Western Ghats & Ayurveda ( ENQUIRY )

The Western Ghats also known as the Sahyadri mountains runs approximately 1600 kms north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. This mountain range is continuous except for two major gaps in the range, the Goa gap, between the Maharashtra and Karnataka sections, and the Palghat gap on the Tamil Nadu/Kerala border between the Nilgiri Hills and the Anamalai Hills.

These hills cover 60,000 km² and form the catchment area for a complex of river systems that drain almost 40% of India. The average elevation is around 1,200 meters. The area is one of the world’s eight "Hottest biodiversity hotspots" and has over 5000 species of flowering plants, 139 mammal species, 508 bird species and 179 amphibian species. At least 325 globally threatened species occur in the Western Ghats. During the monsoon season, numerous streams fed by incessant rain drain off the mountain sides leading to numerous and often spectacular waterfalls. Among the most well known is the Jog Falls, Kunchikal Falls, Sivasamundram Falls, and Unchalli Falls. The Jog Falls is the highest natural waterfall in South Asia and is listed among the 1001 natural wonders of the world.

The evergreen Wynad forests of Kerala mark the transition zone between the northern and southern eco-regions of the Western Ghats. The southern eco-regions are generally wetter and more species-rich. Above 1,000 meters are the montane rain forests which is the most species-rich eco-region in peninsular India; eighty percent of the flowering plant species of the entire Western Ghats range are found in this eco-region. The range is home to at least 84 amphibian species, 16 bird species, seven mammals, and 1,600 flowering plants which are not found elsewhere in the world.

It is inherent in human nature to explore and our special interest team headed by a renowned naturalist and author has carefully put together a selection of wildlife, trekking, adventure and birding tours that are exclusively designed to make it a truly unique adventure experience of a lifetime. We can tailor make programmes to suit the particular interests of individual travelers and small groups. We operate within very strict ethical guidelines to ensure the continued protection of the environment while adding benefit to the tribal population in the area through various self help schemes.

AYURVEDA –The Natural Way to a healthy Life.

Ayurveda is an ancient Hindu system of health care that is native to Kerala. It is used by millions of people in India since 5000 BC and now increasingly in the west. The word "Ayurveda" is a compound of the word ayus meaning "life," "life principle," or "long life" and the word veda, which refers to a system of "knowledge." Thus "Ayurveda" roughly translates as the "knowledge of life" or "knowledge of a long life". According to Ayurveda, "life" itself is defined as the "combination of the body, sense organs, mind and soul, the factor responsible for preventing decay and death, which sustains the body over time, and guides the processes of rebirth.

Ayurveda is concerned with measures to protect "ayus", which includes healthy living along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony. Ayurveda is also one among the few traditional systems of medicine to contain a sophisticated system of surgery(which is referred to as "salya-chikitsa").Ayurveda has the answer to almost every disease known to medical science with purely naturalist remedies perfected over thousands of years. Ayurveda is a holistic system which guides us so that we can live a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.

It recognises that we are all unique and focuses on food, lifestyle, massage, yoga and herbal remedies to suit our individual make-up. Ayurveda encourages us to take responsibility for our own health according to the different stages of our lives, the seasons, and the environment we live, work and play in. These factors all have a big impact on our health and it makes sense to adapt our lifestyle accordingly so we can continue to live in harmony with our body and stay at optimum health.