Valiya Narayana Thailam

What it is

Valiya Narayana Thailam is a Thailam, a medicated oil, and one of the richest in the classical tradition. The name is worth reading. Valiya means great or larger, and Narayana is the name carried by a whole family of Ayurvedic oils. So this is the larger of the Narayana oils, a fuller version of a well-known preparation, with more herbs cooked into it.

Like nearly all the great Ayurvedic oils, it is built on a base of sesame oil. Into that oil the makers cook a long list of strengthening, warming roots, so that the finished oil carries their qualities. It is meant for the outside of the body, worked into the skin, not swallowed.

What it is used for

This is, above all, the oil of Vata. In Ayurveda Vata is the principle of movement, the dry, cold, light quality that governs the nerves, the circulation and every motion of the body. When Vata is disturbed the texts describe stiffness, weakness, cracking joints, trembling and aching limbs, and it is for exactly this picture that the Narayana oils were made.

So the tradition reaches for Valiya Narayana Thailam where the body feels stiff, dry, weak or unsteady: aching joints, tired muscles, limbs that have lost their strength. It is warming and deeply nourishing, the opposite of the cold dryness of disturbed Vata, and it is a classic oil for the slow, building, steadying side of Ayurveda rather than for anything quick.

How it is made

The making follows the classical method for a medicated oil, which is slow and exacting. First the strengthening roots are gathered. At the heart of the formula stand Bala, the root named for the strength it gives, and Ashwagandha, the great rebuilding root, joined by the nourishing Shatavari and by Dashamoola, the famous group of ten roots used throughout Ayurveda to settle Vata.

These herbs are prepared in two ways at once. Some are simmered in water to make a strong decoction, the Kashayam, and others are ground into a wet paste, the Kalka. Both the decoction and the paste are then combined with sesame oil in a wide pan and cooked together, gently and for a long time, until all the water has slowly cooked away and only the oil is left, now carrying the strength of the herbs. The cooked oil is strained clear and stored. This patient cooking is what turns plain sesame oil into a Thailam.

How it is used

Valiya Narayana Thailam is used on the body, not taken by mouth. The most common way is Abhyanga, the warm oil massage at the heart of Ayurvedic self-care, in which the oil is warmed a little and worked into the skin with steady strokes, then left to soak in before a warm bath. In the classical clinics it is also used in Pizhichil, where warm oil is poured over the body in a continuous stream, and applied locally to a single stiff or aching joint.

Good to know

This is a warming, nourishing oil made for the cold, dry, weak qualities of disturbed Vata. It is for external use, applied to the skin and not swallowed. As with any oil it is sensible to try a little on a small patch of skin first.

This entry describes the classical Ayurvedic understanding of the formulation. It is not medical advice, and anyone with a health condition should speak to a qualified practitioner.

Frequently asked

What does the name mean? Valiya means great or larger, and Narayana names a whole family of classical oils. This is the larger, fuller Narayana oil, with a longer list of strengthening herbs cooked into it.

Is it taken by mouth? No. Like the other great Thailams it is used on the outside of the body, worked into the skin in massage, and not swallowed.

Why sesame oil? Sesame oil is the classical base for Vata oils. It is itself warming and penetrating, and the tradition holds that it carries the strength of the cooked herbs deep into the body.