VASUDEVA VILASAM
Our History
The 5000 year old system of natural healing, Ayurveda has its origins in the Vedic Culture of India. Ayurveda has been enjoying a major resurgence in both in India and throughout the world. The word Ayurveda is Sanskrit, आयुर्वेद meaning science of life. Today, Ayurveda is lauded the world over as a holistic health science and way of life, which soothes the body, mind and soul.
Ayurveda is originated from Kerala, one of the southern states of India. It is known as God’s Own Country. According to Hindu mythology, Kerala was created by Lord Parashuram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu by throwing his axe across the sea to create new land for his devotees to live peacefully. Parashuram brought 64 brahmin families along with him. Out of the 64 families, 18 families were imparted the knowledge of ayurveda, known as Ashtavaidyas. Among the healers of Kerala, the Ashtavaidyas represent the Brahmin physicians who were masters of the eight branches (Ashtanga) of Ayurveda mentioned in classical texts. Each Ashtavaidya family developed its own therapeutic specialties and its specific methods of transmission.
Our founder, Vaidyan Sri N Vasudevan Unni was the Palace Physican of the Travancore Kingdom. When John Henry Garstin, the Private Secretary to Lord Napier (Governor of Madras Presidency) was visiting the ruler of Travancore in the late 1800’s, His Highness Sree Moolam Thirunal Maharaja, he was suffering intensely from diabetic blisters.
The Diwan of Travancore, Sri T Rama Rao, advised he undergo treatment from one of the bright young palace physicians, the Kottaram Vaidyan, Sri Vasudevan Unni. Mr. Garstin was impressed with Sri Unni and recommended to the Governor to start an Ayurveda Patashala. It was set up at the Kashayapura (Ayurveda Manufacturing area) of the Travancore Palace and our founder, Sri N Vasudevan Unni was appointed as the superintendent and Head Physician of the first Ayurveda Patashala.
Upon his death his nephew, Sri N Subramanian Unni, who studied under the patronage of Dhanwanthridas C Moos of Oleesa, one of the Ashtavaidyas, renamed the Vaidyasala to Vasudeva Vilasam AryaVaidyasala in his honor. The patashala was taken over by the government and is the current Govt. Ayurveda College of Trivandrum.
We shall mention that we had established a Health Ayurvedic Resort resort in Trivandrum and the resort was handed over by Fuse Media.