Cassia fistula

Name: ARAGVADHA
Description:
Botanical name: Cassia fistula
Family : Caesalpiniaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS: Aragvadha, Kritamala, Rajavriksha, Chaturangulam, Deerkhaphala

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Madhura
Guna : Guru, Mrudu, Snigdha
Virya : Seeta

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Indian laburnum, Purging fistula
Hindi : Amaltas, Girimala
Malayalam : Konna, Kanikonna

Distribution:- Throughout India in deciduous forests

PLANT DESCRIPTION:-A medium sized deciduous tree grows up to 20 meters in height. Bark rough grayish; leaves innately compound, leaflets 4-8 pairs, ovate, acute, bright green above and silvery pubescent beneath; flowers bright yellow in lax pendulous racemes fruits long cylindrical pods seeds broadly ovate, horizontally arranged in the sweetish pulp.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES:-Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, vata, constipation, burning sensation, leucorrhea, skin disease, fever, cough, bronchitis, inflammations and rheumatism.

Useful part:- Whole plant.

CURD- AYURVEDIC VIEW

CURD:- Coagulated milk; used to make cheese

     Food and lifestyle routines are considered the most important medicine. According to Ayurveda food is medicine and medicine is food. Eating correctly is very important and the sense of taste is a natural guide map towards proper nutrition. Curd is used since ages to gain its nutritional health benefits.

     Curd is widely used and no Indian meal is complete without a cup of curd. Ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine explains the benefits of curd based on different types of curds. These types are explained as per the taste and method of production. If used wisely curds can be an excellent Ayurveda's home remedy for many health conditions. In this article we will see about the different types of curd and its qualities.

PROPERTIES OF CURD IN GENERAL:-Curd is unctuous, heavy, and hot in potency. It has little astringent taste and it is sour at the end of digestion, binds feces, increases pitta, kapha (fat) and oedema. It is good for dysuria, rhinitis, and intermittent fevers with chills, diarrhoea, anorexia and emaciation. It increases strength and sperm count.

TYPES OF CURD ACCORDING TO BHAVA PRAKASHA:-The 5 types of curd as mentioned in Bhava Prakasha Nigantu are Manda (Semi formed and thick curd), Swadu (Sweet and thick curd), Swadamla (Sweet – sour curd), Amla (Sour curd) and Atyamla (Excessively sour curd). Their properties are as follows.

Semi formed and thick curd:- The curd which is not well formed and has no distinct taste is semi formed curd. It increases the production of urine and feces, increases tridoshas and causes burning sensation. It is generally not suitable.

Sweet and thick curd:- The curd which is formed properly and which is sweet in taste is Sweet curd. It is an aphrodisiac, increases fat and kapha whereas mitigates vata and is good for bleeding disorders.

Sweet:- Sour curd  – The curd which is sweet and little sour in taste increases appetite and increases pitta and kapha. It also increases disorders of blood.

Sour curd:- This is the curd which is properly formed but sour in taste. This curd increases pitta dosha, kapha dosha and blood.

Excessively sour curd – The curd which is excessively sour when consumed produces tingling sensation in teeth and burning sensation in throat. This promotes appetite and increases vata, pitta and disorders of blood.

PROPERTIES OF CURD DEPENDING UPON SOURCES:-Curd from Cow's milk – It is sweet and sour in taste. It promotes taste, increases appetite, strength and good for heart. It mitigates vata and is the best among all type of curds.

Curd prepared from Buffaloes' milk:- It is unctuous, heavy to digest and mitigates vata and pitta but increases kapha and vitiates the blood. It is an aphrodisiac.

Curd from Goat's milk:- It is best and light to digest and bind feces.It helps in overcoming breathing disorders, cold, cough, hemorrhoids, and emaciation and also mitigates the tridoshas.

Curd prepared from fat free milk:- It is unctuous and heavy. It promotes strength, stoutness and taste. Mitigates vata and increases kapha. When it is added with sugar or honey, it does not increase pitta.

PROPERTIES OF SWEET CURD:-  When sugar or jaggery is added to curd and taken, it relieves thirst, improves blood circulation, mitigates vata and pitta, increases sperm count and is good for health.

CONTRA INDICATIONS OF EATING CURD DURING NIGHT TIME:-Ayurveda explains curd as having sour mixed sweet property and it increase Kapha dosha in the body. The mucus generation is also attributed to the effect of Kapha. During night period, there is natural predominance of Kapha in the body. So, curd consumption at night will further increase kapha leading to many complications. When curd is taken at night for longer period of time it may cause problems like fever, cold, anaemia, jaundice, herpes, skin disorders and giddiness.

EFFECT OF INTAKE OF CURD ACCORDING TO SEASONS:- It is best to take curd during cold and dewy season, in winter or in rainy season. It is to be avoided during autumn, summer and spring seasons. In autumn, summer and spring seasons, buttermilk is good to be taken.

PREPARATION OF BUTTERMILK:- To prepare buttermilk, add one scoop of curd and 4 times of water. Churn it well and remove the fat, then add little salt to taste. You can add little crushed cumin also.

REFRESHING CURD RICE RECIPE:-Ingredients: 1 cup boiled Rice, 2 cups of plain curd, 2 tbsp. Oil, finely chopped coriander leaves, 1-2 green chilies, 1 tsp. chickpea, 1 tsp. split black gram, 1 tsp. mustard seeds, 1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped ginger and 1/2 tsp. salt.

Procedure:- In a saucepan heat 2 tsp. of oil and add mustard seeds to the oil. When the mustard seeds start popping add chickpea and split black gram. After a minute, add ginger, coriander and green chilies and saute them for a minute. Remove from fire. Mix salt. Just before serving, mix well all the ingredients with curd and add rice. Curd rice is ready to be served.

PRODUCT OF THE MONTH – PITTA HERBAL TEA:-

Ingredients:-Ushira, Dhanyaka, Mishreya, Taruni, Guduchi.

Method of Use:-Take one sachet of tea and put in a cup of hot water for 2 minutes. You can add natural sweeteners if needed.

Benefits:- Balances Pitta.