215 research outputs found
Aghoreshwar Bhagawan Ram and the Aghor Tradition
Aghoreshwar Mahaprabhu Baba Bhagawan Ram Ji, a well-established saint of the holy city of Varanasi in north India, initiated many changes into the erstwhile Aghor tradition of ascetics in India. This tradition is regarded as an ancient system of spiritual or mystical knowledge by its practitioners and at least some of the practices followed in this tradition can certainly be traced back at least to the time of the Buddha. Over the course of the centuries practitioners of this tradition have interacted with groups of other mystical traditions, exchanging ideas and practices so that both parties in the exchange appear to have been influenced by the other. Naturally, such an interaction between groups can lead to difficulty in determining a clear course of development of the tradition. In this dissertation I bring together micro-history, hagiography, folklore, religious and comparative studies together in an attempt to understand how this modern day religious-spiritual tradition has been shaped by the past and the role religion has to play in modern life, if only with reference to a single case study.
My study is about Aghoreshwar Bhagawan Ram Ji\u27s life, a biography gleaned from books published by the society he established, but given flesh, blood and continuity by the stories narrated to me during fieldwork, and by comparative analysis with practices found in other long-standing traditions of spirituality in India. It is also about his viewpoints on the nature and subject of worship, humanism, nationalism, universalism, and an astute manner of communicating ideas with efficacy. Such a study not only illuminates the rigors of the life of an Aughaá¹› ascetic, but also gives new insight into the workings of this tradition, as well as into what being a monk or a saint means to followers of this tradition in this age of modernity
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Interest in Naturopathy - Part 3
Mr. Dharampal Arora talks about his interest in naturopathy.Asian StudiesHindi Urdu FlagshipSouth Asia Institut
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Reasons for Preferring Ayurveda
South Asia in general, and India specifically, are regions with immense diversity in culture and language. Because of this conversations about medicine between doctors and patients takes different forms from one region to another. This is especially true when we look at urban, suburban and rural doctor-patient interactions. Added to these is the element of gender. Owing to the somewhat conservative worldview of gender interactions, even doctor-patients conversations might become colored by it. The clips in this section show variations of patterns of conversation in the practice of conventional medicine.Asian StudiesHindi Urdu FlagshipSouth Asia Institut
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Traditional Family History & Training - Part 1
While Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine, training for it involves many years of study as well as apprenticeship. The apprenticeship could run in the family, as from father to son, or in a more formal setting, as with an acclaimed teacher. This apprenticeship could go on for decades, or till such time that the teacher felt confident in the abilities of his student. In modern times, universities and colleges in India have instituted formal certificates, diplomas and degrees in this traditional art and science of medicine. These formal degrees can range from one to three years. They may also include curriculum on modern forms of medicine to fill the gaps that traditional medicine may have. Presented here are narratives of how long it takes to become good in Ayurvedic practice.Asian StudiesSouth Asia InstituteHindi Urdu Flagshi
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Ayurvedic Treatment & Nutrition
Diagnosis in Ayurveda is based on the ancient conception of ailments in the body generated by three primary kinds of elemental humours: those that accrue from kapha (phlegm), those that are generated by pitta (bile) and, those that result from imbalance of the vata (air). The primary cause of an ailment in the body is regarded as an imbalance between these three fundamental elements. Diagnosis, again, involves three kinds of preliminary tests: by examining the pulse, by looking at the physical features of the patient, and by asking pertinent questions to the patient. While this may sound fairly simple, the exact method of examining the pulse, for example, comes from a long period of experience. Similarly, drawing conclusions from the physical appearance of the patient requires a lot of knowledge and experience. These video clips throw some light on how Ayurvedic doctors use this knowledge for patient treatment.Asian StudiesHindi Urdu FlagshipSouth Asia Institut
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Faith & Disease
Unani (also spelt Yunani) refers to the tradition of Graeco-Arabic medicine. Like Ayurveda, this also a comprehensive tradition of medicine that goes back of Hippocrates, but owes a lot to the wisdom and experience of Arabic and Persian physicians. India remains one of the most prominent countries encouraging research and education in the field of Unani medicine. Listening to the Unani video clips will make the students aware of not only the concepts used in Unani medicine, but also the integral role of faith in healing.Asian StudiesSouth Asia InstituteHindi Urdu Flagshi
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Faith in Unani
Unani (also spelt Yunani) refers to the tradition of Graeco-Arabic medicine. Like Ayurveda, this also a comprehensive tradition of medicine that goes back of Hippocrates, but owes a lot to the wisdom and experience of Arabic and Persian physicians. India remains one of the most prominent countries encouraging research and education in the field of Unani medicine. Listening to the Unani video clips will make the students aware of not only the concepts used in Unani medicine, but also the integral role of faith in healing.Asian StudiesSouth Asia InstituteHindi Urdu Flagshi
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Comparing Ayurveda & Conventional Medicine
South Asia in general, and India specifically, are regions with immense diversity in culture and language. Because of this conversations about medicine between doctors and patients takes different forms from one region to another. This is especially true when we look at urban, suburban and rural doctor-patient interactions. Added to these is the element of gender. Owing to the somewhat conservative worldview of gender interactions, even doctor-patients conversations might become colored by it. The clips in this section show variations of patterns of conversation in the practice of conventional medicine.Asian StudiesHindi Urdu FlagshipSouth Asia Institut
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Unga Method of Use
Description of the preparation of uses of the Unga plant. Herbs like Amla, Black Dhatura, Karanj, Unga etc. are basic herbs used in Ayurveda for treating numerous ailments. There is a well prescribed process of preparing herbs for medicinal purposes. This process may include cutting, chopping, peeling, drying, leaching and mixing with other herbs before they can be used for treatment. The Ayurvedic doctor has to be very familiar with these processes to prepare the right kind of herbal medicine. Various parts of the same plant may require collection and preparation at different periods of time. The knowledge of this process of medicine preparation can be passed on from father to son, or taught in a formal course of study. Here are vignettes of how some of these are prepared for medicinal use.xAsian StudiesSouth Asia InstituteHindi Urdu Flagshi
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