Kerala, India

Kerala is the home of Ayurveda and is believed to be the first medical science known to man, predating Chinese, Tibetan, and Western medicines. For many centuries, the Vaidyas (traditional practitioners) of Ayurveda were the only choice for people needing medical attention in India. According to history, Brahman (the highest deity in Hinduism) gave eight families the knowledge of this medical science.

Kerala is located in the most southwestern coastal state of India. It is a small state that stretches about 350 miles along the Malabar coast, and its western side faces the Arabian Sea. Kerala is very tropical and is linked internally by thousands of lagoons and waterways that were the primary transportation system before the modern era. I love the Fall time there, when there are a few Monsoon showers from the north, but it is very comfortable.

I first visited Kerala to see the "Home of Ayurveda", experience Panchakarma (a traditional Ayurvedic detoxification and rejuvenation modality), and find an Ayurvedic and Yoga center to take groups on panchakarma retreats.

My long-time ayurvedic doctor and mentor directed me to the Manaltheeram Ayurveda center near Kovalam beach to experience Panchakarma at its original source in Kerala. After having panchakarma there, I started taking groups there yearly.

I have had some amazing experiences during my travels around Kerala. In 2017, I visited the Kottur Elephant Sanctuary and met a four-year-old named Raja. I look forward to visiting with her each year.

One of the most incredible temples I have ever seen is Sthanumalayan, one of the 108 Shiva temples in Hindu culture.

At the most southern tip of India is Kanyakumari, meaning where the three oceans meet: the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. This is where the original fort of Kerala is located, protecting India from the South.