Volume III · Part IV-B · Chapter 47
Sharad — Autumn (mid-September to mid-November)
The Six Seasons in Depth
About 1 min read
After the rains, the sun returns hot and bright — the 'October heat'. Pitta accumulated during the monsoon now flares: skin rashes, acidity, irritability, eye strain, bleeding gums and headaches are classical Sharad complaints. The season is also one of festivals: Navratri, Dussehra, Sharad Purnima, Diwali. Ayurveda prescribes sweet, bitter and astringent tastes; ghee; and cool, light food — the season of rice, milk, amla and pomegranate.
| Aspect | State in Sharad | What it means for guests over 55 |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 18–32 °C; clear, sunny days; cool nights | Midday sun is harsh; evenings pleasant |
| Agni | Recovering, moderate | Normal meals; avoid heavy fried festival food |
| Doshas | Pitta aggravated | Cooling, sweet, bitter; ghee |
| Common complaints | Acidity, rashes, eye strain, irritability, fever after rains | Ghee, milk, moonlight, cool environment |
Daily routine adjustments#
| Practice | Sharad guidance |
|---|---|
| Waking | 5:30 am |
| Abhyanga | Coconut or sunflower oil |
| Exercise | Moderate; avoid exercising in midday sun |
| Sun | Avoid midday sun; hats and umbrellas outdoors |
| Evening | Moonlight (Sharad Purnima kheer tradition); cool, airy rooms |
| Mind | Calm; festival schedules can be tiring — protect rest |
Kitchen guide#
| Group | Favour | Reduce |
|---|---|---|
| Grains | Rice, wheat, barley, samak (for fasts) | Bajra, maize |
| Pulses | Moong, masoor | Horse gram, urad |
| Vegetables | Gourds, ash gourd, pumpkin, leafy greens (cooked), sweet potato, karela | Chilli, excess tomato |
| Fruit | Pomegranate, amla, sweet grapes, custard apple, guava | Sour fruit |
| Dairy and fats | Milk, ghee, kheer, fresh paneer | Sour curd |
| Sweeteners | Mishri, dates | Excess jaggery |
| Spices | Coriander, fennel, cardamom, turmeric, cumin | Mustard, chilli, fenugreek |
| Drinks | Coriander water, coconut water, rose and fennel coolers, amla drinks | Alcohol, coffee in excess |
| Signature dishes | Volume |
|---|---|
| Rajgira–milk porridge; whole moong dal; sattvic palak paneer; samak khichdi; Sharad Purnima rice kheer; Kerala parippu; olan | Volume I, September–October |
| Thayir sadam (lunch); coconut rice; ash-gourd soup; lauki kheer; rose–fennel cooler; samak pulao; makhana raita | Volume II |