2 Athma Kalari therapists giving an oil massage on the wooden treatment table

Kalari Therapies

Kalari and Ayurvedic therapy for pain and injury

Ashan Vipin Das examines you first and then prescribes the treatment. Message us with what is wrong and how long it has been going on, and we will tell you if we can help.

Describe your condition Book a stay

What we treat

Mostly back and neck problems, and old injuries

Ashan Vipin Das has 29 years of Kalari practice. He is a master of Kalari Marma therapy, Kathakali oil massage, Ayurvedic therapy and yoga therapy.

Marma Chikitsa works on the marma, the vital points of the body. The tradition counts 64 of them as important in treatment.

Ashan Vipin Das at the poothara, the stepped shrine in the corner of the kalari

Back and disc

Lower back pain, sciatica, lumbar spondylosis and disc problems.

Neck and cervical

Cervical spondylosis, stiffness and neck pain from desk work.

Muscle and ligament

Tears and strains, and the wear that builds up in athletes and Kalari practitioners.

Joints and bones

Dislocations, sprains, fractures, joint instability and arthritis.

Nerve and trauma

Nerve damage, recovery after an accident, and chronic pain.

Sports injury

Recent injuries, and old ones that never healed properly.

The therapies

12 Kalari treatments

You do not pick from this list. Ashan decides which of these you need after he has examined you.

Uzhichil

Medicated oil massage

Warm medicated oil worked in with the palms or feet in rhythmic strokes, over the marma points. Usually prescribed first, because other treatments work better once the body has loosened.

Used for · Fatigue, body pain, athletes, Kalari practitioners

Marma Chikitsa

Vital point therapy

Precise work on the marma, the points where flesh, vein, bone and joint meet. Kalari masters learned these points for fighting. The same knowledge is used to relieve pain.

Used for · Injury, nerve damage, chronic pain, post-accident care

Kizhi

Herbal poultice therapy

Heated cloth bundles of herbs, powders or medicated rice, tapped over the body. Ela Kizhi uses leaves, Podi Kizhi uses powders, and Njavara Kizhi uses rice cooked in milk and herbs.

Used for · Arthritis, inflammation, joint pain, muscular disorders

Chavitti Uzhichil

Foot pressure massage

The therapist holds an overhead rope and massages with their feet, in long, deep strokes with medicated oil. Kathakali dancers and Kalari students have used it for centuries.

Used for · Musculoskeletal disorders, low energy, exhaustion

Kettu Chikitsa

Bone setting and bandaging

Cotton cloth soaked in medicated oil such as Murivenna is wrapped tightly over the injury, sometimes with splints. It is changed daily while the alignment holds.

Used for · Sprains, fractures, ligament tears, joint instability

Dhara

Continuous oil stream

A steady stream of warm medicated oil or herbal decoction poured over the forehead or body. Shirodhara is given on the forehead, and Kashayadhara uses a decoction in place of oil.

Used for · Insomnia, anxiety, migraine, nervous system disorders

Vasti

Retained oil therapy

A ring of dough is built on the body and filled with warm medicated oil, which is held there for 30 minutes. Kati Vasti is for the lower back, Greeva Vasti for the neck and Urovasti for the chest.

Used for · Lower back pain, cervical stiffness, chest congestion

Pizhichil

Medicated oil bath

Cloths soaked in warm medicated oil are squeezed over the body during the massage, so the oil keeps flowing.

Used for · Vata disorders, stress, joint stiffness, rejuvenation

Nasya

Nasal administration

Medicated oil given through the nose, after the head and shoulders are prepared with massage and steam.

Used for · Sinusitis, headache, neurological conditions

Nadi Swedanam

Localised steam

Medicated steam on 1 area of the body to ease swelling. Often used after a sprain, and often given with Kizhi.

Used for · Stiffness, post-sprain swelling, muscle fatigue

Traction

Manual spinal alignment

Hands-on decompression and realignment of the spine, after the muscles around it have been softened with oil. Prescribed sparingly and never as a first step.

Used for · Disc compression, postural misalignment

Shiro Abhyangam

Head and neck massage

Warm herbal oil worked into the scalp and neck with Kalari technique. It is a short treatment.

Used for · Headache, mental fatigue, insomnia, hair loss

How treatment works

How a course of treatment runs

01

Consultation

Ashan Vipin Das examines you, takes your history and reads your pulse. Nothing is prescribed before this.
02

Preparation

Most treatments begin with oil and heat, so the tissue is soft and deeper work can be done safely.
03

Treatment

You come for your therapies every day, usually for a week or more.
04

Aftercare

Before you go home, we give you advice on diet and routine, and a few simple Kalari practices to keep up.

Describe your condition Book a stay

Warm medicated oil poured in a thin stream over the forehead during Dhara at Athma Kalari

Before you come

Common questions

Tell us what is wrong and for how long. We usually reply the same day.

No. Most people who come for treatment have never trained.

It depends on the condition. A tired body might need 3 days. A disc problem or an old sports injury usually needs 7 to 21 days of daily treatment. Ashan will tell you at the consultation.

Therapies are prescribed after an examination, so the cost depends on your plan. Rejuvenation packages have fixed prices. For a specific condition, message us and we will tell you the cost.

Uzhichil and Kizhi are firm but not painful. Bone setting and traction can be uncomfortable for a moment. We always tell you beforehand what a treatment will feel like.

Sometimes you can, and sometimes it is better to rest. If you are on a residential program and taking treatment as well, Ashan will tell you how much to train.

Many people come to us after other treatment has not helped, especially with spine and cervical problems. We will tell you when something is outside what we can help with. Kalari Chikitsa is not a replacement for emergency or surgical medicine.

Yes. Female therapists treat women.

We do not give refunds. Anything you have paid and not used stays with us as credit, and you can use it on a future visit.

Other treatments

Prices in

Kalari Rejuvenation

Packages of 3, 7 or 10 days for when you are tired but have no specific complaint.

From ₹6,900

Treatment with training

3-, 5- and 7-day therapy packages to take alongside a residential Kalaripayattu program.

From ₹6,800