A Czech in search of ayurvedic wisdom

KOZHIKODE: City residents witness to the Alzheimer’s Week rally, organised by the AWH Special College in Mananchira recently, were no doubt surprised to see a tall white Caucasian leading the procession with a drum in hand. For Tomas Hudec, it was his way of aligning himself with a cause close to his heart, coupled with a bit of fun.Hudec is here from Prague in the Czech Republic to study at the AWH Special College here and prepare a research thesis on how Ayurvedic procedures can be used to help autistic people and is amazed at the acceptance that Ayurveda has even amongst the practitioners of western medicine. “Back home, doctors of the mainstream and the more alternative and traditional medicines often come into conflict with each other. Here the doctors who practise Western medicine respect the traditional Ayurvedic methods and I even know instances of cooperation between the two, something which is unimaginable in the West,” he says. “The social workers here have a base in psychology and this helps them understand the people with special needs better,” he says, adding that they would do well to adopt  this practice in the west. He says that he was given the option of choosing a country of his liking when he was awarded the grant that funds his activities here. Having fallen in love with the country during the previous visit as a tourist, he had little hesitation in opting for India. And his fascination for Ayurveda and the fact that the medium of instruction in most colleges here is English, ensured that he ended up in Kerala.Hudec is also enjoying the climate and he says that the autumn climate in the state is identical to summer in the Czech Republic. When queried upon what he will do when the Indian summer sets in, he says that it is not something he is worried about as he will leave in December. Hudec also maintains an active interest in trekking and is looking forward to an upcoming trip to Wayanad. “I am lucky to be here in a place covered with greenery and mountains. In Prague if I wanted to climb mountains, I had to cross the border into neighbouring Slovakia to find a decent one,” he says.