‘Ayurvedic’ burqas a rage in Saudi Arabia

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`Ayurvedic' burqas a rage in Saudi Arabia

 

Age-old Hindu wisdom is now dressing up women in Islamic Saudi Arabia.

Burqas made the Ayurvedic way are the latest export from

Balaramapuram, a tiny village on the city outskirts made famous by its

handloom weavers whose struggle for survival has led to rediscovery of

the ancient art of weaving organic clothes.

 

" In Ayurveda, these fabrics are called Ayurvastra. Only

natural cotton and colouring is used so that they are free of toxic

irritants. These are also treated with medicinal herbs as prescribed

by Ayurvedic texts to improve the healing value, " says Rajan, whose

family has been in the trade for 600 years. " In the past few months,

we exported about 4,000 burquas to Saudi Arabia, " he says. " But the

demand by Ayurvastra doesn't stop there. Last year, our Handloom

Weavers Co-operative Society exported clothes worth Rs. 2 crore to the

US, UK, France, Mexico, Saudi Africa and Japan. "

 

Does Ayurvastra really heal? Clinical trials at the

Government Ayurveda College Hospital here showed that the fabric was

quite effective, especially in cases of skin ailments and arthritis.

As part of the test, patients were constantly exposed to Ayurvedic

herbs through Ayurvastra for 30 days.

 

Even the curtains in the room, linen and mattresses, says

Rajan, were made as prescribed in the ancient Indian treaties, Charaka

Samhita.

 

November 2007, Bharatiya pragna

 

by K.Michael Ferranti at www.gothamayurveda.com