Article Written By EIH Researcher And Writer
Rayana Rose Sabu
Basant Ritu occurs from mid-March until mid-May. This lovely season is renowned as the King of Seasons and reflects nature’s youth. With the flowers in full bloom, the trees restored to their previous beauty, and the air crisp and fragrant, it is the ease of new beginnings, rejuvenation, and birth and along with it comes changes in the body.
Because the environment is warmer, Kapha that has gathered in the Shishir ritu gets liquified by the scorching sun beams in this ritu. The weather warms up in the spring, limiting the body’s digestion capacity. As a result, Kapha rises, impairs digestion and raises the risk of numerous ailments such as cough, cold, sinusitis, indigestion or digestive system difficulties, and other allergic conditions. As a result, the strength is low in this ritu. It is common knowledge that seasonal allergies are most prevalent in the spring. Allergy sufferers start their yearly ritual of sniffling and sneezing as the trees bloom and the pollen is discharged into the air. If worsened, this liquidized Kapha dosha can extinguish the digestive Agni. Our appetite suffers when Agni is weak.
Moreover, our body’s ability to digest food is diminished, and nutrients are absorbed less effectively. This may result in poor appetite, lack of interest in meals, lethargy, and exhaustion. Thus, we must work on this liquid Kapha and concentrate on drying it up to prevent our Agni from being impacted in Vasanta.Ritucharya – seasonal regimens to be followed to naturally balance the changes in your doshas owing to variations in climate and season – is one of the most powerful concepts in Ayurvedic therapy.
Detoxification and toxin removal are best done in the spring—the ideal diet to follow during spring balances the Kapha dosha. To maintain health during the season, various springtime fruits and vegetables are reintroduced into the diets and kitchens of people throughout India. Sweet, juicy fruits can aid in cleansing the body, but they should be consumed before sunset because, after sunset, they increase Kapha. Use of ushna, but not teekshna, deepana (agni igniting), pachana (digestive), and kapha drying herbs and spices are crucial in Vasanta. The Acharyas advise adding spices like Haridra (Turmeric), Sounth (dried Ginger), Clove, Elaichi, and Maricha (Black Pepper) to the cuisine.Haridra helps the body absorb extra liquids because it is drying and astringent. Dried Ginger can be used to season food without causing Pitta to become overheated or aggravated. Equally warming without provoking Pitta dosha are cloves and cardamom. Simbidhanya or millets are a healthy addition to our diets in moderation. Millets can help absorb and dry out liquefied Kapha since they are Laghu (light) and Rooksha (drying). Similarly, Yava (barley) is considered a healthy grain to consume during Vasanta.
Another method to cleanse the intestinal toxins gathered throughout the winter is to sip hot water.
One strategy for boosting the immune system is to eat bitter foods, such as bitter moringa blooms, which can be used to treat chicken pox. Native to the subcontinent, Moringa oleifera is also known as the drumstick tree. It is edible and is thought to have medicinal qualities in its fruit, flowers, and leaves. The peak of spring is when the moringa tree blossoms, and after that, its distinctive preparations make their way into local restaurants. They are used to make chorchori, or mush, and bora, or fritters, in Bengal. Around the same time, the Indian lilac or neem tree grows new leaves. In Bengali kitchens, a springtime delicacy known as Neem Begun is prepared, a stir fry of bitter leaves with cubed brinjals that aid disease prevention. The same practice is followed in the kitchens of Odisha as well, albeit the dish has a different name. Instead of using the leaves, Nimakadhi Baigana Bhaja stir-fries brinjals, onions, and tomato with neem blossoms.
The Nima Pithau Bhaja is another recipe that uses neem flowers. The blooms are combined with freshly ground rice paste and pan-fried till crisp in this meal. Sweta Biswal, a culinary researcher based in Bhubaneshwar, defines it as “It is a culinary gem, especially because of the explosion of various textures and flavours,”.A regional variety of bitter-tasting beans called yongchak makes its market appearance in Manipur. Yongchak is extensively utilized in the spicy salad-like singju and the regional speciality eromba, a dish made with boiled vegetables, ngari, or fermented fish. In Bihar, the basant ritu announces the utilization of sorghum (jowar). It goes by the name jaee.
The jowar was boiled and pulverized, and two to three teaspoons of this powder were added to milk before being given to the family’s young children. The majority of Garhwal households depend heavily on ragi (finger millet). They use it for baking bread, which they consume with perilla seed chutney. Locals begin using flowers like buransh in the spring (rhododendron), and a stir-fry is produced from the palash flower (Butea monosperma). Less well-known greens like khanko and pigeon pea appear in Naga kitchens. While available throughout the year in different parts of Nagaland due to the state’s variations in altitude and temperature, mustard leaves are the ingredient most closely resembles a spring crop. These beautiful greens are served with meat such as pork.
Throughout spring, jackfruit makes a reappearance in South India. Because jackfruit is so adaptable, it can be mashed, fried, or turned into a curry. A well-liked dish is Idichakka Thoran, a stir-fried jackfruit in traditional Kerala. Jackfruit aids in boosting immunity and has anti-bacterial qualities, which are vital during Basant ritu. Malabar spinach, also known as Basale Gassi, is a delicacy prepared with prawns in the small coastal town of Mangalore. The soft stem and slightly mucilaginous leaves are used in curries, soups, and stir-fries. This particular leafy vegetables helps with bowel movements.
Each part of India welcomes the spring season through various specialities. Vasant Ritu is a season of new beginnings, and with it comes a crop of fresh fruits and vegetables that may be incorporated into our meals in the shape of a variety of delectables. These tasty foods can also help us fend off seasonal ailments.
Bibliography
- Spring in the kitchens of east India. (2021, February 9). Mintlounge. https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/discover/spring-in-the-kitchens-of-east-india-111612794967934.html
- Flavours of spring from kitchens of chefs across India. (2023, March 3). Mintlounge. https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/big-story/flavours-of-spring-from-kitchens-of-chefs-across-iIndia-111677823495795.html
- Vasant Ritucharya. (n.d.). Ayurveda-Foryou.com. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://ayurveda-foryou.com/clinical_ayurveda/vasant-ritucharya.html
- krishnaswamy, srinivas. (2019, March 16). Vasanta Ritucharya (Spring seasonal guidelines) – updated for 2023. Krya – Ayurvedic Skin, Hair & Home Care. https://krya.in/2019/03/vasanta-ritucharya-spring-guidelines-krya/
