It was a happy chance that I landed up in Santulan Ayurveda centre near Lonavala last week. While discussing need for a detox process for a relative of mine my friend Chandrakant Joshi told me about Dr. Balaji Tambe. He told me so many things about his dedication to Ayurveda, his knowledge of Vedas and purity of processes he strictly follows to manufacture Ayurvedic medicines that my curiosity was aroused to the extent that I decided to visit his facilities just 90 km from Mumbai.
I was taken aback that I had not heard of this scholar though I live virtually in next door town and have passed by Lonavala umpteen times while going to Pune. I recalled that I had glanced through his book on ‘Garbh Sanskar’ in Marathi some months back. I requested Chandrakant to get me an appointment. It was gracious of Dr. Tambe to cancel his Pune programme to have a chat with me.
Monsoons convert most of Maharashtra into a verdant heavenly land. Driving through incessant rains, gurgling streams and watching waterfalls I reached his facility opposite ancient Karla caves to be welcomed by most enthusiastic and warm hearted team of his doctors - Dr. Namita, Dr. Bhagyashree and Dr. Guruprasad. After enjoying their wonderful fresh breakfast we met Dr. Tambe, an 80 plus sprightly gentleman with radiant face that didn’t look 80 at all. He took us around the campus of Santulan spread in 16 acres that he has built brick by brick in stages, without any government support, or recognition or drive for outside donations.
This campus is built from income generated from the facility and help of a few well-wishers. Though many VIPs have taken treatment from him, he has never publicised those names, nor exploited his proximity to those VIPs. Therein lays his greatness.
Tambe ji gave us some deep insights into basic principles of Panchkarma, that is, purification of body before any serious Ayurvedic treatment can be given to solve a patient’s illness. How, Panchkarma itself is such a wonderful detox (tissue cleaning) process that major problems of the patient are resolved anyways.
He explained the process of cleansing of the body, meditation for the soul and curing various illnesses by treating them holistically. Though a strict follower of Ayurveda without a single deviation from what is written in 5000 year old texts, he welcomes technology and its use in better diagnosis. He follows GMP norms and is training next generation of practitioners. He makes no false claims and shares his experience that not all illnesses have yet been cured by Ayurvedic treatment; most of the illnesses are cured, including some chronic ones. He has used modernised the packaging and presentation without compromising on any principles. He has also created some formulations of his own.
He told us that his father was a Shastri (Vedic and Sanskrit scholar) who had all the mantras of Rig Veda memorised by heart and had many Ayurvedic vaidyas as friends had put him through the grind of learning all four Vedas and Ayurveda. By the time Dr. Balaji had become an adult he was already an expert of Ayurveda with the help of other Ayurveda practitioners in his neighbourhood in Vadodara and he continues learning till today from senior Ayurveda experts. While he was busy learning Aryurveda and making medicines, a senior lawyer in the neighbourhood asked him to do his engineering as there was not much scope to support his family in Ayurveda. So, he joined engineering, began studying it and told his father about it only 6 months later. Thus, he finished his Diploma and later on Degree in engineering too.
Sometime in 1975 he decided to set up a proper Ayurveda facility and zeroed in onto Lonavala. For him there are no shortcuts and no special ad-hoc appointments. All patients, rich or poor have same priority. His name has grown purely on word of mouth. His practice began in MTDC resort that was hardly in use, and he took the many bungalows on hire. This is from where his practice began. He began his own Ayurveda set up next door buying a small piece of land in 1982. This is the place that has grown into a wonderful oasis of good health.
His urge to spread the good word took him to Germany where his lectures drew huge crowds and got him disciples. Now, he has a full-fledged Yoga centre in Frankfurt and Ayurveda medicine’s day centre in Munich with a full-fledged Santulan Panchakarma Centre at Gleichen, near Stuttgart. He is a ‘nadi vigyan’ expert (reading the health by sensing the pulse). He set up a stall for the government at his own cost for a week in Germany during the Expo 2000 exhibition in Hannover, where the Santulan project ‘Pran’ got awarded as the best model for future community living. There are many such fascinating stories. Now he goes all over the world to give lecture on Yoga and Ayurveda.
Such is the devotion of his disciples that many a foreigners have settled in this facility to work for him. It would be fascinating for the readers to know that a few have given up their European citizenship for Indian passports!
He has published several books. The most referred to in Maharashtra is ‘Garbh Samskar’ – that is how to have a healthy baby by following principles of Ayurveda for food and exercise etc. I was fortunate to receive from him, three of his books, one about the ‘SOM’ (Santulan Om Meditation) programme for complete well-being, one in Marathi explaining the science behind Bhagwan Shri Ganesh, and most profound is his commentary on ‘Purusha Sukta’ – The untold secrets of Life. He says, it is one of the most profound ancient scripture on creation of the cosmos. He has also created an innovative programme designated as ‘SKY’ (Santulan Kriya Yoga). For the people who don’t know Indian languages, ‘Santulan’ means balance. So, he is basically talking about a balanced life style.
Dr. Balaji Tambe is currently concentrating and researching on strengthening of Mind. He says the new world is about intellectual prowess, not just physical fitness.
I must admit, I am deeply embarrassed that I had not discovered Dr. Balaji Tambe’s work for years, a person who works silently with total dedication. I thought it was my duty to let people know about this great soul. I am also upset that no leader or national organisation found it fit to recommend him and his work for public recognition. He is one of the rare souls that have kept true traditions of Ayurveda alive.
I look forward to stay in his facility in near future to restore the balance in life that is a whirl of social, professional and family lives. A rush that sometimes makes us loses the very reason about our existence.