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Integrated system of medicine gaining ground fast: President Kovind
President Kovind lays foundation of Ayush university in Gorakhpur, inaugurates Mahayogi Gorakhnath University campus
President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said the Ayush system of medicine played a key role in boosting people’s immunity, especially during the Covid second wave and added that a health garden to boost Ayush medicine was being developed at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy system of medicine are collectively referred to as Ayush.
“In the fight against Covid-19, especially during the Covid second wave, Ayush medicines played a key role in boosting immunity,” the President said while laying the foundation stone of the Ayush University in Gorakhpur. The Ayush University has been named after Baba Gorakhnath, the founder of the Nath Hindu monastic movement to which Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath belongs.
The President, who is on four-day visit to Uttar Pradesh, later also inaugurated the Mahayogi Gorakhnath Vishwavidyalaya (University) campus.
He said the concept of an integrated system of medicine was fast gaining ground and spoke of how Rashtrapati Bhavan, too, was doing its bit to popularise this.
“In Rashtrapati Bhavan, too, along with an Ayurvedic clinic, we also have got an Ayush treatment facility available. Only recently, we decided to develop a Arogya van (health garden) at Rashtrapati Bhavan and work on it has started,” the President said. Hailing the fact that there was unity in diversity in India, the President said that the existence of different therapies, too, was a testament to the same.
“Various medicinal and treatment therapies have been popular in India. In 2014, the Ayush ministry was set up for an organised teaching and research of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. The UP government, too, set up a separate Ayush ministry in 2017 and now this Ayush university is coming up where I am told that a research institute, too, would be set up,” the President said.
The state government plans to spend ₹815 crore on the construction of the Ayush University, for which it had acquired 52-acre land near Pipri and Tarkulhi villages in Gorakhpur. The Ayush University will be run according to the guidelines of the Central Council of Indian Medicine, regarding the establishment of Ayurveda, Unani, homeopathy, yoga, and naturopathy educational institutions in the university, a state government official said.
“Gandhiji used to say that we must have knowledge about our villages and our forests which are a virtual treasure trove of various natural medicines and herbs that help in treating common ailments easily,” the President said on the occasion while recalling the contribution of Guru Gorakhnath.
The President recalled, how social reformer and saint Kabir had lavished praise on Baba Gorakhnath, describing him as someone who was “Kalikal main amar” (one whose popularity transcends time) and for whom Goswami Tulsidas had said, “Gorakh jagayo jog (Gorakhnath made yoga popular).”
As it started raining during the event, President Kovind said, “This is such a good omen. Hindus believe that if it starts raining during any auspicious event, then the event becomes even more auspicious.”
The President whose address was punctuated by numerous Sanskrit couplets cited a verse of Baba Gorakhnath, “Yadi sukham, tad swargam, yadi dukham tad narkam (happiness is akin to being in heaven and sadness is like hell)” to emphasise the importance of a healthy body.
He also invoked Goswami Tulsidas to substantiate the point further.
“Goswami Tulsidas had said bade bhag manus tan pawa (one gets a human form after great blessings and good fortune). And I am happy that the Ayush university is a step in the right direction,” he said.
Governor Anandiben Patel, chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh Ayush minister Dharam Singh Saini and Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan were among those present on the occasion.
