Nilakshi Sharma
Full of candied sweetness and the pleasing taste of rice and sugar cane—a time for lovemaking intense...
Ritusamharam
Kalidasa
Phālguna is the last month of the Indian calendar; with it one entire cycle of six seasons draws to a close. The second month of Shishir rtu, Phālguna straddles two worlds. In this month the last, lingering vestige of winter gives way to the first glimpses of Spring.
Trees of Phālguna
Since becoming conscious of the passage of the six seasons and the characteristics of each month, I have always mapped Phālguna as the month of three trees. It is always in Phālguna that the evergreen Peepul tree sheds every single one of its leaves. And then a few days later the bare branches are adorned by the tender reddish new leaves. Simultaneously, the Malabar Silk Cotton tree (aka Semal) is adorned by the bright and beautiful red Semal flowers. The third three that marks the month of Phālguna is the fabled Palash tree. In Sanskrit it is called Kimsukha – “kiṃcit śuka iva (‘somewhat like a parrot) because the flowers resemble the parrot’s red curved beak”. In this month the Palash tree is adorned by its beautiful fiery blooms. Rabindranath Tagore famously likened the bright orange flame-like Palash flowers to fire. Once when the forests were unending, the blooming of the Palash, also called Dhak in Hindi, was likened to the forest being ablaze with flames. Thus, the English name of Palash is the Flame of the Forest. And traditionally, the flowering of Palash signalled the arrival of the festivities of Holi.
The Deity of PhālgunaPhālguna māsa is the time of Shiva and he is celebrated with fervour and rituals on the festival Maha Shivratri – the night of Shiva. This year, Maha Shivratri comes on February 26.
Some legends say that this festival is a celebration of the union of Shiva and his consort – Parvati, while others say that on this day the complementary energies of Shiva and Shakti converge. Either way, this is a celebration of Shiva. And amongst the oldest and most traditional of the mantras dedicated to Shiva is the Mahāmritunjaya mantra.
Literally it translates as ‘the great death-conquering chant’. The Mahamritunjaya mantra appears in the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. It is also known as Rudra mantra, referring to Shiva in the form of Rudra, and also as the Trayambakam mantra, named for whom it is addressed to, that is the one with three eyes - Shiva.
ॐ त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।
उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान् मृ॒त्योर्मुक्षीय॒ मा ऽमृता॑त् ।
oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam
urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā 'mṛtāt
Loosely translated it means: ‘We worship the Three-eyed Lord who is fragrant and who nourishes and nurtures all beings. As a vine ripened fragrant fruit (with the intervention of the gardener) is freed from its bondage (to the creeper), may he (Shiva) liberate us from death for the sake of immortality.’
Holi: The Return of Kāma
Holi is among the most famous and widely celebrated festivals of the subcontinent. It is heralded by the blooming of the Palash flowers, and the festival of Holi marks the arrival of both, a new season – Basant rtu, and a fresh cycle of six seasons – the rtu chakra. The blooming of Palash flowers is a constantly used trope in Sanskrit literature and poems to announce the arrival of Spring and the season of love. Kimsukha flowers are also inextricably linked to the god of love – Kāma, who arrives astride a Parrot, and pierces the hearts of all living beings with desire. One of the origin myths of the festival of Holi is that it is a celebration of the rebirth of Kāma, the god of love.
Forty days prior to Holi, on the day that is now celebrated as Basant Panchami, Kāma loosens his flower-tipped arrows of desire at Shiva. Kāma does so to awaken in the meditating Shiva’s heart a desire to espouse Parvati. But Shiva, angered at his meditation being interrupted opens his third eye and incinerates Kāma. Then follows the laments of Rati – Kāma’s wife and prayers by the gods. Thus, Shiva relents and restores Kāma’s body. And this day, the Full Moon of Phālguna is celebrated thus as the festival of love and desire and merrymaking with colours.
Cleansing Rituals
Phālguna māsa is a time of rapid transition. It takes us from the last echoes of Winter to the warmth and abundance of Spring. The Kapha dominance of the winter season now begins to give way to the dominance of Vata. The result is two-fold. One, as Spring approaches our digestive fires begin to stutter. This is because the season-induced dominance of Kapha in our bodies begins to melt just as in nature snow begins to soften with the arrival of Spring. Two, Phālguna is the time of transition to the energies of the oncoming season - Vata, and our bodies need to align with this change. This is why Phālguna is the ideal time for a cleanse of the body just as we cleanse our house. Two very traditional rituals of Phālguna are about food that should be consumed in this month.
- Sour Delight: Eating foods with sour taste such as Amla is beneficial at this time of the year. It helps in eliminating Ama (Ayurvedic term for the toxins that accumulate in our bodies as a result of improper digestion etc.) A stimulant for the liver, the vitamin C-rich Amla also helps boost immunity. Some of the side benefits of drinking Amla juice or eating it daily are visible in healthier skin and hair. Another gentler and more popular option is drinking the juice of a lemon with hot water on an empty stomach.
- Benefits of Bitter: Traditionally in the two weeks before Holi, the fresh, tender new Neem leaves should be consumed on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. A decoction of Neem leaves can help in reducing Kapha and encourage the elimination of Ama. Neem encourages better liver function and has a purifying effect on blood and encourages better liver function. Neem also kindles Agni and encourages our metabolism.
Neem Tea: Boil 5 to 10 Neem leaves in 1 ½ cup of water and simmer till reduced to 1 cup.
But the very potency and power of Neem mean that we must observe the traditional caution in its consumption – this general consumption of Neem was only advocated for the last fortnight of Phālguna.
Please note the following:
- If you are pregnant or on any medication for blood pressure, heart, diabetes, etc., please consult a physician before eating Neem.
- Do not consume Neem for more than a few days without an Ayurvedic physician’s advice.
There are also some traditional rituals of self-care that are very helpful in helping our bodies align with the transitioning energy of this month.
- Abhyanga: The traditional Ayurvedic practice of daily self-massage with gently warmed oil is one of the most beneficial rituals of selfcare. It helps activate our skin’s energy, encourages better blood circulation and offers a gentle push towards better Ama elimination as well. It is also a good practice for keeping Vata dosha pacified. In this month a warming oil like Mustard should be exchanged for a lighter oil like Almond oil. But perhaps the best choice would be the tridoshic Sesame oil, which suits all body doshas.
- Jal Neti: The Yogic practice of irrigating the nasal passages with saline water, is also highly beneficial at this time, especially if you suffer from congestion and seasonal allergies.
The word Phālguna literally translates as the ‘fruit’ (phal) of ‘quality or virtues’ (guna). In that sense, what we are in this month is the result of all that we have practiced in the last eleven months. Thus, this month of endings is also a time for looking back on the rtu chakra that we have just completed in terms of what has worked for us and what has not. There will have been some practices that have served you well. Others that we need to inculcate into our lives to better achieve our desired results. Mental, physical and emotional health are always the result of incremental improvement as a result of consistent practices and routines. And this is a good time to start afresh with practices and routines that can nourish and nurture our bodies and mind.
