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| Harivihar |
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| Dr. Srikumar and his wife Dr. Neetha, hosts of the Harivihar |
The place is hushed, footfalls fall softly on the ancient, cool floor.
The rooms are cool and dark with windows framed in dark wood.
Those who come from far and wide, seeking ayurvedic cures for their maladies, find solace in Harivihar, once a kovilakam—a feudal house in which the royal mistresses of Kerala lived—situated in Calicut. The 160-yearold Harivihar is an example of a growing trend in Kerala—palaces disowned by impoverished or disinterested nobility being passed on to new owners who turn them into pricey ayurvedic centres, attracting foreign clients and wealthy Indians.
Harivihar, once the ancestral home of the Kadathanad royals, is now one of the leading Ayurveda, Panchakarma and Yoga centres in North Kerala. The mansion now belongs to the ayurvedic doctors, Srikumar and wife Neetha, whose grandfather had bought it from the family in the 1950s. Situated in Bilathikulam, Calicut, and built in the typical Malayalee architectural style, Harivihar Heritage Homestead offers authentic ayurvedic treatments and a unique experience of pristine living in a heritage homestead set among ancient trees and undulating, landscaped lawns.
The rooms are cool and dark with windows framed in dark wood.
Those who come from far and wide, seeking ayurvedic cures for their maladies, find solace in Harivihar, once a kovilakam—a feudal house in which the royal mistresses of Kerala lived—situated in Calicut. The 160-yearold Harivihar is an example of a growing trend in Kerala—palaces disowned by impoverished or disinterested nobility being passed on to new owners who turn them into pricey ayurvedic centres, attracting foreign clients and wealthy Indians.
Harivihar, once the ancestral home of the Kadathanad royals, is now one of the leading Ayurveda, Panchakarma and Yoga centres in North Kerala. The mansion now belongs to the ayurvedic doctors, Srikumar and wife Neetha, whose grandfather had bought it from the family in the 1950s. Situated in Bilathikulam, Calicut, and built in the typical Malayalee architectural style, Harivihar Heritage Homestead offers authentic ayurvedic treatments and a unique experience of pristine living in a heritage homestead set among ancient trees and undulating, landscaped lawns.
The corridors flanked by aged teak pillars are shady and pleasant for the convalescent to stroll along; the large pond at the rear of the palace with dark, stone steps leading down is an ideal spot for reflection.
“We have been getting good response from people across the world. Every season, guests from Europe arrive through tour operators such as Thomas Cook, Kuoni and Le Passage,’’ says Srikumar.
“We have been getting good response from people across the world. Every season, guests from Europe arrive through tour operators such as Thomas Cook, Kuoni and Le Passage,’’ says Srikumar.
Harivihar’s expert ayurvedic physicians suggest treatments like Shiro Dhara, Kizhi, Shirovasti, Pizhichil or Njavarakizhi according to each patient’s need. A complete package of medicine, food and culture is calculated to attract the seeker of exotica—yoga, discourses on the Vedas and Indian mythology as well as performances of traditional art forms like Kathakali.
The food at Harivihar is vegetarian; elaborate and cooked according to prescribed ayurvedic methods, abjuring strong spices, thus retaining the natural flavours of the ingredients. Guests are also treated to cooking demonstrations.
The royals of Rajasthan are known to have turned their palaces into thriving hotels. Those of Kerala seem to prefer the calmer nuances of ayurveda.
(The New Indian Express, Sunday Magazine)
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