Ayurveda is a traditional andthe most influential form of medicine native to India originating from itsVedic traditions. It is popularly practiced in many parts of South Asia. Itinvolves treating people with medicinal plants and herbs with bizarre qualitiesto cure their ailments. Ayurvastra is a fabric that is dyed as prescribed inthe Ayurvedic texts, using various natural herbs like neem, tulsi, sida, turmeric,and sandalwood. These fabrics are permeated with therapeutic herbs, andaromatic oils. They posses medicinal properties, and are good for skinproblems, headache, asthma, and many other ailments.
Ayur means life and Vastrameans dress. Fabrics made adopting this process ensure healthy and longer life.Organic cotton yarn, silk, and jute fibres are used in the making of this clothby dying them with herbal dyes prepared from medicinal herbs under a specifictemperature and environment. Regular yarns used for making cloth are infusedwith extracts of medicinal plants and herbs. After cleaning, the raw yarn isinsulated with a natural gum, and is immersed in medicinal dyes made fromindigo, pomegranate, turmeric or other plants. When this fabric is worn in thebody, it increases immunity, and the body reaches a level of mental andphysical equilibrium.
Roots, seeds, flowers, leavesand barks of trees of many rare herbs and plants are used to make the dyes. Wildbasil is used in BP clothes, while extracts of tea leaves or khus is used insun-screen clothes. Mimosa pudica (touch-me-not) is used for treating diabetes,and cumin seeds, champa flower, and hibiscus are combined in herbal dyes. Curryleaves, and apocynceae are used for arthritis and herbs such as neem,sandalwood, and turmeric are used for skin disorders. Only fire wood is usedfor the dyeing purposes. Different firewood is used for different herbs, with acombination of spring water, natural or ground water. Temperature of the dyes,blend of herbs, number of times the cloth is soaked in dyes, and the durationof dyeing differ according to the treatment purpose.
The color of the fabrics isobtained only by the medicinal dyeing and no other artificial or chemicalcolorants are used. This limits the color choice of the buyer, but still its healthbenefits outshine the color preferences. Nature has gifted differentvarieties of herbs in many beautiful shades which can be seen in the dyedfabric. The time span the color remains on the fabric indicates the presence ofmedicinal properties on the fabric.
Skin is the largest organ of thehuman body. As the skin prevents outside substances from entering into thebody, the same way, during some circumstances, it also allows environmentaltoxins and chemicals to penetrate the body. By using this fabric, the bodyloses its toxins and its metabolism is improved. Wearing this fabric duringsleep, meditation, or while at rest enables the user to get maximum benefits.
Ayurvastra has an enormous demand in countries like Saudi Arabia, UK, USA, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, and Japan. Purdahs made of ayurvastra fabric are exported to Saudi Arabia in response to the demand for women from royal family. The technology which is used for making ayurvastra garments are also being applied in the making of coir mats, bed sheets, and carpets made from jute. Attempts are also made to make woolen clothes the same way. As the world becomes increasingly aware of eco-friendly living, this fabric will capture the global textile market.
Despite the fact that these fabrics are gaining popularity in the recent past, in many villages in the Southern part of India, especially in Kerala, herbal dyeing has been followed as a family business for more than 500 years. Fabrics coated with herbal dyes were used by royal families and courtiers. As a handloom craft, the tradition has passed down to the weavers of the succeeding generations. This age old practice emphasizes the importance of an environmentally friendly way of living, and sustaining the world in a virtuous way for the forthcoming generations.
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