About the practice

A name I didn't choose.

I first travelled to India in 2014 to expand my study and practice of Yoga — the discipline, as it was originally taught over centuries. I lived and volunteered for nearly a year at Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Nainital, in the Himalayas. My days there were spent between Yoga and philosophy study and practice, and the daily work that kept the ashram running. It was there that people started calling me Babaji. The name was given, it grew on me and never left.

The following year, I found Ayurveda — or did it find me? I began studying under Dr. V.K. Verma — Guruji — in his clinic and Panchakarma center in Varanasi. He taught the classical way: learning the theory, undergoing every treatment myself, then practicing under his watch before ever working alone. Six months with him laid a foundation that everything since has been built on. He signed me off to practice on my own at the end of it.

What followed.

Over the years I've taught Yoga, led Yoga and Ayurveda retreats in Egypt and India, held Ayurvedic consultations and treatments, and worked with people as per each individual's constitution and circumstances — the wa of Ayurveda. And for the sake of my personal journey, I've never operated on a fixed schedule or from a single place — the work has always moved with me.

I invited Guruji to Egypt twice — in 2018 and again in 2023. We gave courses and saw clients together. He diagnosed, I prepared. Some of the formulations you'll find here come directly from that work: classical preparations, adapted by him for the herbs and conditions of this region.

Where the work happens.

My workshop sits on the North Coast — by the sea, far from Cairo's congestion and pollution. I chose this on purpose for my living and working environment.

The milk, cream, and butter I use come from a local farmer — fresh, full, nothing processed. Herbs sourced from Egypt come from Cairo's old herbalist houses — Harraz, Raggab, Khedr — places where the trade has been passed down for generations. Oils for the Ayurvedic preparations come from a trusted and tested cold-presser. Most of the herbs used in Dokkan Babaji products, however, are not available locally, or does not meet my standard, so I source them from India. As for the vegan capsules, they are sourced from Europe.

Every product is prepared by hand, in small batches. There is no production line. No staff. Just one person making things properly.

Why this shop exists.

Dokkan Babaji grew out of a broader practice — Kottab Babaji — the tree where I've worked with clients and students for years. The shop is the part of that work you can hold in your hands.

Making these products satisfies something specific in me — the work is part physical, part alchemical, demanding patience, which i cultivate, and precision, my innate quality which was honed and sharpened by my engineering background. This is also my way for making Ayurvedic knowledge tangible and available here in Egypt, where almost no one works with it at this depth.