Shanthi Ayurveda Ashram
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
About
Shanthi Ayurveda Ashram is a healing centre placed in a beautiful serene location in Kottoppadam –Venga, Mannarkkad, Palakkad district, Kerala. This unique locale lets you get away from the polluted busy streets, the hustle and bustle of everyday urban living. We focus on the true and time tested authentic Ayurvedic practice with a personalized care and hospitality in a homely atmosphere. We provide yoga and meditation classes without Ayurveda panchakarma treatments also. We also provide Vedic Astrology consult for the interested persons. Swami Ritodgata Mytri of Shanthidham ashram who is portrayed in the film MY INDIAN DOCTOR is closely associated with us.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

The area
Address
Reach out directly

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles54 reviews
Excellent
43
Very good
8
Average
1
Poor
1
Terrible
1

Sherpa45251132823
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Solo
I went to the center for 3 weeks panchakarma.
I really appreciated the professionalism and approaches of Dr Nisha, respecting the Ayurvedic principles (the steps, the individual approach according to personnel issues or pathologie).
As the center is « family size », we have valuable dedicated time with Dr Nisha who makes herself available, very dedicated to her work.
The accommodation and food are perfect, it worths the price.
Written 19 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anastasia C
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Nisha is very caring and made great effort to take care of me during my stay. Her family was also very nice and they did everything to make my stay as comfortable as possible. Dr Nisha was very professional as well as friendly and did a very good job to make me feel better. The therapist was also very good. They were very helpful in cooking food that I could eat. I felt so much better by the end of my stay. On the whole I am very happy I went there.
Written 1 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you. Happy to know that you had a pleasant stay.
Written 29 January 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Michelle F
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Solo
I visited the ashram for a 3 week panchkarma, the Centre is managed by Dr. Nisha and her family. Treatment, accommodation and food is included as part of the stay. A day at the Centre typically starts at 7 am with ginger and lemon tea, followed by breakfast at 8am. Treatments are provided by 10-11 am. Lunch is served at 1pm followed by ginger and lemon tea at 4 and dinner by 7.30

During my visit I initiated medications for a hormonal condition and I have begin to notice benefits of the medication and have noticed that my hair fall has minimized significantly.

Nisha and her family were kind, considerate and very helpful during my stay, if you visit the Centre make sure you try the Sambhar cooked by Dr. Nisha’s mum …it was the best I ever had ❤️😁
Written 25 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KevinHISCUTT
Kochi (Cochin), India7 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2015
Thank You Shanthi
Thank you Shanthi Ayurveda Ashram for your warmth and hospitality, during my vacation in Kerala, India.

Arrival
To India, this was my first visit. I arrived at Kochi International Airport in Kerala, India very early one morning. Shanthi’s friendly driver took me to the Shanthi Ayurveda Ashram at Venga, near Mannarkkad. Venga was some kilometres from the coast. In July and August of 2015, I had stayed for 30 days.

Accommodation
Shanthi was on two very close or adjacent sites. A minor public road ran in front of both sites. I elected to reside in the owner’s private home or alternate site. I stayed in a spacious, second floor room, which had its own en suite. Through the various windows, there were beautiful and natural views of gardens and lawns. My room was very comfortable, and regularly and diligently cleaned. Also, my clothes were washed and dried on a regular basis.

Cuisine, Treatments and Therapies
The homemade wholesome, fresh and nutritious meals were served three times daily at 8:30 am, 1 pm and 7:30 pm. The wife of the owner served these meals in a comfortable dining room on the ground floor. Additionally, ginger tea was served at 7 am and 4 pm daily. All members of the staff were very courteous. Yoga incorporating guided-meditation, was scheduled daily on the house’s covered rooftop at 7:30 am for around 60 minutes. My varied treatments occurred in the mornings for an hour or so. Doctors and therapists were supportive and very helpful.

Gardening and Education
First, of my own accord or choice at the beginning of my stay, I spent around a week working in the owner’s front garden. I mowed lawns several times, substantially cleaned cement and paved surfaces, selectively pruned bushes and some larger tree branches, added rich topsoil to the lawn depressions and tended carefully to over 50 potted plants. I washed these pots, then pruned and re-fertilised the plants. I was happy to do holiday gardening. Second, also of my own accord or choice and as I am an Australian International Educator teaching school children in the State of Qatar, I gave the owner’s grandson visual arts lessons. These were in drawing and colouring. We commenced these lessons after the first week, and continued for around two weeks. We cooperatively, enjoyably and regularly worked on around 15 individual children’s works of art. We spent concentrated time doing these after dinner in the downstairs family room. This area had a computer and desk, TV and several large relaxing lounge chairs. As was the choice to garden, I was also happy to give holiday private lessons.

Local Environment
As I walked along quieter and busier local roads by day or night, I encountered very friendly and approachable families. So often I would stop to converse in English, for five or 10 minutes at a time, both to new families and families I had previously met. Shanthi was a two-minute walk away from a busier main road, where small roadside shops were plentiful. Temples were close by, and could be walked to, and visited.

Organised Day Tours
Shanthi organised two separate and memorable day tours. Both were about 40 kilometres from Shanthi. The first tour was southeast to Malampuzha Reservoir or Dam. Beyond the Reservoir, there was the natural beauty of a forested mountain range to be seen and appreciated. Low-lying clouds surrounded summits of the mountains. There were many attractions to see at Malampuzha, such as a stepping-stone path meandering through a shallow lily pond. The second tour was north to Silent Valley National Park. There was a small Eco shop at the entrance. We had a guide in our jeep and stopped to view and photograph fauna and flora as we drove along. Other natural and built-environment features were pointed out to our group whilst driving. After some time, we came upon some Park rangers, buildings and amenities. Nearby, there was a 30-metre tower, which may be climbed, and afforded magnificent views of the surrounding forest valley. A river was some considerable distance below. At the top of the tower, clouds and mist were close by. Close to the tower, a short walk may be taken for a few kilometres in the presence and safety of a guide. The Inauguration of Silent Valley National Park was in 1985.

Transport and Agriculture
Several times in Kerala, I took a three-wheeled motorised rickshaw taxi ride to nearby towns. Additionally, I visited one of the owner’s rubber plantations, and he gave me an explanation about the harvesting or milking process. On another occasion, I took a day trip to Kochi with the owner’s driver.

English Literary Project
As a result of visiting the Ashram, I was able to commence writing a personal 100,000-word English literary project. This was a major project I had wanted to work on for about five years. I spent at least the final two weeks nearly every day, involved in this writing pursuit. This was a very productive and enjoyable experience. I was preparing my draft for a playwright, then possibly a dramaturg.

Recreation
Wifi, TV and a library were available upstairs in the main house. Often I read regional, national and international articles in the English Times of India Newspaper, which I requested be delivered. There was no additional charge for the Newspaper’s subscription.

Guests
Other national and international guests visited then departed Shanthi over the month. Guests spent varying lengths of time at Shanthi.
Written 15 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Namasthe Kevin, Thank you for the long review touching every aspect of our Ashram. We appreciate your effort to spend your valuable time in doing this. We feel it will definitely give a clear picture to all those aspiring guests who wish to stay here. We are in the process of including more accommodation facility and activities in the future and will update you at the appropriate time. Once again thank you and have great days ahead.
Written 18 August 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Irina N
Tbilisi10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2013 • Solo
I have just returned from this Ayurvedic ashram and would like to recommend it to all who are interested in authentic Ayurveda in a calm place with no tourist hassle around. I have searched tons of info about ayuvedic centres in Kerala but some were very expensive, others were just touristic spas, and finally I came across this little ashram, which has just opened and did not regret a single day about my decision . It is a small family run business and ashram itself represents one newly built building with two rooms (AC, TV, bathroom) and a treatment room with the adjacent bathroom. Dr. Nisha, who was taking care of me for 2 weeks doing panchakarma is a young, but experienced doctor (you will see there local population coming for ayurvedic consultation’s ) . Dr. Nisha performs treatments herself which is very valuable as normally doctors just prescribe and therapists do the rest. Aside from the treatment (you have 1,5-2 hours procedure per day) and food (terrific vegan food with all the variety of vegetables and fruits that can only exist), I would like to say a few words about the family. First moment you enter their house you realize that you are not just a guest, but you are a part of the family. Sincere smiles of these people and their readiness to assist you with all you need (like nearby shopping, vedic astrologist, etc) makes you feel at home. Prices are very reasonable and include treatment, medicines, yoga classes. It is a new place, but I am sure it will grow soon and would like very much to contribute to this process by writing a review. Please do not hesitate to contact me in case you have more questions about this remarkable place!
Written 12 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Namasthe, with great pleasure we noticed your good remarks relating to the treatment and stay with us. We are so pleased to note that we were able to make your stay memorable and worthy. Your compliments are our strength. Your continued support and feed back will definitely help us to grow faster and serve you better and better. We are committed to provide authentic Ayurveda in its true essence with out any compromise. Happy to be at your service in future as well.
Written 16 September 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Pomodori
Moscow, Russia11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2015 • Solo
It was my first time for a panchakarma treatment, so it was a difficult choice for me, with lots of pros and cons. The price, which was significantly lower than almost all other proposals I got, made me a bit doubtful in the beginning, but then I thought - anyway, 3 weeks of fresh air, massage and yoga did not harm anyone.
Now, having just finished 3 weeks of treatment, I am very happy with my choice. This ashram is very small, 7 patients max, and when I stayed, most of the time there were only 2 people besides me. The family who run the ashram live just there, so you basically are staying as their personal guest. The amount of personal care and attention you get is exceptional in all respects, from treatment to any need you may have. You don't feel like at a hospital or at a resort, rather like a part of a very loving family.
I was staying in a deluxe room, which still was very affordable, and I had a private balcony, could make use of the whole 2nd floor of the hosts house where the room was, and spent a lot of time in the beautiful garden with grass lawn as thick and soft as a Persian carpet.
That said, one needs to be aware that it is not a 5-star spa, so some of the luxuries may be lacking. Some of the more sophisticated procedures, when performed by trainees, may be not as smooth and perfect as when performed by Dr.Nisha herself.
The food is always super-fresh, cooked by Dr.Nisha's mother with great love. Vegan, of course. However after 3 weeks I started to grow a bit tired.
Yoga lessons were excellent: some very basic exercises, kriyas, asanas that are not tiring during treatment, but which give you a very good base for self-practice, even if you are an advanced practitioner.
Written 17 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Namasthe, Thank you for the valuable review of our Ashram. We are very happy to know that we were able to make your stay both a comfortable and a memorable event. Please do contact us for any further help in the future. Kind regards Dr. Ratheesh. P Shanthi Ayurveda Ashram
Written 27 January 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

swami2017
Virginia, USA1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2016 • Solo
During my 24-day stay, digestive problems I've had for years were completely eliminated. I had even been to a gastroenterology clinic in the US, to no avail. Even more significant for me, the work on my neck completely relieved the trigeminal and occipital pain I'd also been having for many years, stemming from degeneration in the cervical spine. I put off posting my review for several months so I could assure you that the effects last. They do!
The treatment is traditional, Dr Nisha is always around and sees you daily before treatment, the therapists are skillful, the family is a delight to interact with, the countryside is full of beauty, the neighbourhood is friendly, the food is pure and healing. The entire clinic is very, very clean. Love and laughter are part of the healing. The wifi (and TV) works well even in a basic room.
The doctors and family are most gracious and generous; their goal is to give, not to get. They look after every little detail for you at a moment's notice. I look forward to going back at the earliest opportunity, and taking others with me.
See also Patricia's review - she was there at the same time and was great company!
May God bless the doctors, the staff, the family, and the patients.
Written 13 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the visit and stay with us. we are very happy to know that you had a wonderful healing with Ayurveda treatments from us. You are welcome at any time and wish you to have healthy days ahead.
Written 12 February 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sreeram V
Davenham, UK24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2015 • Solo
I went here for a Panchakarma detox therapy in October 2015.

Place : Serene, peaceful soothing to the mind and soul. Wonderfully relaxing away from the hustle of a city, still not far from it.

Hosts : Mr. Sukumaran, Mrs Sukumaran and Dr. Nisha are wonderful hosts. Genuinely concerned on your well being and comfort during the therapy. Homely atmosphere, warm, lovely family and some amazing food, keeping in mind the requirements if the therapy. Thank you folks for being such wonderful hosts. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and will definitely visit again.

Treatment : True to the spirit of ayurveda, traditional and genuine. My therapist, Shiaz, fully committed, expert enough to discover the niggles and work on them. The entire procedure fills you with energy.
Written 28 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Namasthe, Thank you so much for the valuable review. It will definitely provide a clear view of the Ashram for those aspiring to come for Authentic Ayurveda treatments. Please do contact us for any further help and we will be happy to be at your service.
Written 1 November 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

JamesHarry W
Mullumbimby, Australia646 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2015 • Couples
.....myself and my good companion recently completed a 17 day Panchakarma experience at the Shanthi Ayurveda Ashram . We were a little pressed for time otherwise we would have stayed longer , 21 days would have been preferable ( a whole month would have been perfect ) . Even though I am no stranger to the written word I find it daunting to know where to start describing our stay . It was like nothing else I had experienced . The astonishing beauty of the rural surroundings , the lovely food , the wonderful family that we became part of . Personally i found the treatment mind boggling ..... I had no idea what to expect BUT everything was explained to me and I felt SO much better at the end . ' Shanthi ' is something you should do - you owe it to yourself . It shook out a lot of my angst and tension - it was as if I had had a tune-up , I can still feel the benefits and I left a while ago . it affected my whole world view and I believe that it affected me significantly . You can't put a price on this BUT ' Shanthi ' is by far the most reasonably priced for the Ayurvedically minded .
We still miss the place .... the warmth of the people we met , whose unconditional hospitality we enjoyed . Each day we walked in the surrounding countryside , we met SO many lovely people who came out of their houses to share their lives with us , it was as if we were surrounded by love....
Thankyou ' Shanthi ' , thankyou to all the wonderful people we met and their enormous generosity of spirit - we WILL be back ....
Written 8 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Namasthe, with great pleasure we noticed your good remarks relating to the treatment and stay with us. We are so pleased to note that we were able to make your stay memorable and worthy. Your compliments are our strength. Your continued support and feed back will definitely help us to grow faster and serve you better. We are committed to provide authentic Ayurveda in its true essence with out any compromise at the most reasonable rate. Please do contact us for any further help and we will be happy to be at your service.
Written 10 March 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

katealice9090
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2016 • Solo
I came to Shanthi Ayurveda Ashram in November of 2016, to recover from mild burnout.
My symptoms were chronic fatigue and slight muscle aches, I had also been recovering from a bad cold when I arrived. I choose the ashram due the good reviews, so I will be giving honest feedback to make sure no one else goes through any similar traumas events as I unfortunately experienced.

From the start of my stay something didn't feel quite right about the ashram, Dr. Nisha seemed to rush through my initial consultation and didn't explain things very well to me. She didn't seem confident in her diagnosis, was very impersonal and seemed to be preoccupied, which worried me. She also tended to offer items to me which are not usually permitted during Panchakarma treatments (sugar, pineapple). This led to question her authenticity as an Ayurvedic practitioner. Also, I noticed that the food served is not according to your personal doshas and is therefore not what you are supposed to be eating on an authentic Panchakarma treatment.

I also explained to Dr. Nisha that I could not eat rice, due to stomach issues. Yet, I was only offered oats for breakfast in substitute, whilst Dr. Nisha and her father continuately questioned my allergy and tried to give me rice on several occasions with no substitue. I found this extremely patronising and unsupportive. I even had to leave the ashram on several occasions to go and buy my own almonds as I was sick of oats and could not fill up on plain vegetables for lunch.

Anyway, during the treatment I actually felt worse not better. My muscle aches were becoming more pronounced and my fatigue was much worse, I could hardly leave the bedroom to go on walks most days. Dr. Nisha explained that this was normal for the first 4-5 days and that I would start to feel much better by the end of my first week. In fact, after the first week I still felt terrible and therefore on the 10th day of my treatment I decided to change my 3 week visit to 2 week. As I felt that I was not receiving authentic panchakarma, and was worried that the dosage of medicines that Dr. Nisha was administering to me was actually making me worse.

On the 11th day of my treatment I still felt awful and therefore did not feel comfortable with receiving my enema which was booked for the following day. I expressed my concerns with Dr. Nisha and told her that I did not want to do the enema, as I was feeling so weak that I thought that it could be dangerous to do such a procedure. Dr. Nisha basically told me that "it was all in my head" and that it is a normal procedure, therefore I will be fine. She explained that if I didn't do the enema the 10 days I had been detoxing would be a waste and I was just worrying.

I unfortuantely trusted her.

After the enema I almost collapsed, my whole body was shaking and I thought I was going to need to go to the local hospital. From this point on I had terrible nausea, accompanied by a migrane and extreme weakness.
I was distraught, I couldn't sleep due the migrane and was extremely on edge. The following day I told Dr. Nisha that I didn't want any more treatments and left the ashram that day. I flew back to Australia two days later and could hardly get on my flight I was still so unwell. Upon returning even for the next two weeks I could not walk more than 50m without extreme muscle pain.

I went to my local doctor and explained to him what happened and ordered blood tests, which returned showing that my cortisol levels were through the roof. My doctor explained that if I had been given high dosages of stimulant herbal medicines and supplements it could account for my condition becoming worse and my cortisol levels increasing. I was basically in bedrest for all of December, due to my condition and am only now recovering 3 months later.

What upsets me the most about this experience is that I told Dr. Nisha several times that I was concerned that I was getting worse. Especially the day before the enema when I explained that I did not want to do the procedure, yet instead of further inspecting me she persuaded me to keep going with the treatments.

I believe that this is an extreme form of malpractice of her account. Any good doctor would have seen that a patient was too weak for an enema and changed the treatment. I believe that she just wanted me to keep paying for treatments, and did not care about my welfare. Infact, the only time I saw Dr. Nisha concerned about anything the whole time I was at the ashram was if my eftpos payment was approved.

If I was in India I would sue. I understand that Panchakarma has become a business, but I never expected such malpractice or discare for a patient from a 'doctor'.

If you do choose to go to this ashram I would ask to see Dr. Nisha's 'qualifications' and research them thoroughly. Remember Panchakarma is a medical procedure, not just a detox. Unfortunately, too many unqualified practitioners are administering fake Panchakarma and this is the result.
Written 22 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review post as per your personal experience with us. Let me explain our version of the case. It was totally baseless allegation that our doctors did not explain anything clearly to this guest. She was not able to communicate her problems and feelings with us since she did not know English at all. She had arrived here with her friend who was the translators for her. We assume that the communication by us through her friend translator did not serve any purpose at all. We did not have any such communication problem in the past with the guests who knew only French or German as there where someone or the other who where helping us and we could manage it. Please read the review of others who where present here during the same time about their experience. Since inception in 2012, this is the only one incident where in our guest was upset with our service. Post Vasthy treatment she had low sugar and sodium level (a rare phenomena) which was promptly managed in a nearby hospital since she was not in a position to have an oral route intake. In spite of all these sincere effort from us, it was very unfortunate to read such misleading image of us. We are also surprised by the questioning about the credentials of our staff with whom our guest was in close contact for the past many days. We will keep striving for the satisfaction of all our valuable guests in the future as well.
Written 28 February 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Showing results 1-10 of 32
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

(2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

All Palakkad HotelsPalakkad Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Palakkad
All things to do in Palakkad
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday homesTravel StoriesCruisesCar Hire