Medical Tourism in Himachal

From Camilla to King Khan, he prescribes a healing cocktail, Dr Mosarraf Ali combines yoga, reiki & ayurveda to bring medical tourism

Taragarh Palace Hotel, owned by Former ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Dr. Karan Singh and managed by his elder son Vikramaditya Singh. Taragarh palace hotel was first a retreat for Maharani Tara Devi, mother of Dr. Karan Singh. Dogra kings have a glorious past and were one of the greatest warriors. A complete history about Dogra Kings is on Karan Singh’s website. When Maharaja Hari Singh married Tara Devi Katoch of JaisinghPur area (Bija Pur), Maharani moved to Jammu but when she came back to visit her native place and wanted to spend more time back here so Maharaja bought this estate.

Taragarh is nestled in between Dhauladhar valley, surrounded by beautiful tea gardens, if you stand in middle of the town the pure air itself rejuvenates the body. Dhauladhars are mostly snow covered all year along, and complete valley has an aura of freshness. No matter which weather you travel this place always carries its own charisma of Raj period as well as beauty of hills.

Recently I read an article on Indian Express about Medical tourism in Taragarh, link for which is also on Taragarh website, it came to my mind that Himachal is so well suited for medical tourism, the complete hill state is full of freshness and virgin mountains. So many medicinal herbs are grown all over HP, almost all the spiritual Hindu saints traveled and stayed in the state and still do so, people from plains come over during summers so as to rejuvenate their spirit.

I am adding few excerpts from Indian express article by VRINDA GOPINATH . “Speaking from Taragarh, a summer palace resort of the Kashmir royals in the Kangra Valley, Dr Ali, a former medical student of Delhi and Moscow, is wistful. ”Today, everyone in India talks of reiki, ayurveda massages, pranic healing, but when I was practicing integrated medicine in the ’80s in Delhi, no one quite understood it.” Hailed and derided in the same breath—skeptics question his unconventional approach—Dr Ali remains a pioneer in medical tourism in India. His A-list patients from his clinic in London, near Harley Street,to the magical, restorative Himalayan foothills in the last one decade,has had people pleading for more.

Dr Ali’s Himalayan retreat sees small groups of 16-20 people twice a year for a week’s camp, to treat ailments from chronic fatigue and stress to bereavement to alcoholism/drug addiction. His A-listers, however, get a more personal trip with just the doctor. Charles’ wife, Camilla, a convert for years, has been to Taragarh twice, and has given up yeast, white wine and coffee to ease her chest and sinus problems. Supermodel Kate Moss checked into Dr Ali’s Himalayan retreat six years ago allegedly to kick her cocaine habit long before she went to Arizona rehab centre last month. He has cured former Spice Girl Geri Halliwel of bulimia; helped Bollywood’s Shahrukh Khan recuperate after his back surgery; gave consultations to Karan Johar, Ramola Bachchan; flown to meet Presidents K R Narayanan and Venkataraman, former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee, minister Arjun Singh, Virgin’s Richard Branson, playwright Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, actor Micheal Caine, Arab princes and kings, Euro aristos and the simply rich. ”

Here is the link for another article about Dr. Ali on Uk telegraph newspaper
I think this article boost the capability Himachal offers, however careful planning from Government is a must because nature looses its strengths if it is exploited to the limit. I wish any one reading this article would visit HP and see the beauty of the state first hand.

Avnish Katoch

An IT professional for 17 years, based in the US since the last 12 years. Founded NGO My Himachal and then Himachal Media Pvt. Ltd.. A Himachali forever. Always trying to bring together people whose hearts beat for the state.