Visitors, students throng Ollur Ayurveda museum
The visitor also gets a detailed account of medicinal preparation in Ayurveda
Kochi: Want to have a hang of Ayurveda? Welcome to the Ayurveda museum, the first and only such institution on the ancient Indian system of medicine, set up by Vaidyaratnam Oushadhashala at its headquarters at Ollur in Thrissur district.
“It has become an itinerary for Ayurveda students and faculty from Ayurveda colleges across the country,” said Ashtavaidyan E. T. Parameshvaran Moos, director of the museum.
“Visitors to Guruvayoor Sri Krishna Temple now increasingly make it a point to visit the museum,” he said. More than 8,000 people have already visited the museum, which former president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam inaugurated in December 2013. “Our aim is to promote Ollur as an Ayurveda heritage village,” Moos said.
Visitors are treated to an audio-visual presentation on the genesis of Ayurveda including its mythical origins, evolution and the current status, followed by a visit to the museum, set in the traditional naalukettu which first functioned as a dispensary.
The museum has important events in the history of Ayurveda including the development of surgery and Ashtanga Ayurveda (the eight main branches of Ayurveda) and several complex processes presented through replicas. The visitor also gets a detailed account of medicinal preparation in Ayurveda.
The 3D photographic section has a rich collection of medical practices and treatment methodologies, including panchakarma. It also has a collection of ayurvedic classics, scriptures and manuscripts. The herbal garden, another unique attraction, has about 200 types of medicinal plants, each with a detailed description of its medicinal value.
“Our aim is to give the visitor a good idea on Ayurveda,” said Ashtavaidyan E. T. Neelakandan Moos, director. “The visitors would be taken around the museum and the herbal garden, apart from getting a chance to interact with physicians and students at the medical college.” The Centre of Excellence, set up with the grant of the central government, is at present a research centre for muscular disorders.
