EARLY WINTER (HEMANTA RITU)

IDEAL DAILY REGIMEN TO BE HEALTHY

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Morning Regimen (Things to Do)

• Wake up early, ideally 4:30–5:00 AM, before sunrise

• Drink 1–3 glasses of warm water (stored overnight in a copper vessel)

• Evacuate bowels regularly and wash hands, feet, and face

• Danta Dhavana – Brushing teeth using Neem, Babool, Khadir, Pilu (Meswak)

• Jihva Nirlekhana – Tongue scraping

• Gandusha / Kavala – Gargling or mouth rinsing with medicated water

• Nasya – 2 drops of medicated oil in each nostril

• Exercise (Vyayama) – According to season and physical capacity

• Self body massage (Abhyanga) with oil followed by powder massage (as per season)

• Bathing and grooming

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Night Regimen (Ratricharya)

• Take supper within 3 hours after sunset (around 8:00 PM)

• Go to bed 2 hours after supper, ideally by 10:00 PM

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Dietary Guidelines

• Eat food that is:

  • Warm

  • Unctuous

  • Nourishing

  • Taken in proper quantity

  • Selected according to Agni (digestive power)

• Consume a balanced diet containing all six tastes (Shadrasa)

• Avoid:

  • Eating too fast

  • Eating too slowly

  • Incompatible food combinations

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Seasonal Regimen – Early Winter (Hemanta Ritu)

Diet Modifications

• Prefer:

  • Unctuous, sweet, and salty foods

• Recommended foods:

  • Newly harvested rice

  • Wheat flour preparations

  • Green gram (Mudga)

  • Black gram (Masha)

  • Milk and milk products

  • Sugarcane products

  • Fats and oils

  • Til (Sesame)

  • Sidhu (fermented preparations, if suitable)

• Avoid:

  • Foods and drinks that aggravate Vata

  • Excessively cold and dry foods

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Lifestyle Modifications

• Regular exercise is advised

• Body and head massage with oil

• Use of warm water for bathing

• Application of Agaru (Aquilaria agallocha) paste on the body is preferred

• Heavy clothing and warm places are recommended

• Avoid:

  • Exposure to strong cold winds

  • Daytime sleep (Divaswapna)

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Seasonal Note

The period from mid-November to mid-January is considered Hemanta Ritu (Early Winter).
It is regarded as one of the most pleasant seasons, with enhanced digestive fire (Agni) and increased physical strength (Bala).

Hemanta Ritu ends at the winter solstice, which marks:

• The beginning of winter in India and the Northern Hemisphere

• The shortest day of the year

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🌿 Completion of Ritucharya Cycle

With Hemanta (Early Winter) and Shishira (Late Winter), the annual Ayurvedic seasonal regimen cycle is completed.