ANCIENT INDIAN MASSAGE

Ustaad Siddique Khan Pahelwaan

Massage, done according to the natural laws of human anatomy and energy

flow, offers the most pleasurable benefit of all daily practices.

Regular massage vibrates and energizes the skin, muscles and nerves

simultaneously and helps the body become light, active and full of vitality.

Body heat and vitality increase as the heart and circulatory system open

up to provide fresh oxygen and energy to all parts of the system while

simultaneously flushing out waste gases and chemicals.

Ancient Indian scriptures which deal with health and massage say:

"Diseases do not go near one who massages his feet before sleeping, just

as snakes do not approach eagles."

In 1957-58 while I ("Harish Johari") was living at Rampur I had the fortune of meeting the
most handsome and wise wrestler Siddique Khan, Son of the famous royal
wrestler of Rampur, Sohrab Khan, who was also a healer. Siddique Bhai
agreed to instruct me in wrestling and in art of massage. Siddique Khan

brought my attention to the MARMAS (vital points) and explained to me

secrets of rubbing, kneading and squeezing.

He(Siddique Khan)

prescribed massage to his patients very frequently and was able to
achieve quick recovery with a combined effect of medicine, diet and
massage. It was here in his enlightened company I learnt about the three
humours Wind, Bile and Mucous.

Oil massage and massage of pressure points made a deep impression on my
mind and when I came to the Western Hemisphere I was astonished to see
that very few persons here massaged with oil. Massage is very essential
for people living in cold climate. Cold climate, lack of exercises and
more intellectual work- all combined together create dryness and poor
circulation of blood in the body and massage is the only remedy which
could help a healthy and wholesome growth of body and mind.

There is new acceptance of massage nowadays. In the West people are

especially interested in this art as a rejuvenator and vitalizer. There

is much literature available on various kinds of massage from different

parts of the world, but there is no book about the ancient Indian system

of massage where the art is ever popular. In India you can find people

massaging people on beaches, on the banks of rivers, and in market

places apart from the privacy of homes and wrestling places (akharas).

Massage of children is widespread in Indian practically every child and

the mother of each newborn infant gets regular massage, as one gets

foods. Massage is part of inherent rituals in Indian life and in many

states it becomes a significant ritual before marriage. The purpose of

this publication is to portray simply and factually some of the

principles, techniques, beauty and benefits of massage. Special formulae

have been incorporated to enhance various therapeutic values.

Harish Johari (1934-1999) was an artist; a musicologist; a dramatist; a

philosopher; and a translator. He was also a physiologist, a historian

and an expert cinematographer. He was revered for his art of story

telling and for his beautiful sculptures. He has published several

books, which have been translated into several languages. Employing a

unique medium, he executed extraordinary works on paper and silk, and

eighteen of his paintings have been published by Verkerke, Holland.

Massage is the first friend, which serves the human organism from the

time of birth. In India it is a tradition to massage the body from the

first day, which continues to at least the third year everyday. After

three years of age the routine changes and massage is done at least once

or twice a week, up to about the sixth year. Afterwards the child is

able to massage others and get massage in return. This continues until

he starts playing and doing physical exercises.

Weekly massage is a family scene, everyone does it. With the advance of

age when a child attains the state of youth, he/she gets interested in

building the body. The next stage comes when one gets married and

receives the massage from his/her partner (the wife gives her husband

massage every day till the end of her life). In old age there are

grandchildren to play with and give massage to the grandparents. Thus,

for the majority, massage is a part of life.

In ancient days, life was simple and close to nature. Modern age is the

age of greed and competition. Life has become strenuous. There is stress

on the nerves every moment. In this modern age of stress and strain

massage is a must. The speed of everything has increased and there are

unnatural shocks shaking the nervous system every moment. The literature

now available on massage shows an inner urge in people in the western

world to find natural methods of relaxing and vitalizing the human

organism. Massage is the most natural and powerful method of relaxing

and at the same time rejuvenating the body.

It is now becoming known to many people that this modern way of living

is not right, yet it is impossible to go back to Nature and start living

once again in the way our ancestors lived five hundred years ago. We

shall have to avoid the use of drugs and chemicals in order to keep our

body chemistry in good shape. Some chemicals used, as preservatives have

become part of our food industry. We cannot avoid these if we do not

discard packaged food, milk and cheese which is almost impossible if we

live in this era. So there remains only one alternative to learn and

practice such devices which would help the system flush out these toxins

as regularly as they are ingested. The skin also plays a very important

role in excreting waste materials and toxins.

Massage is one of the few well-known remedies for helping all such

problems. The use of natural, organic foods; water; earth; sunlight and

air (along with massage) can prove a fantastic remedy.

Massage works on the body of both levels:

1. Physical

2. Psyche

1. Physical:

Rubbing of the body produces heat and increases blood circulation, it

affects the lymphatic system and supplies more nourishment to the blood.

2. Psyche:

Through touch, massage works on the nervous system and effects the

circulation of growth hormones. All feelings and fantasies of the

massager are transmitted to the person getting the massage.