by Sheela Rani Chunkath
Slumber upon a bed arranged in a garden in which sunlight is screened by tall palms and pines which seem to touch the clouds and where jasmines wrap around bunches of grapes. The bed is set up in an arbour with a wet cotton screen damp with cold water and decorated with mango leaves. The bed itself is made of plantain leaves, lotuses, lilies and other fresh flowers. Statues of beautiful women from whose hands and mouth, water delicately perfumed with khus grass, cascades in rivulets around the bed.
This is not a scene up by one of our Kollywood directors. This is what Vagbhata the author of Ashtanga Hridayam said, about 2000 years back, in the Ritucharya chapter which deals with the regimens to be followed during each season.
In summer, our acharyas would like you to stay cool in as natural and refreshing an environment as possible. The indriyas must be exposed to a variety of factors which cool and refresh the body.
Gentle fanning with wet palm leaves and lotus leaves, spraying of cool water droplets, wearing garlands made from jasmine flowers and sandalwood beads and the sweet coquetry of small children, parrots and parakeets all was the ambience chosen by the Acharya to beat the summer heat. Do something similar. Get natural vetiver shades and fans and stay out of the heat.
In grishmaritu or summer, as the sun's rays become powerful, the body feels as if it is being squeezed dry. This weakens kapha and strengthens vata.
In this season, exercise and exposure to sun are to be avoided. In contrast however, many children are sent off to tennis camps and athletic events where the sun and their activities increase the vata in their bodies. This is not the season to travel around visiting various shrines and holiday spots or moving around hectically from one relative’s house to another. Less travel, light food and keeping out of the sun is the regimen prescribed during the summer season.
Food should not be salty, sour or very spicy. In this season, sweet, light, unctuous and cool dishes should be had, preferably in liquid form. Our traditional chilled kheer would be an ideal food for summer.
Alcohol is also best avoided during the season and if at all necessary it should be taken in very small quantities, says Vagbhata. I wonder what he would say about the quantities of beer being drunk to puportedly cool the system. Alcohol in this season will cause oedema, burning sensation and fainting.
Rice with meat of jangla animals (those from arid locales) and thin meat soups are recommended by Acharya. Drinks made from honey, grapes, dates and phalsa and sugar are also recommended. Grapes are highly recommended in Ayurveda but it saddens me that nowadays they are so drenched with pesticides. I am always on the lookout for organically grown grapes. In summer, vata is provoked or there is sanchaya of vata. If nothing is done to pacify it now, during the next season, which is the rainy season, there would be prakopa or complete aggravation of vata. Vata induced diseases will manifest in their full form. So during grishma or summer, pacify vata by doing less. It is worthwhile also to anoint oneself daily, before bath, with cool oils like chandan tailam or any oil that your family traditionally uses in summer (please ask your grandmothers). Drink water boiled with Sadanga Kwatha Churanam (refer earlier article) and keep your body cool.
So this summer stay healthy, stay indoors during the heat of the day, eat lightly, reduce physical exercise and drink cool!
--- The writer is retired Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu. She can be reached at Sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail. com. Earlier articles can be accessed at http://arogyamantra.blogspot.com/