Incredible 7-day stay at Patanjali Yog Gram in Haridwar in July 2018.

How I discovered a healthy lifestyle and was able to stop hair loss while also losing 5 kgs in 7 days!

Finally, I'm going to write about my experience at Yog gram. I am someone who enjoys food but is conscious of what I put in my body. Doctors are the last people I want to see, and I try to avoid allopathic medicine unless the situation is dire. After having a cesarean delivery and then an irregular professional schedule, I continued to gain weight and then lose it by working out. This process has recently become extremely boring to me. The second reason is that my knee and back pain prevented me from going to the gym on a regular basis. It was at this point that I decided to pursue a more sustainable method of staying healthy and fit. I had been wanting to go to Yog gram for a long time, but I was too comfortable in my surroundings. When a friend asked if I wanted to join her on a trip, I immediately said yes.

The goal is to replace the gym with a yogi. Back pain, neck pain, detoxification, major sleeping disorder (insomnia), and excessive hair loss Pre-travel Registration Procedure:

To travel to Yog Gram, one must first register on their website by filling out a form with their personal and disease details, as well as their preferred room type and availability. Yog gram has four categories in its rooms, beginning with Rajshri, Muniraj, Mahirishi, and Tapasavi Kutiya. The price ranges from Rs.2500 for Tapasvi on a twin-sharing basis to Rs.5000 for Mahirishi Kutiya. Rates vary depending on the amenities provided. I googled and came across one of the blogs https://beingfiit.blogspot.com/, which assisted me in deciding where to stay. Tapasavi Kutiya is a good option depending on the weather because every other category looks the same with the exception of an extra living room and some table chairs.

The main difference between other categories is that they have an air conditioner and a TV, but most people don't have time to use both, so it's entirely up to the individual to choose where they want to stay. After submitting the form, you will receive an email from Yog Gram confirming your stay, and you can proceed with the booking by depositing money (their online payment portal is always under maintenance) in their account (details available while submitting the form), and once completed, do an update on their website using your login ID and password. Your reservation will be confirmed within a day or two. Please call their landline if you require any additional information.

Some packing advice -

1) Pack a lot of undergarments as well as comfortable gowns for the ladies because you will need to change them 5-6 times depending on your treatment.

2) There is no point in packing too many fancy dresses because you and your entire body will be dipped in oil most of the time, but it is completely up to them how they want to manage. I managed to stay in two pairs of T-shirts and shorts while in the treatment center because I didn't want my clothes to be stained by oil and mud, as well as a pair for gym track and t-shirts for yoga sessions.

For men, there is no need to be concerned because you can leave the treatment center in your boxers. Aside from that, you can wear whatever you want, except for being naked.

Journey from Delhi to Haridwar on July 14, 2018.

I got up at 4, got in the cab at 5, and arrived at the station by 6 a.m. The distance between New Delhi and Haridwar station is 235 kilometres. We boarded the Dehradun Shatabdi at 6.40 a.m. from New Delhi Railway Station, and it arrived in Haridwar around 11.30 a.m. Train rides are always enjoyable for me because they provide me with time to do things. I can be seen looking out the window, reading any book I might have on my deathbed, listening to music, thinking, eating not-so-trendy shatabdi food, staring at railway tracks and listening to their sounds, avoiding using trains toilet but still having to, looking for strange characters, and so on.

The distance between Haridwar station and Yogram is 23 kilometres. When you arrive at Haridwar station, a slew of taxi and auto drivers will approach you, offering you fares ranging from Rs. 800 to Rs. 1200. There are autos available as well, but there is no way to save money because they will charge the same. So, because we were four, we decided to take a cab because we each had our own luggage and it was about to rain heavily. We agreed on a taxi fare of Rs. 900 and settled into our cab. We began to see the beautiful green surroundings, blue sky, and white clouds about 2/3 km away from the station premises. Views like this always draw my attention to the locations. While looking at the sky, my thoughts began to wonder about how much I miss all of this in Delhi, how I always sleep with a dream in my eyes, hoping to see blue sky, green grounds, and fresh air to breathe the next morning. Raju, our taxi driver, was a great guy until he started scaring us about how we were going to the central jail. He kept us interested by telling us stories about people, religion, industries, and yoga. We arrived at Yog gram after listening to all of these stories.

Arrival and admission -

We arrived at the Yog gram's door around 1 p.m. The security guard asked for our name and phone number before allowing us to enter. As soon as we entered the parking lot, a man in a white uniform with Yog gram written on his pocket led us to reception. After a few formalities, we were told to go to "Bhojnalaya" (Canteen) for lunch and see the doctor at 3 p.m.

Entrance to the Room (Tapasavi Kutiya) With the assistance of an attendant, we returned to our room after lunch to store our luggage. When we entered the room, we noticed a black umbrella hanging on the right side of the door, a table in front with a water jug, and two single beds. It was a simple, clean room with only the most basic amenities. We settled in and awaited our appointment with the doctor.

Doctor's Consultation – The doctor's hours are 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. An attendant at the reception desk handed us a form to help them understand our eating habits and lifestyle. I've been told to see Dr. Devasis. He advised me on a diet plan as well as treatment based on my medical condition. I was told to go to Yoga Hall 1 for an orientation to learn about the schedule for the next seven days.

Orientation Session: We left our room to go to Orientation. The mesmerizing canvases of nature cannot be ignored as one walks towards Yoga hall 1 in the evening. So, at 7.30 p.m., Sharma ji gave us an orientation to help us understand our schedule for the next seven days. By this time, I'd realised that Sharma ji's sessions were going to be a lot of fun. He was one of the most fun and jolly guys in Yog Gram, and he helped you relax a little.

5:00 p.m. - Pear Juice

Dinner at 8 p.m.; Quath at 9 p.m. ( A kind of herbal drink)

So this was my first day in terms of schedule, food, and surroundings. I had to get to bed by 10 p.m. even though I didn't feel like it because our next day was supposed to start at 4 a.m. and I was terrified of getting my Enema done.

Look at the sheet below for the rest of the 7 days' schedule.

Day 1 / 15th July, 2018

Some pictures from Day 1

Day Two 16th July, 2018

So today was the birthday of my sister, who was accompanying me on this trip. Her enthusiasm for her birthday died on the first day we entered Yog gram. We were feeling bad because we couldn't help her, but then I had the bright idea of not letting her sit in peace. I had the bright idea of asking every stranger we passed on our way to wish my sister a happy birthday, and they all did. So whenever a stranger came to wish her, she would scream my name and run away. This was a lot of fun. She was sick of ghiya and kaddo pale food and wished for kadhi in her lunch, and guess what? The entire universe conspired to make it happen, and she received kadhi for lunch. One of the most important things you wish for in Yog gram is to eat less boring food.

Birthday trauma

Day Three - 17th July, 2018

Today is the day when a therapy called "Shankh Prachalan" has been given to the majority of the people (except those with high sugar, blood pressure, or age). In this therapy, an individual is supposed to repeatedly perform a set of 7 simple Aasan and drink Aawla water until their motion colours look like the colour of the water they are drinking, which means one needs to go at least 6/7 times minimum.

This "Shankh Prachalan" is called shankh because drinking Awla water repeatedly and then performing these aasans bends your body like a shankh, cleaning your intestines from every nook and cranny.

Heard tales from the past with a friend

Today, I had the opportunity to meet one of the most inspiring people who has donated 25 acres of land to Patanjali in Assam. Despite drastically deteriorating memory, he continues to inspire people to live each day with a purpose. "Botta" is what you called Bade papa in their language, and it's what we called him as well. Moment. (PS: The next day, I ran into him in front of the Yoga hall to say hello, and this time I was nowhere in his memory.) Nowhere, indeed. I was smiling as I looked at him, but he had no idea. He looked at me, smiled, and walked away. This moment rendered me speechless but left me with a plethora of thoughts)

Fourth day / 18th to 20th July, 2018 (3 Days fasting)

Picture from 3 fasting days

I couldn't let this opportunity pass without capturing it.

Except for the missing river coming from the middle of the mountain, it reminded me of the scenery we used to make as kids.

Scenes like this are common in yog gram.

7th & the last Day 21st July, 2018

Photos from the previous day.

Mrs. Kulwant Kaur, Chandigarh, was a new friend we made (A principal)

Arrival in Delhi on July 22nd, 2018.

Colors that will be sorely missed

Summary

Positives

1) Good air quality, surrounded by nature, lots of flowers, well-managed.

2) It is a system-driven and disciplined workplace. Everything happens on time and without a hiccup.

3) By the time you leave, you will have become your own doctor to some extent. (Disclaimer: only if you pay attention to their sessions and don't complain too much)

4) If you have any questions about Yoga, please contact the yog gurus, who are extremely helpful.

5) At the end of the process, you will feel lighter and cleaner on the inside (Because of too much oiling massage, you skin will glow too, Mine did :)

6) You will also learn to be your own dietician and how to follow a diet plan at home.

7) Cleanliness is something that can be found anywhere.

8) It may be too much to say, but you should begin treating your body.

9) 555 is an alert extension. I couldn't imagine they had an extension number for help the way I imagined.

10) In the event of an emergency, an ambulance and its driver are always stationed near the reception area.

11) There are treatments, to be sure, but it is more important that it helps you improve your lifestyle in order to live a healthy life.

Negatives

"Life is ten percent how you make it and ninety percent how you take it," you may have heard somewhere. As a result, each individual is a product of their own experiences, and as a result, opinions differ from person to person. Personally, I am a positive person. If I find a flaw in something and can fix it, the problem is solved; if it is beyond my control, I let it go. There are still some things I can take care of:

1) Avoid going to the lake late at night because I saw a snake there.

2) The treatment centre stinks to high heaven. I couldn't figure out what it was at first, but it turned out to be the smell of the paper they use as a sheet during massage.

3) The enema and Jal neti sections are very close to each other and have a strong odour. I was disgusted by the smell, but there was nothing I could do about it. It only takes ten minutes.

Personal Gyaan

1) Yog gram operates under the philosophy that "your stomach is your second brain," so don't be surprised if you tell them you have a headache and they tell you to eat an apple or drink a lot of water instead of giving you medicine.

2) Avoid talking to people who are crying and wailing over food because they are doing so for some reason that they do not understand.

3) Remain calm and "kaam" se "kaam," as you don't want to be distracted from the reason you're in yog gram.

4) It is acceptable to leave the evening yoga session and explore the surroundings at times. See the sunset, the sky, the flower, go for a walk alone, sit by the lake, talk to a stranger, and listen to someone's story. (This is entirely a personal preference, but I do it quite frequently.)

5) Tapasavi rooms are suitable for booking for a variety of reasons. It's close to the yoga hall, canteen, and reception, it's inexpensive, and most importantly, you won't have time to use the other accommodations' amenities, so it makes sense.

Dr. Neeraj's Remedies:

I would be overjoyed if this information was useful to anyone. Until then, stay healthy, optimistic, and content.

Please leave a comment or feel free to ask questions.