Global season finder
Practical tools, grounded in the books. Make them work for your kitchen.
Translate the dosha calendar to any climate. Read your weather by its qualities: cold/dry/windy = Vata; hot/sharp = Pitta; cold/damp/heavy = Kapha.
Vata season · autumn / early winter
Cold, dry, windy, changeable
Soups, stews, root vegetables, oats, ghee, warming spices, sweet–sour–salty
Autumn junction: September north / March south includes Vata guidance as the weather changes.
- Methi–Moong Dal Chilla with Mint–Curd Dip
Indian · Vata season · Kapha season
- Sarson–Palak–Bathua Saag (Sattvic)
Indian · Vata season · Kapha season
- Gajar–Matar–Shakarkandi Soft Sabzi
Indian · Vata season · Kapha season
- Haldi–Adrak–Gud Kadha
Indian · Vata season · Kapha season
- Makar Sankranti Moong–Rice Vegetable Khichdi
Indian · Vata season · Kapha season
- Til–Gud–Saunth Mini Ladoo (soft-set)
Indian · Vata season · Kapha season
- Matar–Gajar Vegetable Upma
Indian · Vata season · Kapha season
- Masoor–Palak Dal
Indian · Vata season · Kapha season
| Junction | Northern hemisphere | What to step down | What to step up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer → autumn | Mid-Sept – early Oct | Raw salads, cold drinks, tropical fruit | Soups, cooked apples and pears, ghee, oats |
| Early → late winter | Late Dec – mid-Jan | Very rich festive food, sweets | Barley, millet, ginger tea, spice, lighter dinners |
| Spring → summer | Late May – mid-June | Heavy grains, pungent spices | Rice, zucchini, mint, coconut, room-temperature drinks |
| Ayurvedic ritu (approx. dates) | Solar terms (Chinese / Japanese) | Dosha | Eastern kitchen guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shishira — late winter (mid-Jan – mid-Mar) | Xiǎohán / Shōkan (Minor Cold) · Dàhán / Daikan (Major Cold) · Lìchūn / Risshun (Start of Spring) · Yǔshuǐ / Usui (Rain Water) | Kapha accumulates | Warming congees, ginger and jujube tea, Lunar New Year food in moderation; nanakusa-gayu on 7 January |
| Vasanta — spring (mid-Mar – mid-May) | Jīngzhé / Keichitsu (Awakening of Insects) · Chūnfēn / Shunbun (Spring Equinox) · Qīngmíng / Seimei (Clear and Bright) · Gǔyǔ / Kokuu (Grain Rain) | Kapha aggravated | Spring greens, buckwheat soba, daikon, sprouts; less sticky rice and sweets |
| Grishma — early summer (mid-May – mid-Jul) | Lìxià / Rikka (Start of Summer) · Xiǎomǎn / Shōman (Grain Buds) · Mángzhòng / Bōshu (Grain in Ear) · Xiàzhì / Geshi (Summer Solstice) | Pitta accumulates; Vata begins to rise | Mung, winter melon, cucumber, barley tea at room temperature; plum-rain foods with ginger |
| Varsha — rains / high summer (mid-Jul – mid-Sep) | Xiǎoshǔ / Shōsho (Minor Heat) · Dàshǔ / Taisho (Major Heat) · Lìqiū / Risshū (Start of Autumn) · Chǔshǔ / Shosho (End of Heat) | Vata aggravated, Pitta accumulating | Cooked food only, ginger, light congees, mung-bean soup |
| Sharad — autumn (mid-Sep – mid-Nov) | Báilù / Hakuro (White Dew) · Qiūfēn / Shūbun (Autumn Equinox) · Hánlù / Kanro (Cold Dew) · Shuāngjiàng / Sōkō (Frost's Descent) | Pitta aggravated | Pears, persimmons, lotus root, sesame, rice; Mid-Autumn Festival |
| Hemanta — early winter (mid-Nov – mid-Jan) | Lìdōng / Rittō (Start of Winter) · Xiǎoxuě / Shōsetsu (Minor Snow) · Dàxuě / Taisetsu (Major Snow) · Dōngzhì / Tōji (Winter Solstice) | Agni strongest; Kapha begins | Nourishing soups, adzuki, sesame, tang yuan at Dongzhi, root vegetables |