How Many Departments Are There In Ayurveda?

Introduction

The world is aware of the term, "Ayurveda", which is a substitute medicine system with its roots in the Indian subcontinent. However, Ayurveda is widely practiced in countries like India and Nepal. Around 80% of people in both these countries make use of the alternative medicine system.

There are various therapies associated with this medicine system which include yoga, meditation, herbal medicines, medical oils, special diets, and many more. Such therapies and medicines have evolved over the years.

To some extent, this medical system is based on the idea that disease is caused by an imbalance or stress in an individual's consciousness. Thus, Ayurveda involves natural therapies as well as promotes some lifestyle interventions to maintain a balance between the mind, body, spirit, and the environment.

With advancements in medical science and the inception of various departments, the department of Ayurveda has witnessed a drastic change in India. In the last few years, students across the country have enrolled their names in various Ayurveda colleges in India. Lately, the country has seen numerous students willing to make a career in the Ayurvedic department.

In this blog, we will discuss the importance of Ayurveda, and the various branches associated with this department.

What is Ayurveda?

The term Ayurveda is generally derived from the Sanskrit words; 'Ayur', meaning life, and 'Veda', meaning science or knowledge. So, Ayurveda translates to knowledge of life. The department of Ayurveda deals with the various concepts of universal interconnectedness. And the body's constitution as well as life's forces are regarded as the primary basis of ayurvedic medicine.

This treatment aims to treat a patient by reducing stress, increasing resistance to disease, eliminating impurities, etc. Moreover, the ancient ayurvedic texts and scriptures also included kidney stone extractions, surgical techniques, rhinoplasty, and similar things.

As per Ayurveda, the human body is usually made up of 'dhatus' (tissues), 'malas' (waste), and 'doshas' (humoral biomaterials). Further, the seven dhatus are known as chyle (rasa), blood (rakta), muscles (māmsa), fat (meda), bone (asthi), marrow (majja), and semen (shukra). According to the classical treatises of Ayurveda, the bodily elements are divided into five classical elements; water, earth, fire, air, and ether. Further, there exist twenty 'guns', which are considered to be inherent in all matter. Perhaps, these are organized in ten pairs such as, cold/hot, dull/sharp, soft/hard, smooth/coarse, heavy/light, unctuous/dry, stable/mobile, non-slimy/slimy, minute/gross, and viscous/liquid.

Branches of Ayurveda

The medical science department is composed of separate branches and departments. Similarly, there are eight developed clinical branches under the department in Ayurveda, popularly known as Kaya Chikitsa, Shalya Tantra, Shalakya Tantra, Kaumarbhritya (Paediatrics and Obstetrics), Agad Tantra (Toxicology), Bhut Vidya (Psychiatry), Rasayan (Rejuvenation Therapy and Geriatrics), and Vajikaran (Sexology, which involve Aphrodisiac for better progeny).

Among them, the renowned 3 branches of Ayurveda are:

Kaya Chikitsa (Medicine)

Kayachikitsa is generally considered the first branch of Ayurveda, which deals with general medicine. Also, Kaya refers to 'Agni' in entire ayurvedic therapeutics and is based on the concept of Agni. Another unique aspect of kaya chikitsa is Rasayana (Rejuvenation) and Vajikaran (Aphrodisiac).

Shalya Tantra (Surgery)

In today's context, this is the most important department of Ayurveda. The Shalya Tantra branch aims at providing training to the students regarding the basics of surgery as well as para-surgical aspects, given in Ayurveda and modern concepts at their level.

Shalakya Tantra (ENT and Ophthalmology)

The Shalakya Tantra branch of Ayurveda is given utmost importance as it deals with diseases related to the eyes, nose, ear, oral cavity, and head. Because of its inclusion of maximum problems and attempts of coming up with possible solutions this branch is regarded as the most popular branch of Ayurveda.

Sri Sai Institute of Ayurvedic Research and Medicine

There are various well-known private universities and colleges located in India. One of them is the "Sri Sai Institute of Ayurvedic Research and Medicine", which was set up in 2017. This institute, however, was approved by the CCIM Govt. of India (AYUSH) and is affiliated with the MP Health Science University.

Since 2017, the institute has been running successfully and has managed to treat different types of ailments till now. Moreover, the hospital is composed of staff having many years of experience, and it also offers a well-equipped 100-bed facility.

Often the institute arranges some educational trips and other programs so that the students can have hands-on experience and a better understanding.

There are some specific criteria and requirements, implemented by the college to get admission to the institute:

To make the institution unique in terms of Ayurveda, the Sri Sai Institute of Ayurvedic Research and Medicine is dedicated to strengthening the learning and research experience. It also focuses on providing appropriate training, which will further help its students in many ways.

Under the guidance of such excellent trainers, the students will be eligible to satisfy the current and future requirements of Ayurvedic fields. For more information, please visit their official website.

Conclusion

Ranging from physical to mental health and well-being, the department of Ayurveda is equally effective and impactful in every aspect. But, still, in some cases, the field of Ayurveda is yet to develop as it lacks proper resources.

Therefore, it is always advisable to visit or reach out to a healthcare provider with substantial conventional medical training and experience in case of emergencies. This is true that the department of Ayurveda can have positive effects when used as a complementary therapy in combination with standard and conventional medical care. Still, it should not replace conventional medical care and standard, while dealing with severe conditions.