The monsoon month or the month of Ramayana started this year on July sixteenth. This month, Karkidam in the Malayalam calendar, has many specialties. It is the month meant for rest and rejuvenating our body and mind with reading Ramayana and taking the special tonics prepared for this season.
Karkidam: The Month of Rituals
This Monsoon month is celebrated with many rituals to protect both body from diseases and mind from perversions.
In South India, monsoon plays an important role in all walks of life. Monsoon season brings pouring rains assuring prosperity to the people. Most of the people who are engaged in agricultural activities have to remain at home unable to go out for any work.
A Month to Protect the Body
Because of the change in weather and inactive life, our body becomes weak easily succumbed to diseases. The pouring monsoon brings with it a number of diseases through water and polluted air. The clogged drains and unhygienic surroundings with stagnant water in and around the houses provide ideal breeding grounds for flies, mosquitoes and other micro organisms which cause many diseases. It is usually the season of cholera, flu and other infectious diseases.
A Special Ayurvedic Protection for the Body
According to Ayurveda, during the monsoon season the tridoshas namely Vata, Pitha and Kapha are out of balance. Vata takes hold and allows diseases to creep in. Hence it is the ideal time to flush out all impurities and to bring back all the tridoshas to a balanced state.
A Season of Rituals and Rejuvenation
Karkidam is the period of the year for many rituals and traditional customs. Ayurveda suggests a special soup or porridge which is called “Karkidaka Kanji” to be taken during these weak days to protect and strengthen the body. It is nothing but a mixture of herbals with rice. It immunizes the body and refreshes both body and mind.
What is Karkidaka Kanji?
Most of the common herbs found in Kerala, i.e., Bala, Attibala, Uzhinnigi, Thiruthalli, are added in the boiled in Navara rice. Medicinal nuts and ingredients like cumin seed, jatikka (myristicacea), etc. (about 40 ingredients) are boiled in coconut milk or cow milk and also added to the boiled rice. Salt or jaggery may be added for taste.
To Protect the Mind
This month is celebrated as the Ramayana month during which the old people would read Ramayana and explain it to their younger generations. The commentaries and explanations strengthen people to avoid all kinds of evil doings and stick to justice in every action everywhere. Good deeds and good thoughts make people ward off bad thoughts and deeds strengthening their moral values.
A Tonic Month
Karkitam, which starts in the middle of July and ends in the middle of August, is season of protection. It helps not only the personal hygiene but also environmental hygiene making it a part of our life style. Nowadays this Karkitaka porridge kits are available in local markets. Old traditional rituals have greater meaning in them which many a time we overlook. It can enlighten and be a great boon to the health of the whole world!
