Balaguduchyadi Tailam

-by Sheela Rani Chunkath

I cannot overemphasize the benefits of oils and tailams in keeping ones body rejuvenated and young. Balaguduchyadi tailam is one of my favourites. Some days your body feels tired and as if you  are on fire, all hot and bothered. This is the oil to use then. It can be applied all over the body and can be regularly used to oil the scalp and hair.

Balaguduchyadi tailam is made from a whole lot of herbs, many of which I have written about in my earlier articles. A decoction is made from the roots of Sida cordifolia, Tinospora cordifolia, and Himalayan cedar wood. Sida and Tinospora both have heart shaped leaves and hence the specific name cordifolia. Cordi- means heart and folium- means leaf.  Sida is called bala  and Tinospora is referred to as guduchi in Sanskrit. The tailam is named after these two main ingredients.

To the decoction of Sida, Tinospora and cedar is added a paste made from the roots of Costus , Withania somnifera, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Indian valerian, Pinewood, lesser Galangal, Liquorice and Nut grass tubers. This paste is topped with gingelly/sesame oil. The entire mixture is heated till the water evaporates. The tailam is decanted and used after a week of storage.

Bala called kurunthottiver in Tamil and Malayalam was a household name in most Keralite homes a few decades ago. Many people could identify it both in its native habitat and in the shops. Sida cordifolia is said to contain an alkaloid like compound called ephedrine. It is an important ayurvedic drug and it is a pity that our school curriculum does not encourage the study of our traditions, heritage and our environment.

How many of us can identify Tinospora cordifolia. It grows all over in Chennai and Trivandrum, in fact in most parts of India. The plant is so hardy that you just throw a piece of the stem in a damp place and it will take root and climb all over the nearest trees sending out aerial roots. It is a creeper and the part used is the thick stem. I planted a small piece of the stem in my house and now that it has taken hold it grows like a weed. That is the power of the plant. A starch is extracted from the thick stems of Tinospora and it is regarded as a tonic and febrifuge. There is a Tamil proverb which says that it can make even a dying man sit up.

The other main ingredient is Devadaru or Cedrus deodara. The wood has a balsamic odour due to the presence of a fragrant aromatic oil. It is useful in the treatment of rheumatism.

This oil is therefore useful for those having rheumatic pains. It can be used generously over inflamed joints.

My favourite oils for the scalp tend to be nochi during winter, neelibringadhi and balaguduchiyadi during summer. I take these with me even when I go to have a head massage in a spa. I prefer these wonderful tailams to the plain old olive or almond oil that are on offer.

--- The writer was earlier Health Secretary, Govt. of Tamil Nadu and is currently CMD, TN Industrial Investment Corporation. She can be reached at Sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail.com. Earlier articles can be accessed at http://arogyamantra.blogspot.com/