
ensure a better quality of life for everyone, by adopting and pursuing ethically
and socially relevant business practices aimed at shaping people's confidence
and making fitness, health and beauty care accessible to everyone.
Instead of treating needs piecemeal, VLCC
offers an array of customised weight loss and beauty therapies. VLCC Personal
Care leverages the group's strong research capability to manufacture over
100 solution-oriented skincare, haircare and bodycare products retailed through
a nation-wide distribution network of over 200 distributors and 30,000 retail
outlets. The products are made from special blends of botanical extracts,
nutrients and aromatic oils. A careful balance of activity, hydration, nourishment
and protection helps rebuilds the skin's natural defences from the cell to
the surface.
And the VLCC Institute of Beauty Health and
Management is India's first comprehensive vocational training academy: it
offers professional and vocational courses in beauty, health, nutrition and
management. Affiliated to the prestigious City & Guilds of the UK, the
Institute offers three broad categories of diploma courses: Beauty/Health
& Nutrition/ Management. Spread across 11 campuses in seven cities, the
institute also offers advanced learning courses in contemporary subjects such
as Nail Art, Body Art and Spa therapies.
VLCC spas offer a tranquil escape from hectic
city life, with a number of luxurious therapy options drawn from the wisdom
of ancient cultures - from traditional Balinese therapies to blissful Thai
massages.
VLCC's Workout Factory is a unique fitness
centre where men and women can sculpt their bodies and feel "factory
fresh". Beauty Zones are unique stores from the House of VLCC that offer
the most recent and innovative beauty services across its outlets. The group
also runs Aliveating - a healthy eating restaurant. It's clearly part of VLCC's
total approach to wellness!
Therapeutic Journey
India develops a cutting edge in medical tourism
with world class facilities
FROM ANCIENT TIMES, patients have travelled
long distances for treatment: now, with ease of travel, people easily look
beyond regional boundaries for medical care. There are still issues, such
as language barriers, travel time and being assured of the credibility and
safety of the treatment. For that, accreditation bodies and systems are being
developed.
Over the last decade, medical tourism has
developed into a finely-managed area in India, with world-class infrastructure,
cutting edge technology and professionally run institutions available at substantially
lower cost than most other countries. Short-term visas or a special medical
tourism visa (M type) of longer duration (up to 1 year) are provided, and
a MX type visa given for those accompanying a patient.
Facilities such as Artemis Health Institute
(AHI) in Gurgaon, an integrated world-class healthcare system, attract medical
tourists. The facility has been developed by adopting cutting edge technology,
and has developed super specialties in cardiovascular disease, oncology and
orthopaedics. AHI is equipped with the latest in predictive, diagnostic and
therapeutic imaging, in-patient monitoring, paperless and filmless hospital
information systems, and the presence of some of the best-known medical experts
from India and abroad. In just over a year, Artemis already has 15 percent
of its patients coming from abroad, a vast majority of them from the West.
There is also a constant stream of international medical and para-medical
professionals for training.
With facilities such as these, India is well
positioned to tap the top end of the global healthcare industry.
