南印度十六天﹝十九﹞/阿育吠陀/ 16 Days in South India (19)/ Ayurveda

每天游走不同地方，當然也有疲累的時候。疲累時，總想到按摩。在這次16天的旅程中，做了四次按摩，其中一次在斯里蘭卡做。
與中醫有點相似，按摩都是古老醫學哲學中的一部份。印度的傳統醫學，叫阿育吠陀，有六千年歷史。據了解，阿育吠陀的發源地便是喀拉拉邦。
按摩的時候，師傅會把用多種植物提煉的油塗上顧客身上再按摩。與中式推拿不一樣，按摩的力度不會太大，師傅一般都很柔。與深圳的玩樂式按摩不同的是，印度的按摩一般都是一小時。我除了按摩之外，還做了植物油蒸汽浴，簡單來說，就是排毒。做完一系列的療程後，身心真的放鬆了，效果比深圳三小時好。
除了喀拉拉邦外，印度各地也有類似的服務場所。除了是一小時的按摩外，大多數場所也提供為期數天的療程，當中的服務包括按摩及食療等。他們也教授瑜珈。我做的一小時按摩加十五分鐘蒸汽浴，最貴的要Rs1,300﹝HK$260﹞。
而斯里蘭卡的按摩也是一小時，收費為斯里蘭卡盧比2,200﹝包小費﹞，即港幣157元。按摩的手法比較像中式，有一點力度。
在此要提及一下，按摩時顧客是全裸或幾近全裸﹝最多是以一塊兜擋布遮掩敏感部位﹞。師傅觸及幾乎全身每寸皮膚，有時甚至是兩個師傅一起進行治療。因此，我可以理解為何在印度男性只會由男按摩師傅治療，而不像深圳的水療中心，顧客可以看技師照片及點女技師服務。
而所謂阿育吠陀，就是指生命的科學，其理念與中醫有點相似。
這學說認為世上萬物由五種要素組成。這五種要素包括土、空氣、風﹝是萬物活動的原則，負責人的神經反應、呼吸及循環系統等﹞、火﹝新陳代謝、胃口、物質的轉化及保持適當體溫﹞及水﹝保護人的身體﹞。
當五種要素的平衡失去時，毛病便出現。而治療就是要把恢復平衡。詳細資料可看這裡。
在香港，也有場所提供這種服務，詳情可看這裡。

Walking to and visiting different places is exhausting sometimes. I will always think of massage whenever I am tired. I have tried four massages, one in Sri Lanka, during this 16-day trip.
Similar to Chinese medicine, massage in India is part of a ancient medical philosophy. The traditional medicine of India is called Ayurveda, which means the knowledge of life. It has a history of 6,000 years and it is believed to be originated from Kerala. For details of Ayurveda, please click here.
The masseurs will pour the oil extracted from different plants to the patient to restore the balance of the five elements that made up the body. The massage is not as forceful as the Chinese way. The massage will only last for one hour, unlike what we have enjoyed from the entertainment massage in Shenzhen.
Apart from massage, I have also done herbal steam bath. Put it in a simple way, it is a kind of purification. I am really relaxed after having the treatment, which is much more effective than the three-hour enjoyment in Shenzhen.
Not only in Kerala, other Indian cities also have Ayurveda centres. Apart from one-hour massage, most of these centres also provide days long treatment, which include massage and diet therapy. They also have yoga classes. The most expensive one-hour massage and a 15-minute steam bath I have enjoyed cost Rs1,300 (HK$260).
Massage in Sri Lanka also lasts for one hour, and it cost LR2,200 (including tips), which is about HK$157. The massage is more forceful than it is in India, and more like the Chinese way.
Perhaps I have to mention that the patients are naked or almost naked during the treatment. A little piece of cloth covering the sensitive part of the body is the only thing the patients need. The masseurs touch almost every inch of our skin, and sometimes two masseurs are treating one patient. I can understand that why, in India, men patients are only treated by men, which is contradictory to Shenzhen that customers can choose masseuses and look at their pictures.
Ayurvedic treatment can be enjoyed in Hong Kong. Details.