Poonthottam Ayurvedasram was founded by Vaidya P.M.S. Raveendranath, fondly known as Vaidya Ravi. It is currently managed by Mr. Jishnu Raveendranath, son of Vaidya Ravi. Vaidya Ravi was born in July 1965, to a Namboothiri family from central Kerala. His immense Ayurveda expertise was cultivated by his father, a renowned Sanskrit teacher, belonging to a family where Ayurveda was an integral part of their lifestyle. Vaidya Ravi was taught Sanskrit from his early childhood. He gradually became proficient in Ayurveda as well.
In the year 1980, he started his Ayurvedic studies at the Ayurveda College, Pathanjalipuri in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, which adopted a "Gurukula" method of imparting education (a method in which the disciple stays with the teacher and learns from him). This was a formal graduate course in Ayurveda with a duration of about 8 years. Apart from Ayurveda, the students were taught other related subjects like Yoga, Kalari and Indian philosophy (Darsanas). There was a special emphasis given to fluency in Sanskrit. With his brilliance and diligence, Vaidya Ravi gained a strong foothold in Ayurveda and other related disciplines.
During the later part of his education, for acquiring skills for clinical practice, Vaidya Ravi stayed with his guru Sri. Vaidyamatham Valiya Narayanan Namboothiri, a highly reputed physician of Kerala belonging to the Ashta Vaidya tradition. People belonging to the Vaidyamatham family are physicians who are entitled to enter the Vedic sacrifice/ritual premises (popularly known as Shalavaidyas) in Kerala. The Vaidyamatham family does prayer rituals or upasana of Dakshinamoorthy.
Vaidyamatham Valiya Narayanan Namboothiri was born in 1910 and had a long career of Ayurvedic practice till 1988. He was known as "Vaidyashastra Mahodadhi", a title given to him by the chief of Kanchi Kamakoti Math of Sankaracharya, Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati Swamigal. Vaidya Ravi stayed with his guru for three years and learned practical skills of Ashta Vaidya and particularly the Vaidyamatham tradition.
After his guru's demise Vaidya Ravi started the centre "Poonthottam Ayurvedasram", named after his family, in 1989. He aimed to develop a centre for Ayurvedic treatment procedures. He believed that treatment methods like Zodhana (elimination) and Rasaayana (rejuvenation) did not get enough attention and could not be done in outpatient clinics or at home.
Vaidya Ravi intended to create a centre, which is self-reliant for practice, research and training in Ayurveda. His steady and sustained efforts in this direction finally bore fruit. Through the establishment of this centre, he proved that dedication and hard work could benefit any sincere aspiration. He has also been training budding doctors of Ayurveda in all clinical and theoretical aspects, to mould them from a doctor into a Vaidya. Almost 150 doctors have trained under him till date. He also heads the manufacturing unit of Poonthottam Ayurvedasram which had been the source of medicine for the hospital right from the beginning. Various research activities are being held under his guidance in that aspect as well.
Each generation brings with it new medical technology and pathological circumstances to prevent or cure. Vaidya Ravi and his team of vaidyas recognize these benefits and changes, and have founded a more intricate and evolved form of Ayurveda, which involves the combined use of high-grade medical technology to diagnose and treat a patient, along with our traditionally grounded methods.
Introduction of new departments, like Ayurvedic and Tantric Psychology, Ano-Rectal Clinic, Feminine Health Clinic, etc. are just some of our newer advancements. The advancement in the field of medicine manufacturing has aided us in the betterment of the efficiency of the unit and also to standardise the quality of medicines manufactured. We maintain utmost care and commitment with regards to sustaining and increasing the quality of the services we have been providing.
Poonthottam School of Ayurveda aims at bringing a newer method of teaching where the essence is not lost during the process. The ideology is to combine the age-old ayurvedic system with modern technological advancements in the field of information, using artificial intelligence to form a newer hybrid system. Thus, the evolved Ayurveda system will be made more accessible and relatable to the current generation of students. We will also be applying this form of advancement in the field of research, to aid more discoveries in Ayurveda.
Using his 32 years of clinical expertise, Vaidya Ravi and his associates aim to create an Ayurveda school that employs a unique pedagogy. And most importantly, they venture to be the first to enhance Ayurveda and establish a more powerful form of Ayurvedic healing.
To create a self sustainable ayurvedic center for healing along with education research and development.
To manufacture all the medicines needed for the treatment of in-patient and out- patient.
To provide professional training for young ayurveda doctors and therapists
To educate the public about wellness, yoga, diet and using Ayurveda in the initial stages of illness
Poonthottam Ayurvedasram caters to patients from very low economic backgrounds to those who can afford a little luxury. We have opened clinics and pharmacy outlets that are our direct branches in various parts of the state as a starting step to reaching out to the society and providing them with the care and healing they deserve. We are also holding public events like seminars and educational programs within different communities to create awareness about the significance and effectiveness of the Ayurvedic way of healing.
One of our aims is to support economically disadvantaged people living in the surrounding villages by helping them establish a livelihood using Ayurveda. The Swasty Ayurveda Trust was set up for this mission and also provides deserving candidates free medicines and treatments at the Ayurvedasram. Please support this cause by making your contributions to the trust. The collective contributions will be shared directly with the needy. Please give your contributions to the chief physician directly or send it to the Bank account of Swasty Ayurvedic Trust.
We have also established Swasty Farms to create a space where all living beings co-live, uplifting the current positive energy that surrounds us, which is better for healing. This is a lifetime vision that will be commissioned over the course of time during the development of this institution.
"To create an ecosystem where we co-live with other beings and utilise each other on various other purposes and become self reliant is one of my vision for this place" - Jishnu Raveendranath, C.E.O.