“Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.” – Mahatma Gandhi.
Behind the scenes
As an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Brand and Wellness Community, our most important goal has always been to ensure top-notch quality ayurvedic products that will not only heal you but will also help you attain optimal health and wellness. Along with an emphasis on values of family and togetherness, we also immensely value the ideals of transparency and authenticity. So, in an attempt to give you a closer look at Amrutam beyond its digital identity, we decided to take you behind the scenes with a visit to Amrutam Vatika and Factory.
Spanning over a vast area in the outskirts of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Amrutam Vatika is an abode to many species of medicinal plants and herbs. An early morning visit to the Vatika will mean drenching your soul in the cool and pure breeze. The sun is almost always generous over the land where plants and ducklings dance alike in the soft cadence. Maali Baba gently tends to the garden of vegetable plants growing in the Vatika and tells us which plant is what with its innumerable benefits and qualities.
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Emphasis on the human connect
It is from Amrutam Vatika that certain plants and herbs like hibiscus, shatavari, brahmi, aloe vera, among others are taken for the manufacturing process. Right next to Amrutam Vatika is Amrutam Factory – an ever-expanding unit where all Amrutam Recipes are brought to life. A strong, pungent aroma envelopes the Factory, the whiff of spices almost appetizing.
Although the Factory is equipped with all the right kinds of machinery, most of the work is done by hand. Be it handpicking ingredients and carefully preserving them or subjecting them to qualitative tests before purification and subsequent usage – the need to work by hand is always accentuated because of the firm belief that the machines cannot replicate the intimate touch with meticulous care and human connection.
There are about 10 contributors at Amrutam Factory, all of whom work tirelessly to ensure that the superior quality of the products remains intact. We ask Abhishek, who has been working at Amrutam Factory for about eight months now, about the manufacturing process and he says, “Before starting with the process of creation, we thoroughly wash and dry raw materials and ingredients. The process further is really extensive and requires a lot of care and attention.”
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Ethical sourcing and process of creation
There is a reason why Amrutam Recipes are priced at premium rates. A lot goes into sourcing and maintaining the ingredients, add to that the rigorous cooking that is undertaken to achieve the maximum potency of the formulations. Unlike cheaper and less expensive ayurvedic brands where only the extracts of the plants and herbs are used, Amrutam Recipes are pure and 100% ayurvedic only because there is no negotiation with the quality.
The herbs and plants are ethically sourced from forests and gardens across the country, going as far as Karnataka in down south and Gujarat in the west. Some recipes like Amrutam Malts take weeks, sometimes months on an end to prepare. Did you know that Amrutam Chawanprash takes over 30 days to prepare? Unlike the Chawanprash sold in the market, Amrutam Chawanprash is an authentic ayurvedic formulation whose recipe has been derived from age-old texts like all other Amrutam Recipes. Additionally, immense care is practiced throughout the whole process along with harboring positive thoughts.
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Following the protocols
Deepak, who has been with Amrutam since its inception in 2006, shows us around and takes us through the scientific testing lab where Amrutam products are subjected to qualitative assurance. With its 100% natural ingredients, there are absolutely no side effects to using any of Amrutam products. We ask Deepak about how the ingredients are quantified to be put in the recipes and he tells us, “We follow the written steps of the recipe thoroughly and strictly adhere to quantities and protocols mentioned.”
Special emphasis is also placed on personal hygiene. Even before the news of COVID pandemic was announced, the production staff were wearing gloves and caps for safety and hygiene. However, after the outbreak, everyone began taking the protocols seriously and now gloves, caps, and masks are worn by all the contributors. There is absolutely no compromise on cleanliness and sanitation. The huge utensils and containers in which all the cooking is done are also regularly washed and dried.
“Since there are zero preservatives in Amrutam Recipes, their shelf life is similar to that of a homemade bottle of pickles. Initially, we received frequent calls from our community with complaints regarding changes in texture and taste in different places. Like if someone had consumed a certain malt in Mumbai, it would taste and appear different to them in Bangalore. But with time, our community has understood our work ethic and the effort we put in our products which is how we are able to continually improve as a brand,” says Agnim Gupta, Principal: Tech & Growth, Amrutam.
A sense of belonging
A brief look at the contributors’ faces who are always working behind the scenes tells us that they absolutely enjoy working at Amrutam Factory. Saraswati and Aasha who assist in the Factory work are especially happy because of the liberty and autonomy they are provided. Manoj and Vishal are always curious to learn more and extend a hand of help to Mr. Ashok Gupta, who is the brain behind all the amazing Amrutam Recipes. Given the ethos of sustainability that hold great value at Amrutam, efforts are made to ensure that nothing goes to waste. Even the coconut shells are converted into sustainable bowls!
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We hope you enjoyed this little snippet from what a day looks like at Amrutam Vatika and Factory! With our vision to ensure the wellbeing of all, we hope to keep sending you a mixture made out of love, care, and most importantly, prayers! Thank you for being a part of #AmrutamFamily!
