Ayurveda Hair Care - Part 4

There is a saying in Tamil ‘sani neeradu’ which means ‘bathe on Saturdays’. Some conveniently take it to mean to bathe only on Saturdays, while others see this as a way to conserve water during the dry summer season. But the saying lays emphasis on a complete bathing after application of oil on scalp and the whole body. And it is an experience in itself. This Saturday bathing is meant for men, and women are supposed to have this bath on Fridays, I do not know why this is so.

Apart from the regular bathing on all the other days, this Friday or Saturday special bathing is still followed in many households in Tamil Nadu, India. It is followed as a ritual and when combined with other useful practices recommended by the Siddha system, this is found to re-establish a sort of harmony in the human system. The whole process takes at least 3-4 hours. It is a wonderful relaxing experience.

Proper and regular ‘Saturday bath’ strengthens your body. The mouth and jaws are strengthened. The eyesight gets sharper. The respiratory system improves. The hearing capacity improves. It helps hair growth. It is an excellent hair loss treatment.

With this bath, dry skin problems become a thing of past. You can prevent eczema, scabies and other such skin diseases. You won’t suffer from itchy skin. The body becomes clean and fresh. There is reduction in stress. It cools the brain.

Some things to keep in mind before taking bath

• The oil has to be bearably warm

• Place a bit more oil on the crown

• Also apply some oil to the soles of your feet

• If herbal oil you can instill two to three drops in your nostrils

• Also instill two to three drops in your ears

Similarly use warm water for this bathing.

Herbal oil can work wonders on proper application. When applied on the soles of your feet it cures diseases of the eyes. It improves the eyesight. When a few drops of this oil are instilled into the eyes it cures problems of the ears. A few drops to the ears cure ailments that afflict the head and scalp. It gives you a clear mind. When the oil is applied on head, it cures most of the diseases that affect the whole human body.

Sesame oil and coconut oil are the best ones for application on hair and scalp. Neem oil is also a good alternative except for the smell, which some may not like. Pure cow ghee can also be used as an alternative.

Pancha karpa oil is a Siddha preparation that can be safely used on hair that can benefit you in many ways. With regular usage it is found to strengthen the hair.

Ingredients:

Kasthuri manjal (turmeric)

Pepper

Neem seeds

Kadukkai (chebulic myrobalan)

Kernel of Indian gooseberry seeds

The above items are taken in equal quantity by weight. Cow’s milk equal to the total weight of the five ingredients is taken. All the five ingredients are ground to a fine powder. This powder is dropped into the milk and allowed to boil. This is allowed to reduce to two-thirds of the original quantity. This would have reached an oily consistency by this time. Now it is removed from stove and allowed to cool and then stored in a bottle. This is applied on hair and scalp. Regular application benefits the scalp and hair immensely. This helps to stop hair loss.

My next post will elaborate on the diet and other things to be observed after this special bath.

P.S: I had erroneously mentioned ‘linseed oil’ in some previous posts where it is supposed to be ‘sesame oil’. I have corrected the mistake.

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