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What is the Ritucharya in Ayurveda?

Ritucharya is an Ayurvedic discipline that focuses on consuming seasonal produce and living a lifestyle that is in tune with each season. One can avoid seasonal illnesses by keeping the body and mind in sync with nature.

Ritucharya in Ayurveda provides a holistic approach to aligning one's lifestyle and diet with the changing seasons. This blog will cover the six different kinds of Ritucharya and the diet and lifestyle each regimen requires.

Table of Contents

What is Ritucharya?

List of Ritucharya

Benefits of Ritucharya

How to Perform Ritucharya?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ritucharya?

The Sanskrit word “Ritucharya” is comprised of two words. “Ritu” means season, and “Charya” means regimen. Ritucharya in ancient Ayurvedic practice is maintaining a lifestyle and diet routine to deal with the physical and mental impact one faces during seasonal changes.

Ritucharya in Ayurveda helps us build our physical and mental strength so that we can battle the various ailments that may happen due to seasonal changes. Practising this regime enables one to balance the three doshas (Pitta, Vata, and Kapha) in our body.

Ayurveda divides a year into two “Kaalas” periods, and each Kaal is further divided into three seasons. So, according to Ayurveda, there are six seasons in a particular year. Each of these seasons lasts approximately two months, and they are synonymous with the weather seen in the Indian subcontinent.

List of 6 Ritucharya According to Ayurveda

We know that the external environment, due to seasonal changes, influences our body. During the changes in the seasons, one’s body may fall to Dosha Vaishamya and become susceptible to catching diseases. As previously discussed, Ritucharya divides the year into 2 Kaalas and 3 seasons each, and these are:

Kaala Season
Adaan Kaal/ Northern Solstice/ Uttaryana (14 January to 14 July)
  • Shishir Ritu (Winter) Mid-January to Mid-March
  • Vasant Ritu (Spring) Mid-March to Mid-May
  • Grishma Ritu (Summer) Mid-May to Mid-July
Visarga Kaal/ Southern Solstice/ Dakshinayana (14 July to 14 January)
  • Varsha Ritu (Monsoon) Mid- July to Mid- September
  • Sharad Ritu (Autumn/ Fall) Mid- September to Mid- November
  • Hemant Ritu (Late Autumn/Pre-Winter) Mid-November to mid-January

Adaan Kaal/Uttarayan/Northern Solstice

Duration: 14th January- 14th July

This Kaal is characterised by intense sunlight and powerful winds, and as a result, all the strength and energy from humans gets sapped away. Moreover, the Sun also takes away the Earth’s cooling quality during this time. This Kaala is divided into the following three subcategories or seasons:

1. Shishir Ritu/Winter

In the Shishir Ritu, the Earth’s environment is cold and windy. As a result, people’s strength decreases. The cold and wet season also increases the Kapha energies in one’s body. If you want to keep the aggravating Kapha balanced, your Agni element should burn even brighter.

Duration Mid-January to Mid-March (Winter)
Diets You should eat more sour foods like Amla during this season. According to Ritucharya, you should consume more salty, fatty, sweet, and fermented food items. You should increase your consumption of food items like pulses, cereals, rice, and milk. It would be best to incorporate condiments like ginger, garlic, Pippali, and Haritaki in your meals.

On the contrary, you should avoid consuming food that has astringent or cooling properties. Ritucharya also recommends avoiding spicy and bitter foods during this season as it will increase the Kapha levels in your body.
Lifestyle Massage your scalp and body with oil and shower with lukewarm water. Wear warm clothes and expose yourself more to sunlight, especially after a bath.

2. Vasant Ritu/Spring

People often refer to spring as the season of flowers; during Vasant Ritu, new flowers and leaves bloom everywhere. An individual’s strength tends to be at moderate levels during this time. The Earth and Air elements combine to create a lively transition. Furthermore, the Kapha energies also start decreasing during this season.

Duration Mid-March to Mid-May (Spring)
Diets You should incorporate food you can easily digest into your daily diet during this season. Eat more rice, old barley, Mugda, and cereals. Pungent, bitter, and astringent foods like bitter gourd and neem should also be a part of a Ritucharya-based diet. Besides, you must incorporate honey in your meals and beverages. Avoid foods that are sour, sweet, cold, and heavy.
Lifestyle You should avoid sleeping during day time during this season. It is also a good idea to perform Nasya to clear out the nasal passageways.

3. Grishma Ritu/Summer

In the Grishma Ritu, the weather is usually extremely hot, and unhealthy winds called “loo” blow during this time of the year in most parts of India. Lakes and rivers dry up easily, and plants start to look lifeless and become weak. Moreover, the fire and air energies dominated during this time, so the Pitta and Vata energies increased in one’s body. 

One's Agni remains at an all-time low during this season, so it is important to consume light to digest food. One should also avoid long exposure to sunlight and heavy exercise.

Duration Mid-May to Mid- July (Summer) 
Diets During this time of the year, you should eat more mineral-rich, light, sweet, and cold foods.

Drink ample amounts of water and fruit juices to stay hydrated. Some ideal produce for the summer seasons are fresh coconut water, watermelon, fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, and leafy greens. Additionally, avoid the consumption of warm, pungent, and sour foods.
Lifestyle Nap in the daytime and staying in cool and shaded places when going outside are some of the things Ritucharya recommends. You can also apply sandalwood before and after the shower if possible. Avoid excess consumption of alcohol and cold water, which lowers digestive Agni.

Visarga Kaal/ Dakshinayana/ Southern Solstice

Duration: 14th July to 14th January

In this Kaal, the days are shorter, and the nights are longer. Moreover, in India, people often discourage one from participating in or hosting auspicious works. The three different seasons under this Kaal are:

4. Varsha Ritu/Monsoon

In this season, the sky remains cloudy, and it rains almost all the time. Generally, thunderstorms do not accompany these rainfalls. Monsoons bring great respite to humans and nature because the dry lakes and rivers are again filled with water. However, one’s Agni gets extremely dampened during this season as the Earth and Fire energies are elevated in this season.

Duration Mid-July to Mid-September (Monsoon)
Diets According to Ritucharya in Ayurveda, you should eat more sour, salty, and oily foods during monsoon. Drink lots of soup and incorporate lots of ginger in your meals. Start the season with light meals but slowly transition into oily foods to not shock your body. You should avoid difficult-to-digest food and excess liquid and wine. 
Lifestyle Avoid getting wet in the rain and napping in the daytime. Additionally, you should avoid hanging out near riverbanks.

5. Sharad Ritu/Autumn/Fall

This season provides one last surge of dryness and warmth just after the rainy season. The Agni and digestive fire in a human’s body again starts to gain strength. Moreover, this season pacifies the weakened Vata and Pitta Doshas.

Duration Mid-September to Mid-November (Autumn)
Diets Ritucharya advises one to consume sweet, bitter, and easy-to-digest food items. Some food items you can incorporate in your meals are wheat, sugar, honey, patola, green grams, and animal meat like goat meat. On the contrary, you should avoid consuming fats, fish, and oil.
Lifestyle During this season, you should eat only when you are hungry. Furthermore, Ritucharya suggests that you use water that is kept out in the Sun so that sunlight sanitises the water. It is also recommended to opt for Panchakarma practices like Raktamokshana. 

6. Hemant Ritu/ Late Autumn/ Early Winter

In this season, you will feel a cool breeze and a slight chill in the air. Earth and water elements dominated during Hemant Ritu. Moreover, this season pacifies Pitta doshas in one's body. Individuals regain all their strength, which is highest at this time.

Duration Mid- November to Mid- January (Winter)
Diets According to Ritucharya, you follow a diet with lots of sweet, salty, sour, and unctuous food items. You should also eat food made with flour, green grams, and freshly harvested rice. Additionally, increase the intake of milk and milk products, fats, meat, sesame, and fermented foods.
Lifestyle During this season, you should exercise regularly and massage your head and body parts with oil. Furthermore, you should bathe in warm water and sunbathe if possible. You should avoid napping during the day and exposing yourself to cold winds.

What are the Benefits of Ritucharya?

In Ayurveda, among seasonal treatments, Ritucharya aims to adjust the body and mind to the habits according to the season. Following Ritucharya brings several benefits, including but not limited to the following:

Benefits Description
Stronger Immunity Living and eating as per the season, Ritucharya improves the body's immunity and resistance to seasonal/environmental changes and diseases.
Better Digestion Following the seasonal eating pattern in the correct season gives the body important nutrients while stirring the digestive fire (Agni) properly.
Energised Body and Mind Cycz borderline guide paren reflexive sedentary and consistent natural energy provisions while enduring boredom, lethargy, and fatigue.
Concentration Improvement Helping form beliefs by practising seasonal activities can improve thinking and focus while at work, resulting in lesser stress.
Negative Health Effects Consistent observance of practised routines within Ritucharya will manage any ailments or chronic conditions by curtailing their emergence.
Healthy Weight A seasonally changing diet and lifestyle can improve the body’s metabolism, which, in this case, aids in retaining the child's optimum weight.
Improved Skin Quality In the treatment of sunny skin, the summer season tends to require a lot of adaptation in terms of skincare and diet.

How to Perform Ritucharya?

Performing Ritucharya involves aligning your lifestyle and diet with the changing seasons to maintain balance and health. Here’s a guide to help you practice Ritucharya effectively:

  • Step 1: Understand Seasonal Impact: Begin by understanding the characteristics and impact of each season (Vasanta, Grishma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemanta, Shishira) on your body and mind.
  • Step 2: Follow an Ayurvedic Diet: Follow an Ayurvedic diet tailored to the season. For example, in summer, consume cooling foods and drinks; in winter, opt for warming foods.
  • Step 3: Daily Routine Adaptation: Align your daily activities with seasonal rhythms. For instance, wake up early in spring and summer to harness the increasing energy of the day.
  • Step 4: Detox for Seasonal Cleansing: Engage in seasonal detox routines to cleanse and rejuvenate your body. This could include fasting or consuming detoxifying herbs and foods.
  • Step 5: Physical Activities Adjustments: Choose activities that suit the season. In warmer months, opt for outdoor exercises; in cooler months, consider indoor or gentle exercises.
  • Step 6: Skincare Customisation: Adjust your skincare routine to address seasonal skin issues. Use hydrating and cooling products in summer and warming, moisturising products in winter.
  • Step 7: Seasonal Herb Incorporation: Use beneficial herbs for the season. For example, consume cooling herbs like mint in summer and warming herbs like ginger in winter.

 

Ritucharya in Ayurveda has always preached about living a life in tune with the ongoing seasons. Individuals should eat seasonal fruits and vegetables as they grow during that season and are more suitable for that weather. Though the once-seasonal products are available throughout the year, it is advisable to stick to natural diets.

Consuming something unsuitable for a particular season leads one to contract various unwanted health issues. That is why it is important to follow the diet and lifestyle lessons of Ritucharya.

FAQs about Ritucharya in Ayurveda

Will Ritucharya have the same seasons in the USA?

Unlike India, the USA has four seasons, as per Ritucharya. Furthermore, there are three different seasons based on the three doshas, with the following months included:

  • Vata season- Mid- September to January
  • Kapha season- February to May
  • Pitta season- June to Mid-September

What type of food can I eat during Grishma Ritu season?

During Grishma Ritu season, you can eat mineral-rich, sweet, light and cold foods. You must also drink lots of water and fruit juice for hydration.

Why is Ritucharya important?

Ritucharya helps align your body’s needs with the changing seasons, improving digestion, immunity, and overall health while preventing seasonal imbalances and illnesses.

How often should I follow Ritucharya practices?

Ritucharya should be adapted as the seasons change, typically every few months. Each season requires specific dietary and lifestyle adjustments to stay in balance.

What are the main Seasons considered in Ritucharya?

Ayurveda recognises six primary seasons: Vasanta (spring), Grishma (summer), Varsha (monsoon), Sharad (autumn), Hemanta (pre-winter), and Shishira (winter).

How does Ritucharya affect digestion?

Ritucharya adjusts dietary practices to match seasonal needs, optimising digestion by aligning food intake with the body’s natural rhythms and improving nutrient absorption.

Can Ritucharya help with seasonal allergies?

Yes, Ritucharya can mitigate seasonal allergies by recommending foods and practices that balance the body’s response to environmental changes and strengthen the immune system.

How does Ritucharya influence mental health?

By aligning lifestyle and diet with seasonal changes, Ritucharya helps reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance mental clarity through balanced nutrition and routine.

What lifestyle changes should be made in winter?

In winter, Ayurveda suggests consuming warming foods like ginger and cinnamon and incorporating cosy routines to maintain warmth and prevent vata dosha imbalance.

Is Ritucharya suitable for everyone?

Ritucharya can be adapted for individuals of all ages and in all health conditions. However, personal adjustments may be needed based on individual health needs and dosha imbalances.

What are some common mistakes when following Ritucharya?

Common mistakes include not adjusting diet and lifestyle as the seasons change or rigidly sticking to practices without considering personal health conditions and preferences.

How can I incorporate Ritucharya into a busy lifestyle?

Simplify by focusing on key seasonal adjustments such as diet changes and daily routines. Gradually integrate practices into your schedule to make them manageable and sustainable.