Reporting on the conference

A two-day conference on Marma Science and Marma Therapy was organized by Mrityunjay Mission on 8-9 Novemebr 2009 at the Sadhanayatan Ashram, Kankhal, Haridwar. Shri 108 Swami Vishwadevananda presided over the function and Shri Keshav Desiraju, Principal Secretary (Health) Government of Uttarakhand inaugurated the conference. Swami Kalyanananda, Professor Swatantra Kumar, VC, Gurukul Kangri University and Professor Mahavir Aggarwal, Vice Chairman, Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy were Guests of Honour at the inaugural session and Dr Mira Swami, Director, Department of Integrated Medicine, HIHT presided over the valedictory function.

In a sense, it was a different kind of conference, which was not just some academicians taking a break from their daily routine and having the pleasure of exchange of words and social interaction. There were two things. One, a lot of feeling, because of the patients present. The medical community realized, that there was a treasure of medical knowledge that could be tapped and has been developed for treatment that was not hitherto available. Also there were present many eminent or responsible citizens. We are so used to illness and suffering around us that we mostly get immune to it and ignore it. This kind of exposure awakened some to these harsh realities and that some useful contributions can be made by this Marma therapy.

There were three presentations on Marma science and its fundamentals, its use in different diseases and its relationship with Yoga and its practice in combination with it for therapy. Dr Sunil Joshi and his students made these presentations.

Marma Therapy can treat a range of diseases including orthopaedic and neurological disorders, diabetes, anxiety, abdominal discomfort and backache, spondylosis and cerebral palsy, and also avert the need for various kinds of surgery.

On the second day, Dr Joshi gave a surprise presentation on the marma points that get activated during the various normal human postures and this was quite fascinating. But this was followed up by demonstrations to students while actually giving treatment to patients who were present, as well as demonstrations by the Doctor and students for daily self marma practice for upkeep of health. What was even more useful and touching were the actual presentations by patients, from all over the country, patients of spondylosis, accident cases where hip replacement was averted, cerebral palsy several childrenand one very touching case of a 20 year old girl who could not stand but now is walking.

There was a question-answer session at the end and this girl sent in a request to be announced on the microphone that she wished many of the students present would take up marma therapy so that more people like her could be benefited.

In fact one of the concrete results of the conference is that Mrityunjay Mission will now turn its attention towards training more doctors in marma therapy so that many more patients can be benefited.