When we look at the market penetration of several herbs (botanicals) such Calendula, Lavender, Jojoba, Tea tree, Chamomile, Geranium, Avocado, Rosemary etc., and their global acceptance both by personal care and Toiletry industry and the customers certainly raise our eye brows as why we could not position AYUSH which enjoys the legacy and tradition of over 5000 years.
The global recognition of most the above listed plants cannot be more than 100 years. The question is when Avocado or Geranium can acclaim such glory and acceptance of the international community why the same position AYUSH could not enjoy? Unless we try to understand the above question sincerely and systematically, answer to the above shall remain elusive. Whether we create a separate Ministry of AYUSH or Ministries separately for Siddha, Ayurveda etc., still the system shall remain as a candle inside a pot.
There are several of our approaches and strategies in handling AYUSH had gone flop and turned topsy-turvy purely because the components called merit, emotion and reality we did not separate while promoting AYUSH. Those who engage in marketing all those herbal derivatives such as Jojoba, Chamomile, Calendula, Rosemary etc., used science and offered only certain possible benefits but we promoted the tradition, legacy, our emotional and religious attachments also while projecting AYUSH and tried to convince AYUSH as a proven medical science, its products, drugs and can cure the disease totally and completely.
When we associate our mind and thoughts towards certain possibility, scientific proof and reasonable substantiation for the possibility are enough to convince. People always associate possibility either negatively and positivity only directionally and not out of total conviction.
The personal care products people use more due to their emotional reasons than due to medical reasons. Therefore science to support the possible belief system is sufficient to convince and convert the believer towards personal care products. In other words, reality, science and possibility all were kept on parallel line while promoting and popularizing all the botanicals by the personal care and toiletry industry across the world.
Whereas we always try to promote and popularise AYUSH as an absolute answer, a proven medical science, its products are drugs, the diagnostic methods of AYUSH such as Vata, Pita, Kapha are unchallengeable medical gospel etc. Although no such written approach has been taken by the Government to promote and popularize AYUSH but the oral promotion of AYUSH was always on tall claims, greater extent on falsehood, incredible promise and total cure.
In simple sense, reality, possibility and promise were never on parallel track when we promote AYUSH. The promise given or advertised was always impossible, the reality was totally different and therefore the expectation of people was not mere possibility but definite answer or solution. The world was therefore forced to look at AYUSH only through the optics of modern science when AYUSH was promoted as medical science and its products as proven drugs. Such scrutiny had in fact defeated AYUSH mercilessly because AYUSH is pro-health and post disease management practice. In definition, AYUSH is an excellent paramedical scheme meant more for wellness, body-mind balance and to heal pseudo-medical or hypochondriac problems.
AYUSH is a practice that bridged man with certain self-discipline and spirituality to deal several medical complications which were not known or defined in ancient days. The humanity of today need AYUSH greatly because AYUSH has answers for many body and mind related anxieties and apprehensions.
When people all over the world spent millions and millions of money just to fulfill the emotional and beauty needs thorough several personal care and toiletry products with wide range of botanicals and lay supine the faith in all such products, AYUSH in fact should have mesmerized and numbed the emotional and pseudo medical needs of people more effectively than those botanicals but unfortunately we have promoted AYUSH more as medical science and its products as drugs.
If we have associated the benefits of AYUSH as a possibility and probability than as definite preposition and certainty, we could have easily amassed the faith and acceptance of global community towards AYUSH. All those who visit Kerala; Kumarakom Kottakkal Arya Vidya Sala are mostly for massage therapy, mind therapy, resort life in serenity and peace, backwater boating, absolute rest for mind and body.
If Ministry of AYUSH ever recognize the merit and limitations of AYUSH, differentiate what is possible and reasonable than what is promised and boldly define AYUSH as paramedical wellness based practice, certainly we can bring AYUSH to the centre stage among global community. AYUSH can reasonably fulfill both emotional, mind and physical needs of everyone.
Cross pathy by several AYUSH vaidyas in private practice is also equally affecting he credibility and reputation of AYUSH because many patients as a result of cross pathy doubt the effectiveness of AYUSH products and thus the institutionally qualified AYUSH vaidyas in private practice are going after allopathic drugs than AYUSH products. Siddha system in Tamil Nadu has been hampered by cross pathy by some Siddha vaidyas in private practice. If the Ministry of AYUSH address all the above issues and bring a clear strategy by defining AYUSH as paramedical practice, certainly we can earn great reputation, recognition and acceptance for AYUSH.
