Why Prana Kitchens?
Prana Kitchens is founded on the ethos that Prana thrives when we eat mindfully, live consciously, and support our communities. Our vision is to restore Prana in our bodies and in the way we grow our food. We believe that Prana flows through food that is farmed sustainably and cooked & eaten mindfully in accordance with our unique constitutional (Prakriti) needs. By bringing these foods into your kitchen, we are creating healing and vitality for us and the planet.
Eat Mindfully
Know what you eat and where it comes from. To us, this is eating organic, cooking daily, eating only when hungry & eating with no distractions. Ayurveda says that the body is made up of wholesome fresh food. Living by this philosophy, we handcraft our products fresh, in small batches, and deliver to our customers within days of crafting (not weeks or months) for maximum Prana and taste.
Live Consciously
Respect and protect this planet that sustains life. We remain true to the Ayurveda pillar that honors the individual, the planet and harmonious bond between us. Our packaging only uses reusable glass containers or compostable packages that are manufactured from plant-based sources. We adopt the philosophy that we are borrowing our planet from our children and want to leave our home better than we found it.
Support Our Farmers
Honor the artisans that grow our food. We source our ingredients from happy farmers. We are committed to adequately compensating them for their caring land stewardship & farming practices, thereby preserving this form of agriculture for generations to come.
With this ethos in mind, we at Prana Kitchens bring spices
to help you prepare flavourful food while thriving in a modern lifestyle.
Let's Come Alive with Prana!
Aruna
Aruna’s passion for cooking flavorful food has been the hallmark of her lifetime’s journey. She also has a lot of interest in Ayurveda and how freshly prepared organic food nourishes our body in addition to mind and spirit. Her goal is to kindle this fire in all the young minds so we can come alive with Prana together!
My passion for cooking flavorful food has been a lifetime’s journey. I was introduced to Ayurveda, our ancient holistic healing philosophy, when I found out I had fibroids. I had severe bleeding for over 5 years and my only option was to remove my uterus. I knew surgical interventions could have side effects, so I decided to consult an Ayurvedic doctor. I realized I needed to improve my health overall, so I changed my lifestyle. First, I learned to listen to my body. As I brought mindfulness in my cooking and eating, I prioritized eating fresh, organic, and unprocessed food everyday.
This did not happen overnight but a gradual process which made it more sustainable. I was able to cure myself completely over a period of time without the surgery. Now, I hope to share this experience with the younger generation. I would like to encourage them to source their ingredients from organic farmers who honor mother earth by practicing sustainable farming techniques. When my best friend, Sri and now partner, asked me if we should do something together, it took me only a few seconds to say yes to her since I knew she had the exact same values. With divine intervention, Prana Kitchens came alive!
Sri
Sri has found her calling in Prana Kitchens where she finds joy integrating her passion for wellness, Ayurveda, and caring for the environment. A former exec, she has made the transition from thinking about shareholders to valuing the most important stakeholders of our future well-being - the planet, our farmers, and we the consumers.
I had much to be grateful for - good health, a great career, and a happy family. I pursued a 30 year career as a successful executive at Fortune 500 companies. I juggled the ambitions of a career, raising a family, and pursuing the comforts of a modern lifestyle as best as I could. Taking care of food & health was a subconscious act, thanks to formative habits of cooking and exercise instilled by my parents. But in spite of the external success, I found myself wanting more. The yearning to fulfill my dharma gnawed at me. It was during a hike in the Grand Canyon that clarity and inspiration dawned. I love nature and was worrying about the implications of our choices on the planet.
It hit me that the life I had taken for granted was made possible because of my unconscious choice to integrate wellness, nutrition, and a passion for the environment into my everyday living. I was inspired by the thought that if we could consciously extend these beyond ourselves, we could collectively thrive in today’s world. My love for food and belief in Ayurveda gave me an immediate starting point. Aruna, my best friend, shared the same passions and I didn’t have a moment’s doubt about her willingness to join this journey. And thus Prana Kitchens was born! Earlier this year, I bid farewell to my corporate career and have since had a most gratifying journey building Prana Kitchens with Aruna.
Chief Editor – Abhinava Dhanvantari
Dr. Lal brings a wealth of experience as an Ayurveda physician, researcher, and educator. Prana Kitchens is humbled to benefit from his vast knowledge of the proper ways to bring harmony to our Doshas through food and lifestyle choices. We are honored to have him as our advisor.
Chief Editor – Abhinava Dhanvantari
Dr. Lal brings a wealth of experience as an Ayurveda physician, researcher, and educator. Prana Kitchens is humbled to benefit from his vast knowledge of the proper ways to bring harmony to our Doshas through food and lifestyle choices. We are honored to have him as our advisor.
Dr. U. Indulal underwent a unique 7 ½ years’ gurukula education program offered by Coimbatore Ayurveda College, run by The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Limited, a pioneer Ayurveda institution in India, and graduated in the year 1993. Since then, he was working for The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (AVP) and was involved in its clinical, academic, research and manufacturing activities for 25 years. His last assignment was as the Head – Academics & Medical Projects and was involved in international academic activities of the organization and in conceptualization and implementation of new projects. During his tenure in AVP, he was based in the main hospital campus, Arya Vaidya Chikitsalayam and Research Institute, which was also the venue of many prestigious research programs conducted in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA etc.
He was the first Study Coordinator of PICRC Project (Planning Grant for International Center for Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine) funded by NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) and has traveled to the UK, USA, Canada, Hungary, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, China, Switzerland, Madagascar, Indonesia, France, Latvia, and Brazil for the promotion of Ayurveda.
After leaving AVP in 2018, Dr. U. Indulal is currently active as:
Chief Editor – Abhinava Dhanvantari, a journal of Ayurveda published by PNNM Ayurveda College, Shoranur, Kerala under the auspices of Sringeri Sharada Peetham and Keraleeya Ayurveda Samajam.
Executive Director – Operations, Akami Ayurveda Hospital & Research Center, Angamali, Kerala
Dean - Academics of Swiss Med School, having its base in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr. U. Indulal underwent a unique 7 ½ years’ gurukula education program offered by Coimbatore Ayurveda College, run by The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Limited, a pioneer Ayurveda institution in India, and graduated in the year 1993. Since then, he was working for The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (AVP) and was involved in its clinical, academic, research and manufacturing activities for 25 years. His last assignment was as the Head – Academics & Medical Projects and was involved in international academic activities of the organization and in conceptualization and implementation of new projects. During his tenure in AVP, he was based in the main hospital campus, Arya Vaidya Chikitsalayam and Research Institute, which was also the venue of many prestigious research programs conducted in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA etc.
He was the first Study Coordinator of PICRC Project (Planning Grant for International Center for Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine) funded by NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) and has traveled to the UK, USA, Canada, Hungary, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, China, Switzerland, Madagascar, Indonesia, France, Latvia, and Brazil for the promotion of Ayurveda.
After leaving AVP in 2018, Dr. U. Indulal is currently active as:
Chief Editor – Abhinava Dhanvantari, a journal of Ayurveda published by PNNM Ayurveda College, Shoranur, Kerala under the auspices of Sringeri Sharada Peetham and Keraleeya Ayurveda Samajam.
Executive Director – Operations, Akami Ayurveda Hospital & Research Center, Angamali, Kerala
Dean - Academics of Swiss Med School, having its base in Geneva, Switzerland.
Giving Back
We had the opportunity to visit many farmers who have adopted organic agriculture practices to cultivate wholesome single origin spices for Prana Kitchens. In line with our ethos, we commit to sourcing fair trade products from these farmers. Be on the lookout for a profile of the farmers that we believe are redefining sustainable agriculture. We are teaming up with select FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations) and NGOs on securing organic certifications, procuring eco-friendly packaging material, and establishing farmer cooperative societies. More on this coming soon!
In addition, several initiatives are in the making to support the extended farming community.
