Volume III · Part IV-B · Chapter 44
Vasanta — Spring (mid-March to mid-May)
The Six Seasons in Depth
About 1 min read
Spring is beautiful in Haridwar — mustard fields, flowering trees, Holi colours — and it is also the season when the Kapha that accumulated in winter melts under the warming sun. The result, classically, is congestion, allergies, heaviness, sluggish digestion and drowsiness. Agni weakens. The remedy is lightness: lighter, drier, warmer food; more activity; less sleep in the day.
| Aspect | State in Vasanta | What it means for guests over 55 |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 13–34 °C; warm days, cool nights | Layers; sudden changes bring colds |
| Agni | Weakening | Smaller, lighter meals |
| Doshas | Kapha aggravated | Bitter, pungent, astringent tastes; honey, barley |
| Common complaints | Colds, cough, allergies, heaviness, indigestion, drowsiness | Activity, light food, warm water, gargles |
Daily routine adjustments#
| Practice | Vasanta guidance |
|---|---|
| Waking | 5:00–5:30 am — the most important season for early rising |
| Abhyanga | Light oil or dry rubbing (udvartana) with gram-flour paste; warm bath after |
| Exercise | The most active season: brisk walks, longer yoga sessions (within limits) |
| Bath | Warm |
| Gargles | Warm salt–turmeric water or plain warm water |
| Sleep | No day sleep; early bedtime |
| Outdoors | Morning walks in gardens; avoid dust and pollen if allergic |
Kitchen guide#
| Group | Favour | Reduce |
|---|---|---|
| Grains | Barley, old rice, millets, roasted grains | New grains, heavy breads, excess wheat |
| Pulses | Moong, masoor, horse gram | Urad, heavy pulses |
| Vegetables | Karela, methi, neem flowers (sparingly), drumstick, gourds, leafy greens (cooked) | Potato, sweet potato in excess |
| Fruit | Pomegranate, papaya, early mulberries | Banana, sour fruit, melons early in season |
| Dairy and fats | Thin buttermilk; ghee in small amounts | Curd, cheese, sweets, fried foods |
| Sweeteners | Honey (unheated) | Sugar, jaggery in excess |
| Spices | Ginger, pepper, turmeric, mustard, fenugreek | — |
| Drinks | Warm water with honey; ginger tea; barley water | Cold drinks |
| Signature dishes | Volume |
|---|---|
| Jau–moong porridge; lauki–chana dal; karela with jaggery and fennel; vegetable dalia khichdi; Holi thandai (warm) | Volume I, March |
| Yava yavagu; barley–vegetable soup; foxtail-millet upma; shukto; lemon rasam | Volume II |