Power of patthar

From Kajol who initiated the trend to Shah Rukh Khan — Bollywood seems to be swept away by the healing powers of gem stones. The latest celebrity to join the bandwagon is actor Tusshar Kapoor, who claims an amulet helped cure his insomnia. Life@work tells you how to turn on the shine

Before you brush off gem therapy as mumbo-jumbo, take a minute to read testaments from Bollywood celebrities.

A gemstone amulet was all Tusshar Kapoor needed to get rid of his insomnia and acne.

Shah Rukh Khan gets stoned for general well-being, and the bling of a blue sapphire is said to have turned Amitabh Bachchan's fortune around.

We tell you how to polish your tarnished life, and beware of fake gloss.

Does gemstone therapy really work?

"You can't turn fate around, but you can reduce its negative effects," says Dr Anoop Jaiswal, gem therapist at Shiv Rudraksh Anusandhan Kendra, Lokhandwala.

In his years of experience and research, Dr Jaiswal insists there is a scientific basis for the effectiveness of gemstones.

The science behind it

A gemstone, says Dr Jaiswal, acts like a radar for the body. "It connects with planets and pulls positive energy from them," explains the alternate therapy expert, whose list of clients include actor Mohit Ahlawat and a host of TV actors including Amrapali Gupta.

Each stone also has a characteristic colour with a certain wavelength. These wavelengths pass through our nervous system, and affect the functioning of our physiological system. Dr Jaiswal prescribes gems on the basis of either one factor or a combination of date and time of birth, name, problem at hand, face reading, palm reading and astrology.

Before you get stoned, remember:

The gemstone should be brand new.

Low quality gemstones will have significantly less, if any, therapeutic effect.

Every stone has its own shelf life. Make sure to find out all the necessary information from a qualified therapist.

Like medicines, stones are not prescribed for a lifetime.

If you wear a wrong stone:

Aping the stones that stars wear, or taking advice from untrained professionals can negatively influence your life, health and work progress.


Latest Bollywood trend:

Gem bands

Everyone from Shah Rukh Khan to Kajol and Ajay Devgan have been spotted wearing a gemstone amulet. Dr Dilip Kumar, who is responsible for this health trend says the bands are a variation of gem therapy. "I call it Coloured Rays Therapy.

Unlike gemstone therapy, I don't prescribe a particular stone for a corresponding ailment. Since each person has a different history, the duration and combination of gems differs from person to person," says Dr Kumar. Here's how his amulets have helped Bollywood's gems: