Chaitra Māsa – March 4 – April 2

Chaitra masa signals the start of Basant rtu, the season of renewal and beauty. Spring is also the start of a fresh annual cycle of seasons or Rtu Chakra in the traditional calendar.

Basant rtu arrives in a burst of colour – the festival of Holi and also smaller regional festivities which include countless tribal and regional festivals such as Shigmo in the Goa region or Pankuni (Panguni Uthiram) in Tamil Nadu.

Basant is a season of immense beauty and delight. After the long fallow quietness of Winter, in Basant rtu the Earth awakens from her slumber and suddenly all is in movement and colour. Flowers bloom riotously, birdcall fills the air, tender new shoots come forth from all plants.

After the two seasons of Winter stillness and quietude, Basant rtu bustles in, filled with movement and energy. And it brings with it a change in the very quality of light and a gaiety of spirits. Colours feel sharper and fresher – the sky is a clear azure blue, the leaves are bright green, the flowers are startling in their vivid brightness and there is the constant hum and whirr of life — the leaves rustle and dance in the Spring breeze, forest meadows come to life with a carpet of wildflowers, the streams and rivers rush with renewed vigour as spring melt in the mountains fills them up and surrounding us is the sound of life. It is a time of vigour and energy, of fresh beginnings and above all, beauty.

Just like the Earth our senses and body also emerge from the lassitude of Winter into the movement and energy of Basant rtu.

Spring Cleanse

Dr Vasant Lad, Ayurvedic doctor and practitioner, lists the qualities of Basant rtu as “warm, moist, gentle and unctuous.” Just as the Winter snow begins to thaw in this season, so to the Winter accumulation of Kapha in the body starts to liquefy. This can cause many people to experience Spring colds. For those prone to them, the abundance of pollen and fragrance and dust in the air also causes flare-ups of allergy and hay fever. In Ayurvedic practice the first month of Spring is a good time to cleanse and detoxify the body and to bring it into balance. Below are some gentle practices recommended for the season.

• Avoid food that is Sour, Sweet and Salty as they provoke Kapha.
• Include Bitter, Astringent and Pungent tasting foods.
• As the Neem flowers, it is traditional in many parts of India to eat a few tender leaves of Neem every morning.

However, if you are pregnant or on medication it is advisable to discuss taking Neem leaves with your doctor. 

• Dr Lad recommends drinking a tisane of Ginger, Black Pepper & Cinnamon after each meal in this season. Cumin, Coriander & Fennel Tea: Steep 1/3 teaspoon of each in cup of hot water for 10 minutes and then strain and drink. This is a gentle but effective decoction that supports digestive health and enhances gut health.

Fasting: Fasting is a traditional practice that helps our bodies to adapt better to the changes in the environment that each season brings. Depending upon your tolerance you can opt for a full day fast or even undertake the traditional nine-day long Navratri fasting for the Chaitra Navratri which will begin on 19 March this year. The austerity of the fast undertaken depends upon your tolerance and health – fast only as much as your body can withstand without depleting itself.

• Spring is the time to embrace activity and exercise with vigour.

Abhyanaga: Massaging the body can be an excellent way of stimulating and invigorating the body, especially when the type of massage is tailored to help us deal with excess Kapha accumulation. In order to pacify Kapha, the oil used should be either Sesame oil or Mustard oil, which is especially good for stimulating Agni in the skin. Use gentle long strokes with circular movements for joints such as the knees and elbows. After massage avoid exposure to cold and wind (such as an air-conditioned room or even a fan on a high speed). Ideally rest and wait for at least 30 minutes before bathing with traditional cleansing grains such as an Ubtan instead of soap. Lukewarm water should be used.

Caution: If your digestive Agni is very low then opt for the dry powder massage as that will be more effective.

Dry Powder Massage: “Dry powder massages are heating, stimulating and dehydrating, making them beneficial for weak agni and excess kapha.” Regular dry powder massage “tones and exfoliates the skin, reduces fat tissue and weight, makes the skin radiant and glowing and improves skin complexion. It removes bad body odour and toxins and cleanses the skin.” For best results lightly oil the whole body with Sesame seed oil first. Then take the dry powder mix and starting with the feet, massage the body upwards using gentle long strokes. The massage movements should always be in the direction opposite of hair growth. After massage rest in a warm environment for at least 30 minutes before rinsing the body with warm or lukewarm water. The recipe for the Dry Powder Massage is from the Sivananda Yoga Centre.

300g Chickpea flour + 2tbsp each of dried Basil, dried Sage & finely ground Rock Salt + 1tbsp each of Neem powder & Triphala or Amla powder. Mix all the powders and store in an airtight container.

Spring Festivities

In Maharashtra and amongst the Konkani community it is the festivities of Gudi Padwa that usher in the new year and celebrate the season of Spring. In North India the first of the year’s two Navratri also start on the same day – March 19. Traditionally these are observed as nine days of fasting and or at least a restricted diet.

But perhaps the most delicious of all the Spring rituals is the tradition of serving Ugadi Pachadi in parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as a part of the harvest celebrations that also usher in the new year. This is a dish made with Jaggery, raw Mango, Tamarind, Neem flowers, salt and green Chilli; comprising all the six flavours; sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent mentioned in Ayurveda. It is thought that this dish with all the six flavours of food signifies the different seasons and phases of life.

Chaitra was once known by another name – Madhu, mentioned in the Taittiriya Samhita. According to a Sanskrit scholar the names of the two months of Spring – Madhu and Madhava, in this context mean the ‘season most esteemed or best known. The name Madhu also has connotations of sweetness, especially that of Honey, which is also known as Madhu. In this month of fragrant flowers and drowsing bees, the balmy beauty of Basant rtu gladdens every heart

May this time of fragrant flowers and balmy breezes delight every heart.