A Concise Introduction to Indian Medicine

"Prof. Dr. Kulkarni is well known Ayurvedic Physician. Research Guide in Ayurveda, University of Pune. Founder Director, Institute of Indian medicine/Ayurveda Academy. Editor of seven Medical Journals including ' Deerghayu International'. Author of Twelve books related to Ayurveda. Worked as Patron, President, Secretary, Treasurer of many Ayurvedic, Medical and Social Organisations at national and international level. Dr. Kulkarni has established Ayurvedic Centers in many countries of the world and traveled extensively for propogation, education and research in Ayurveda. Prof. Kulkarni is receipient of many national and international awards including Pax Mundi Fellowship (Dag Hammarkjold Awards Committee) for Professional Excellence."

Plants personify the divine — The Rig Veda (X.97) Trees and plants have long been held sacred to communities the world over. In India, we have a whole variety of flora that feature in our myths, our epics, our rituals, our worship and our daily life. There is the pipal, under which the Buddha meditated on the path to enlightenment; the banyan, in whose branches hide spirits; the ashoka, in a grove of which Sita sheltered when she was Ravana’s prisoner; the tulsi, without which no Hindu house is considered complete; the bilva, with whose leaves it is possible to inadvertently worship Shiva. Before temples were constructed, trees were open-air shrines sheltering the deity, and many were symbolic of the Buddha himself. Sacred Plants of India systematically lays out the sociocultural roots of the various plants found in the Indian subcontinent, while also asserting their ecological importance to our survival. Informative, thought-provoking and meticulously researched, this book draws on mythology and botany and the ancient religious traditions of India to assemble a detailed and fascinating account of India’s flora.

This first-ever comprehensive guide to regional food across India takes you on a mouth-watering journey through the homes, streets and restaurants of each state, exploring exotic and everyday fare in equal measure. Be it the lime-laced Moplah biryani, the Goan Galinha cafreal, the bhang ka raita of Uttarakhand, or the Singpho people’s Wu san tikye, India’s rich palette of flavours is sure to drum up an insatiable appetite in you. Laden with historical information, cultural insights and personalized recommendations, The Penguin Food Guide to India is your ideal companion to the delightful world of Indian cuisine.

The present publication, `Essentials of Ayurveda`, is significant in the sense that it contains the essence of all the sixteen specialities of Ayurveda by which one could get working knowledge of Ayurveda as a whole. The book, in a sense, is the first representative work of the present age composed in traditional scholarly style. The English translation by the author himself has enhanced its value for the readers. The present work will prove useful not only for teachers and students but also for all those who want to be acquainted with principles and practice of Ayurveda easily.

This text book incorporates 27 chapters framed strictly as per most recent UG and PG syllabus of Rasashashtra outlined by CCIM. The chapters, its concepts and the formulations dealt here are earnestly motivated by; ‘scientific approach’, ‘rationality’, ‘practical applicability’, ‘present day utility’, ‘feasibility’ and their ‘worthiness in the field of treatment’.

More than one method of purification and incineration of ‘Rasadravya’ are intentionally explained in the book to make the students understand the rationality behind each method. UG students may choose the easiest method advised by their learned teachers. However, for PG scholars it is better if they meticulously go through all the explained methods to evaluate, compare, and understand the rationality.

It is appealed to the readers of this text to think over the explained concepts with an open and unconventional mindset.

Hope this book will be useful to everyone in the field of Ayurveda, especially to the under graduates, the postgraduates and the students appearing for PG entrance examination.



About The Author

Dr. Ravindra Angadi works as Associate Professor and recognized PG guide in Post Graduate department of Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana at SDM College of Ayurveda, Kuthpady, Udupi, Karnataka since 2003.

In earlier books: A Textbook of Bhaishajya Kalpana (as per CCIM’s new UG and PG Syllabus) and Vaidyaka Paribhasha Pradip both published by Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan Varanasi are widely appreciated and blessed by seniors in the field; and are gladly accepted by the student fraternity of Ayurveda.