Dhara ( Shiro dhara / Sarvanga dhara )
Oordhwanga Dhara ( Shiro dhara )
The important apparatus necessary for Oordhwanga Dhara are “Dhara Patthi” and “Dhara Chatti”. “Dhara Patthi”/ "Dhara Droni" resembles a cot made of wood/fiber moulded, sufficiently long and broad for the patient to lie comfortably, slightly raised at the edges so that liquid medicines when poured over the head or the body may not flow away, and with two holes situated at both ends the liquid medicines when poured over the head or the body may flow down separately. "Dhara Chatti" is a basin usually made of clay, about 2 liters capacity, flat and round, with a small hole, about the size of one’s little finger, at the centre of the base. The patient is made to lie on his back on the Patthi. Dhara liquid is poured in to the Dhara Chatti (which is suspended above the patient’s head by means of a rope) and made to flow continuously on the fore-head of the patient, in appropriate quantities along a wick passing through a hole in the centre of the Dhara Chatti. The process generally takes one to two hours.
Facial paralysis, Partial paralysis,
Neuralgia, Lock-jaw, Loss of speech etc.In the above and such other cases Dhara is done, according to condition of the patient, with ‘Ksheerabala’, ‘Dhanwantharam’, (the oil will have to be medicated in accordance with the state of advance of the illness) ‘Balathailam’ and other oils or with suitable Kashayas like Dasa Mulam.
In the case of patients suffering from insanity, severe head-ache, loss of memory, dullness of the brain etc. several medicines are generally used for Dhara. But the most common and in several cases effective in Takra Dhara. This Dhara is done by a mixture of Kashayas of ‘Pitha hara’ and ‘Kapha hara’ medicines like Gooseberry and butter-milk which though colling are at the same time cold resistant. Vaidyas in Kerala have personal and almost daily experience of many a severe and nearly incurable disease caused mainly by Pittha, being brought under control and cured by this treatment accompanied by a rigid observance to the “don’t’s” (pathaya) prescribed. But it may be necessary to alter the ingredients in the Kashaya or the butter-milk, or use other liquids in accordance with the state of the disease of the patient. The other liquids used alternatively are Kashayas made up of ‘Panchagandha’, cow’s milk, breast milk, tender coconut-water etc.
In case of peenasam, diseases of the eye, the ear and the face Takra Dhara is generally preferred. Yet the liquid may be changed according to the state of the disease and the diagnosis of the Vaidyas. Besides these, Vaidyas use their discretion and resort to Dhara with appropriate Kashayas in case of skin and other diseases also and these have been found eminently effective.
Sarvanga Dhara
When this done both on the head and over the body, the Process of carrying it out on the head is the same as Oordhwanga Dhara. This is also done lying in the Dhara Patthi. Two persons sit on either side and using vessels like tea-pots, stream the liquid over the body. When oily medicines are used for the body below the neck, it serves almost the same objects as Pizhichil and yields almost the same results. Hence in such cases Pizhichil is more commonly resorted to.
