Monsoon Ayurveda Treatments – How to Prepare Karkidaka Kanji

Nature of the Monsoon Season

During monsoon season the breeze begins from ocean. Everywhere green plants grow. The rainy clouds pervade all over the sky. All water reservoirs overflow. There will be monotonous sound of ocean clouds, frogs & peacock sounds peculiarly. Millipeds, rainbows & lightening are seen often. Algae and green grass appear everywhere and mainly kutaja (Holarrhena antidysenterica) flowers can be seen in bushes.

State of Dosha & Agni During Monsoon Season

The sudden downpour and cooling of the environment after a harsh summer makes all the humors go out of balance in the rainy season. Nature of the season is cold and dry. Vata is naturally predominant in this season. Vata gets aggravated, Pitta accumulates & Kapha has no much interference during this season. Agni further get weakens. So one should take easily digestable foods. As disturbance of Agni is prominent & the strength is less, digestives and carminatives should be taken. Hence the regimens are focused to balance all humors and aid digestion. Monsoon Ayurveda Treatments are essential to keep up with state of Dosha & Agni during this season

Diet to Follow During Kerala Monsoon

Oily, sweet, salty, sour and hot foods are advised. Old rice, wheat, jowar, food prepared of old grains, meat soup and soup of pulses processed with spices or carminatives are to be taken. Non harmful wines, fermented liquids (arishta), mardwika(dried red grapes) wines. As water can get polluted take care to drink only pure water. Drinking of boiled water (in little quantity as agni may reduce), soups and old honey are recommended. Kledayukta(oily), vata reducing, dried, light, snigdha(unctuous), madhura(sweet), ushna(hot), amla(sour), lavana(salt) tastes should be used on rainy or windy days. During days of heavy rain intake of easily digestible, honey mixed with sour, salty, fatty and dry foods (dry ginger) as drinks & diets are beneficial. Spicy, bitter, astringent food must be avoided. Karkkidaka kanji is a special recipe during rainy season. It’s a healthy tonic to boost energy, stamina & immunity. We suggest you check out  Ayurvedic Nutrition & Cookery Courses to ensure a healthy diet during monsoon and all other seaons.

Ayurveda Treatments for the Monsoon Season ( “Varsha Rithu” )

For the overall well-being of the body, Ayurveda suggests Panchakarma Treatments like Abhyanga, Shirodhara, Swedanam, Pizhichil and Virechana during the monsoons.

On account of the effect of previous Adanakala (period of extraction), present rain, humidity, amlapaka (acidity increases in body & environment) & contaminated water, the digestive fire becomes less & hence emesis, purgation, decoction & oil enemas should be carried out. Udhwartana(powder massage), pragharshana(rubbing of body), bath, fumigation, scented agaru (Aquilaria agallocha) paste application are beneficial for diseased as well as healthy people.

Suitable drugs during monsoon season: Tulasi (Ocimum sanctum), Rasna (Pluchea lanceolata), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia).

Benefits of Karkidaka Kanji

According to Ayurveda, the Malayalam month of Karkidaka is the time when the monsoon rains are at its peak and the time that calls for preventive therapies to regain strength and improve your immunity during this month. The Oushadha (medicine) kanji help you get rejuvenated for the monsoon.

This kanji is a unique combination of herbs, spices, and grains that would keep the monsoon fevers at bay and prevent you against some of the common diseases of the rainy season like arthritis (Vatham in Malayalam), etc. This is a special diet in Ayurveda which is good for the people of all age groups as it helps to improve the immunity of the body and acts as a detoxifying agent. Karkidaka Kanji can be prepared at home, have a look at how it is prepared and the list of ingredients that are used to make Karkidaka Kanji or Oushadha Kanji.

How to Prepare Karkidaka Kanji

Porridge For Rainy Days also known as Oushadha Kanji/ Karkidaka Kanji is a medicinal rice soup and a traditional item of Kerala during the rainy days. This tasty dish has a special effect in warding off the monsoon fevers. Here is the exclusive recipe to prepare the “Ayurvedic Karkidaka Kanji” at your home.

Ingredients:

• Shashtika Shali (Red rice) – 100 gms
• Chandrashoora (Garden cress) – 10 gms
• *Dashamoola Choorna – 5 gms
• *Trikatu Choorna – 5 gms
• *Dashapushpa Choorna – 10 gms
• Broken rice – 10 gms
• Medhika (Fenugreek) – 10 gms
• Jeeraka (Cumin) – 10 gms
• Coconut milk – Quantity sufficient
• Jaggery – Quantity sufficient
• Water – Quantity sufficient

*Dashamoola –

1. Bilwa (Aegle marmalos)
2. Agnimantha (Clerodoendrum phlomidis)
3. Syonaka (Oroxylum indicum)
4. Patala (Stereospermum saveolens)
5. Gambhari (Gmelina arborea)
6. Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris)
7. Brihati (Solanum indicum)
8. Kantakari (Solanum surattens)
9. Sali parni (Desmodium gangeticum)
10. Prisni parni (Uraria picta)

*Trikatu –

1. Pippali (Piper longum)
2. Maricha (Piper nigrum)
3. Shunti (Zingiber officinalis)

*Dashapushpa –

1. Viparita lajjalu (Biophytum candolleanum)
2. Bhadra (Aerva lanata)
3. Sakralata (Cardiospermum halicabum)
4. Lakshmana (Ipomea serpiania)
5. Sahadevi (Vernonia cineria)
6. Durva (Cynodon dactylon)
7. Musali (Curculigo orchioides)
8. Vishnukranti (Evolvulus alsinoides)
9. Bhringaraja (Eclipta alba)
10. Sasasruti (Emilia sonchifolia)

Preparation:

Boil 1 glass of water with 10 gms Dashamoola Choorna. Add 100 gms of red rice to it & continue boiling by adding Jeeraka, Trikatu Choorna, Medhika, Broken rice. Once the rice gets cooked add Dashapushpa powder/extract along with sufficient quantity of Coconut Milk & Jaggery. Serve when hot to get complete result once in a day during Monsoon season.

 If you are looking for monsoon Ayurveda treatments in Kerala, contact Greens Ayurveda right away. Call us at +91 496 2504334 now!!