What Is Kansa Massage? History, Types, Oil, and How to Do It at Home

A Brief History of Kansa Massage

The Kansa (कांस्य) metal has a very long history. In fact, it came before the massage.

The bronze has been cast in India for thousands of years, and the Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro, the small bronze figure that most of us first saw in a school history book, is about 4,500 years old.¹ Over the centuries, kansya plates, bowls, glasses, etc. became an integral part of the Indian kitchen as well.

Ancient Ayurvedic Practitioners Always Suggested Daily Foot Massage

• The classical texts, such as the Charaka Samhita and the Ashtanga Hridaya, describe oil massage (abhyanga) as a part of the daily routine.²
• The Ashtanga Hridaya names the feet, along with the head and the ears, as the parts to be given special attention.³ Padabhyanga (पादाभ्यंग), which is nothing but the oil massage of the feet, is described by name in the Charaka Samhita.²

Over time, the two came together at home. In the evening, someone in the house would sit on the floor with a little ghee or oil and work the vati slowly over the soles of an elder, and many homes still do it the same way.

The Modern Way of Doing Ancient Ayurvedic Kansa Massage

The electric machine is the newest part of this story. Our founder, Mr. Suresh Jadhav, watched his father receive the massage by hand every evening, and saw how much time and effort it required from the person giving it. So he built a machine with a small motor and 100% Pure Kansya Vati using his engineering and manufacturing skills. At Vandana Tools, we have been making these portable Kansya Vati massagers in Dighi, Pune, since 2014, and we were the first company in India to make an electric portable Kansya vatki massager.

What Kansya Is Made Of, and How It Differs from Copper and Brass

Kansya, commonly known as kansa or bell metal, is a type of bronze which is made by melting copper and tin together, and it gets the name bell metal because bells have traditionally been cast from the same alloy.⁴

It is heavy for its size. When it is new, kansya has a warm golden colour.

A kansya vati is made by casting. The molten metal is poured into a mould, and once it has cooled down, each vati is finished by hand.

Difference Between Kansya, Copper, and Brass

Kansya is often confused with copper and brass, because all three look similar in a photograph. Below are the differences:

• Copper: A pure metal, reddish-brown in colour and softer than the other two, used for the tambya or lota that many homes keep for water.
• Brass: An alloy of copper and zinc, also called pital, yellow in colour and used for lamps and puja items.⁵
• Kansya: An alloy of copper and tin, golden in colour, and the metal Ayurveda traditionally uses for massaging the feet.

Simply put, the tin is what separates kansya from brass. Brass looks quite similar when it is new. So, a bowl that looks golden in a photograph online is not always kansya, and before buying, it is always better to check what the seller says the vati is made of and whether it is copper and tin or not.

One more important thing to note is that kansya darkens with use. The oil and the air slowly change the colour of the surface, so a vati that is used every evening turns darker over time, and this is completely normal for kansa. The same thing can leave a light grey tint on the soles, which is only oxidation and comes off with a cloth.

Types of Kansa Massage

In general, kansa massage is named after the part of the body it is done on. Below are the three types, and the vati used for each:

1. Kansa Foot Massage (Padabhyanga)

This is the original type, and it is what most people mean when they say kansa massage. It is done on the soles. Ayurvedic texts describe points on the sole as marma points,⁶ and padabhyanga is traditionally done over them, from the heel to the toes. Three of the four vatis are made for the feet:

• Round vati: The traditional vati with lines across it, and the one most people begin with. It is also used on the legs and the back.
• Flat vati: No lines and no dots, for feet that find the round vati too ticklish. Older people and children often prefer it, and since it has a defined edge, it stays on the feet.
• Dotted vati: Raised dots that gather the weight of the bronze into small points, for a firmer feel and steady pressure on the marma or acupressure points.

2. Kansa Face Massage

Kansa massage is done on the face as well, with a much lighter touch and only a few drops of oil. The massage moves outwards from the centre of the face, first across the forehead and then along the cheeks and the jaw, and it stays away from the eyes. A few minutes is usually enough.

The vati for the face has to be smooth all over, with no lines, no dots, and no edge.

3. Kansa Body Massage

The same massage is done on the body too. Traditionally,

• The round vati is used on the legs and the back
• The dotted or acupressure vati is used on the shoulders and the thighs as well as the back

With an electric machine, the skin is oiled the same way as the feet, and the machine is held against it and moved slowly. Keep the pressure light. Generally, it is better to begin with the feet, and to move to the body once you are used to the feel of the bronze.

How Kansa Massage Is Done by Hand

Before the electric machine, kansa massage was always done by hand, and in many homes it still is. It needs two people. One lies down or sits back with the legs stretched out, and the other sits near the feet with the vati and the oil. Below is how it is usually done:

• Warm a little oil or ghee: A spoonful is enough for both feet, and it only needs to be warm to the touch, never hot.
• Spread it over the soles: Rub it in with the palm so that the vati glides on the skin.
• Hold the vati by its rim: The rounded bottom goes against the sole, and the hand guides it without pressing hard.
• Work in slow circles and long strokes: Cover the heel, the arch, the ball of the foot, and the toes, spending a little time on each part.
• Wipe the feet and the vati: A soft, dry cloth is enough for both.

Traditionally, this is done in the evening, after a bath, or before bed. Done properly, it takes about twenty minutes for both feet. In most cases, the person giving it sits on the floor for the whole time, and this is the reason why the hand method is dependent on one family member being free every evening.

Which Oil Is Used for Kansa Massage

The oil plays a vital role in kansa massage. It lets the bronze move smoothly over the skin. On a dry sole, the vati drags, and the massage feels rough, so a little oil is always used, whether the massage is done by hand or with a machine. Below are the oils that people commonly use:

• Coconut oil: A common choice in homes that already cook with it, and it lets the vati glide just as well.
• Sesame oil: Also called til oil, this is the oil that the Charaka Samhita names as the ideal oil for oiling the body, and the one traditionally used for padabhyanga.⁷
• Desi ghee: The other traditional choice, used with the kansya vati in many homes.
• The oil you already use: If your family already has a massage oil, the same oil works for kansa massage too.

Please note that a spoonful of oil is enough for both feet, and it only needs to be warm to the touch. No special oil is needed. For the face, a few drops of the oil or liquid moisturiser cream you normally use on your face are enough.

The Difference Between Kansya Vati and the Kansya Thali Massager

Both of them are made of kansya, and both are used with a little oil on the soles, so it is easy to mix up the two. The difference is in the size and in the way the feet meet the metal.

The vati is a small bowl that fits in one hand. In padabhyanga, its rounded bottom is worked over the sole, either by hand or on a small electric machine, and it is meant for one person at a time, which makes it the usual choice for a home.

On the other hand, the thali is a large plate of kansya. In our full-size Kansya Thali machines, the thali is 16 inches across, and the feet rest on it while the machine moves in clockwise and anticlockwise directions.

Kansya thali foot massager machines are heavier, and they are built for longer daily use.

Below is a quick comparison of the two:

Traditional Hand Padabhyanga vs Electric Machine Padabhyanga

Traditional hand padabhyanga is the way the massage has been done for generations. A trained person can change the pressure and the strokes as they go, and can spend longer on one part of the foot when asked.

In reality, the second part is the hard part. Someone has to sit on the floor for twenty minutes every evening, and in most cases that is the part which families find difficult to keep up.

On the other hand, an electric machine padabhyanga uses a small motor to move a kansya vati. You sit in a chair, rub a little oil on the sole, rest your foot on the vati, and switch it on. That is all you have to do. Both feet take about ten minutes. The kansya and the oil stay the same, and the vati still travels slowly across the sole the way it does by hand, so the biggest change is that nobody has to sit on the floor to give the massage.

Both methods use a kansya material. As such, if someone at home is trained and has twenty minutes every evening, hand padabhyanga is the traditional way, and there is nothing to change. The machine makes more sense when the person wants the massage every evening and nobody is free to give it.

How to Do Kansa Thali Massage at Home in Ten Minutes

Doing a kansa massage at home with an electric Kansya vati machine must not feel like a complex task. All you need is a spoonful of oil, a chair where you can sit back, and about ten minutes of your evening. Below are the steps:

• Place the machine in front of a chair: Keep it on the floor, and sit back properly so that you are comfortable for ten minutes.
• Fit the vati and plug it in: The round vati suits most feet, the flat vati is for feet that tickle, and the dotted vati gives a firmer feel.
• Rub the oil into the sole: Sesame oil is the traditional one, but the oil you already keep at home will do.
• Switch it on and rest your foot on the vati: The weight of your leg is enough, so there is no need to push down.
• Move slowly from the heel to the toes: Shift your foot a little every few seconds as per your comfort, for about five minutes on each foot.
• Wipe the vati when you finish: Use a soft, dry cloth, and store the vati dry.

Please note that about ten minutes in total is the usual advice, and there is no need to go longer.

FAQs: Ayurvedic Kansa Massage

Vandana Tools: Kansya Massagers Made in Pune Since 2014

Vandana Tools has made electric Kansya massagers in Pune since 2014. We were the first company in India to make one. Today, we still cast every vati and build every machine in our own workshop in Dighi, where our store is as well, and every massager carries a 2-year warranty, with our quality system certified to ISO 9001:2015 by TÜV Austria.

We make three kinds of Kansya massagers:

• Portable Kansya Vati massagers: one machine in fifteen sets (KT⁴, KT⁶, KT⁷, KT08, KT09 and KT11 to KT20), from Rs 2,699, with free delivery across India
• Kansya Thali machines: KT³, KT⁵ and KT10, for daily use at home or all day in a spa or clinic
• Replacement Kansya vatis: round, face, flat and dotted, sold on their own

Talk to Us Before You Buy

If you are not sure which set suits your home, message us on WhatsApp and tell us who will use the machine.