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Ayurevda, which had been the science of health through the ages, went into a phase of decline in the 18th and 19th centuries, before making a comeback in the 20th century. What led to the loss of sheen for Ayurveda? There are three reasons.

1. Possession of knowledge

From ancient times onwards, across the cultures worldwide, there has been a tendency to possess and hide knowledge, without sharing. People who had custody of knowledge in a particular field always kept it as their secret possession and exposed that knowledge only to limited hands, mostly of the same clan. This mystification of knowledge was in vogue in India also. The old Indian system of education— the Gurukula tradition— was a face-to-face transmission of knowledge, and this individuality was its main characteristic. But this method had certain limitations. On due course of time, it became just repetitions or re-distribution of same old information. Research, an important facet in the process of knowledge creation, is found missing here. All ancient Indian sciences, including Ayurveda, faced this saturation point. This means, knowledge, possessed by a certain group, had to face a declension in growth in due course of time.

2. Lack of well trained physicians

Only a limited percentage of students were lucky enough to get proper, complete training in the Gurukula tradition due to several reasons. This limited number of experts could not cover the healthcare problems of all members of society. This resulted in the entry of a number of non-experts in the field, which adversely affected the quality of treatments. This problem became severe when the British rulers of India brought a rule which insisted on the arbitrary registration of all traditional healthcare professionals. The presence of non-experts was a reason for Ayurveda’s decline.

3. Foreign rule

The main factor which catalysed the downfall of Ayurveda in 19th century was the introduction of the allopathic system of medicine to India. Foreign rulers brought this system and practitioners to India for their own healthcare, but it spread fast in society and took the prime position with the whole-hearted support of the rulers. In the beginning, Ayurveda vaidyas neglected ‘English’ medicine and they were not ready to accept it as something worth in healthcare. But it was too late when they could understand that they were losing the soil under their feet so fast. By this time, the rulers could conduct a good campaign against Ayurveda and its efficacy. They spread the message that Ayurveda is unscientific and it is just a tribal/folk subject. Not only Ayurveda, but also its practitioners, became disrespected in society.

A new integration

Ayurveda entered a phase of rejuvenation in the 20th century in the background. The reforms occurred in two areas. The first was the removal of the weaknesses entered into Ayurveda and to strengthen it from within. The second was to make it capable of standing in its own feet, in par with allopathy. In order to strengthen Ayurveda, the new government in independent India promoted scientific restructuring of Ayurvedic education. Instead of individual gurukulas, governments started academic institutions which opened the horizons of Ayurveda to all. It really became as asset for all. This was also the starting point of a number of institutions and research centers in the field of Aurveda. At present, there are more than 250 Ayurveda colleges in India which produce more than 9000 Ayurveda graduates every year. More than 60 colleges have post-graduate programmes and approximately 1000 post-graduates pass out a year. Till the last century Ayurvedic treatment was limited to the relation between the physician and the patient. It was the physician who visited the patient at his home, and not the other way as is practised now. He will examine the patient thoroughly and give a detailed prescription or list of herbs out of which he can make the medicine at home. Occasionally patient may visit the physician also.

During the effort to compete with the western medicine, many other elements replaced the very simple ‘physician patient’ relationship. New companies which manufactured medicine in huge quantities, hospitals with inpatient facilities, modern diagnostic methods- all these helped popularizing Ayurveda. Today, Ayurveda in India is a business with an annual turnover of around `4,000 crore with about 9000 Ayurvedic pharmacies, 22,000 dispensaries, 2,500 hospitals and 4.4 lakh of Ayurveda doctors! At a glance this may be counted as a huge development. But the reality is different. If we take the healthcare industry as a whole, the role of Ayurveda in it is very less. It was not so in centuries back. Ayurveda was the healthcare system of the total society. In that sense, the current status indicates not a growth, but a slight relief from the decline it had faced.

The global scenario

It is just recently that Ayurveda gained global acceptance. And this popularity is not older than two decades. The first official discussion on Ayurveda in a foreign country was held in 1984 in Indonesia. It was a meeting of the world wide traditional medical practitioners. That meeting was focused on studying various traditional medical practices in Asia. And Italy hosted the first such meeting held outside of Asia, in 1985. Representatives from various countries took part in that conference. But most of the participants in that meet were not really aware of Ayurveda and its legacy. But that global meet witnessed the formation of a worldwide holistic society. Several such meets were conducted later in various countries. Altogether, through those conferences Ayurveda got more popularized and a number of doubts regarding the efficacy and genuineness of Ayurveda had been cleared. Till that time, Ayurveda was considered something like a folk medicine. It was not known to much of them that Ayurveda was backed up by a proven, written knowledge store of more than 3000 years. Through those conferences, the Western world was convinced that Ayurvedic wisdom is formed through centuries of research and is being enriched by a number of basic texts and their interpretations. Now no foreigner would dare say that Ayurveda is not a scientific system.

Another such incident which helped to popularise Ayurveda in the West was the well known Alma Ata declaration from Russia. The International Conference on Primary Health Care, held under the auspices of the World Health Organisation, in the declaration, said: “Globally, 80 per cent health care issues are being taken care by the traditional treatment modalities and the modern medicine covers only the remaining 20 percentage’s healthcare requirements. Hence all traditional medical systems should be recognised and supported with due importance.” After the Alma Ata declaration, traditional methods like Ayurveda were entitled as ‘Alternative ‘or ‘Complementary’. All the above said factors helped Ayurveda’s global acceptance today.

Future

In fact, it is not fair to say that Ayurveda has got global acceptance. Most of the foreign countries have not officially recognised Ayurvedic healthcare system. Ayurvedic medicines, mostly, are being exported to other countries in the label of ‘food supplements’. The countries which officially accept Ayurveda as a treatment system are Srilanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, Mauritius, South Africa, Thailand and Pakistan. Ayurvedic centres are functioning as an alternative system in the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Australia, Japan, Holland, Brazil, UAE and Canada. But a number of patients from abroad visit India every year for Ayurvedic treatments. Last year people from around 45 countries had visited Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala, the pioneer in Kerala’s Ayurveda. More than official recognition, their own experience drives western people to seek the help of Ayurveda.

This is quite a favourable and positive development for Ayurveda and its practitioners. Unfortunately, some narrow minded business men are trying to exploit this situation. Massage parlors are sprouting everywhere like mushrooms. It is a must that followers of authentic Ayurveda should be more and more vigilant against these negative minds. It is the only way to protect the purity of this age-old science of natural healing.

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