The document discusses the concept of ritucharya, which refers to seasonal regimens in Ayurvedic practice, detailing various seasons (ritu) and appropriate dietary and lifestyle adjustments for each. It highlights the characteristics of winter, spring, summer, rainy, autumn, and another winter season, emphasizing the impact of seasonal changes on human strength and digestive capabilities. The text also advises on therapies and foods beneficial for managing health throughout these seasonal transitions, stressing the importance of gradual adaptation during inter-seasonal periods (rtusandhi) to prevent health issues.

1. DR.RAOSAHEB.A.DESHMUKH
M.D(Ayu)
Asso.Prof,Dept of Samhita-Siddhanta(Basic Principle)

3.  The word Ritucharya is made of two words –
a) Ritu means seasons
b) Charya means dos and don’ts (regimen).

4.  मासैर्द्विसंख्यैमा्घाधयैैः क्रमात ् षट् ऋतिैः स्मृताैः
शिशिरो अथ िसन्तश्च ग्रीष्मो िष्िरर्दहिमाैः
शिशिरार्दयास्त्स्िशिस्तैस्तु विधयादयनमुत्तरम ्
आदानं च, तदादत्ते नृणां प्रततहदनं बलम ्

5.  A season (Ritu) is comprised of two months (two
Masa).
1. Shishira Ritu (winter, dewy season) –
· Magha and Phalguna (Mid January – Mid
March)
2. Vasanta Ritu (Spring season)
· Chaitra and Vaishakha (Mid March – Mid May)

6.  3. Greeshma Ritu (Summer season) –
· Jyeshta and Ashadha (Mid May to Mid July)
The above three Ritus form Uttarayana – Northern
solstice.
· Here, fire is dominant
· . It is also called as Adana Kala,
· where in the human strength is relatively low.
4. Varsha Ritu (Rainy Season) –
· Shravana and Bhadrapada – Mid July – mid
September

7.  5. Sharath Ritu (Autumn season) –
· Ashvayuja and Karthika – Mid September to Mid
November
6. Hemantha Ritu (Winter season) –
· Margashira and Pushya - Mid November to Mid-
January
· These three seasons form Dakshinayana – Southern
solstice.
· It is also called as Visarga Kala,
· where in the human strength will be relatively high.

8.  · Because of the nature of the path, both the Sun
and wind become very strong, powerful and dry
during this half of the year.

· It takes away all the cooling qualities of the earth.

· Bitter, Astringent and Pungent tastes (Tikta,
kashaya and Katu Rasas) will be more powerful,
respectively, in the successive Ritus.
· Hence Adana Kala is dominated by fire.

9.  · During this period, the Sun releases strength of the
people.

· Here moon is more powerful, earth is cooled down
due to clouds, rain and cold wind.

· Sour, Salt and sweet (Amla, Lavana and
Madhura) tastes are dominant respectively during the
three seasons of this period.

10.  िीते अग्र्यं, िृस्त्ष्त घमे अल्पं बलं, मधयं तु िेषयो:
a) Winter – Hemantha and Shishira – mid November – mid
March – Highest strength
b)Grishma( Summer) and Varsha(rainy )seasons – mid
May – mid September – Lowest strength
c) Vasanta(Spring) and Sharath( Autumn) – Medium
strength.

12. During Hemantha,
· The people are strong,
· Digestive fire becomes powerful,
· In adequate fuel(food supplements) consumes the
things because this strong digestive fire,enhance the
vata may cause emaciation of body tissues.
· Hence, in this period, one should consume food
predominant with sweet sour and salt tastes.

13. · During Hemantha,
As the nights are longer, person feels hungry early
in the morning.
· So, after attending to oblutions,(mala visharjana)
· one should resort to Abhaynga (oil massage) with oils
that have Vata balancing properties.
· Massage should be done especially to scalp and
forehead.
· Mild massaging,
· Should be done till one’s half strength and

14. After this,
· Kashaya rasa should be use(astringent) to remove the
oil applied on the body.
· Then fine powder of Saffron and kasthuri (musk) is
applied.
· The body is exposed to the fumes of aguru (Aquilaria
agallocha)
· Since the digestion power is high, heavy-to-digest
food such as
a. meat soup mixed with fats,
b. meat of well nourished animals,
c. wine prepared with jaggery,
d. supernatant part of wine (Sura) should be had more.
e. Sugar cane juice, milk

15. ·
Persons who spend their time residing in houses kept
warm by fire,
· In inner most apartment encircled with others,
· or in underground chambers,
Will not be affected by diseases due to cold and dryness.
.Using hot water for toiltery purposes, Wrapping the body
with warm, light blankets.
overall,
· In hemantha ritu, the strength and digestion power
are more.
· Hence one can
a. Exercise,
b. Undergo oil massage,
c. Eat heavy foods and
d. May have sex.

17. 2. SISIRA RTUCHARYA
अयमेि विधि: काय्: स्त्श्िरेऽवप वििेषत:
तदा हि िीतमधिकं रौक्ष्यं चादानकालजम् !
Even in shishira Ritu, the same regimen, as
described in hemanth rtu should be adopted with more
intensity. During this period cold is severe and dryness is
more.

19. 1. Kapha which has undergone increase in Shishira (cold
season) becomes liquefied by the heat of the Sun in
Vasanta (spring).
2. It diminishes the digestive fire (Agni) and gives rise
to many diseases.
3. Hence Kapha should be controlled quickly, by
resorting to strong emesis therapy (Vamana
Panchakarma procedure), Nasya (nasal medication)
and other therapies.
4. Food should also be chosen to mitigate Kapha, that
are easily digestible and dry ( moisture-free, fat-free).

20. 5. Physical exercises,
6. dry massage and
7. mild trampling should be done.
· Having thus mitigated the kapha, the person should
1.Take bath
2. anoint the body with the paste of
Karpura (camphor),
Candana (sandalwood),
Aguru (Aquilaria agallocha), and
Kumkuma (saffron).

21. 3. Have
· One year old barley,
· wheat and
· honey,
· meat of animals of
desert-like land,
· and meat roasted in fire
as food;
4. Drink the juice of mango
fruit
· Mixed with fragrant
substances,
· in the company of
friends,
· Getting it served by the
beloved;
· The drink, thereby
producing satisfaction.
5. Beverages such as
· Asava (fermented
infusion),
· Arista ( fermented
decoction),

22. 1. The person should spend his midday in the company
of friends
2. engaged in pleasant games,
3. pastimes,
4. story telling etc.,
5. in forests (or gardens).
6. The gardens should have cool breeze from south
direction
7. with plenty of reservoirs of water all around,
8. invisible or poor sunlight,
9. the land covered with shining crystals
10. with the cuckoo everywhere making
pleasant sounds and
11. engaged in love-play, with trees and different kinds
of beautiful and sweet smelling flowers.

23. गुरुिीतहदिास्िप्नस्त्स्नग्िाम्लमिुरांस्ययेजेत ्
1. Avoid foods that are hard to-digest
2. and cold,
3. sleeping at day time,
4. foods which are fatty, Amla(sour) and
Madhur(sweet).
Because, all these will increase Kapha.

25. In Greesma (summer)
· The sun rays become powerful
· and appear to be destructive.
· Kapha decreases day by day and
· vata increases consequently,
· Hence avoid use of lavana(salt), Katu(pungent) and
Amla(sour) foods,
· Heavy physical exercises and
· exposure to sunlight, during this season.

26. िजेन्मिुरसेिान्नं लघु स्त्स्नग्िं हिमं द्रिम्
सुिीततोयशसक्ताङ्गो शलह्यायसक्तून् सिक् रान्
1.Food which are sweet,
2.light (easy to digest),
3.fatty,
4.cold and
5.liquid should be taken,
6.take cornflour mixed with cold water and sugar after
taking bath in cold water.

27. INDICATION FOR LIMITED USE OF WINE DURING
SUMMER:
मर्दयं न पेयं, पेयं िा स्िल्पं, सुबिुिारर िा
अन्यथा िोफ िैधथल्य दाि मोिान्करोतत तत्
1. Madya (wine) should not be taken;
· If very necessary, taken in very little quantity or
diluted with more quantity of water;
· If wine is taken in large doses,
a. it will cause inflammatory conditions,
b. it will make the body fragile and weak,
c. increases burning sensation and
d. causes for various diseases.

28. During summer,
1. Boiled rice, which is white in colour, (like full moon)
should be eaten along with meat of animals of desert.
2. Meat juice (Mamsarasa) which is not very thick,
3. Rasala (curds churned and mixed with pepper powder
and sugar),
4. Raga (syrup which is sweet, sour and salty) and
5. Khandava (syrup which has all the tastes,
prepared with many substances)
6. Panaka panchasara, (syrup prepared with
a. raisins (draksha),
b. madhuka,
c. dates (karjura),
d. kasmarya, and
e. Parushaka

29. · Day time should be spent in
a. forests all trees reaching the sky such as shala (shorea
robusta, Tala – Borassus flabellifera etc,
b. which obstruct the hot rays of the sun,
c. or in houses around which bunches of flowers and
grapes are hanging from their creepers.
· Sheets of cloth spreading sweet scented water, are
arranged (to fan the air) , all around.
· Sleep on soft bed prepared with flowers of banana,
kalbara, lotus etc. with fully blossomed flowers place all
over.

30. NIGHT REGIMEN
At nights,
a. one should sleep on the terrace, facing moonlight.
b. Exhaustion due to heat of the day is relieved by,
· anointing the body with paste of sandalwood,
· wearing garlands,
· avoidance of sexual activities,
· wearing of very light and thin dress,
· by fanning with fans made of leaves of Tala or large
leaves of padmini (lily) made wet;
· syringes sprinkling cool water softly,
· garlands of flowers of camphor, jasmine and of pearls
and beads of white sandal paste.

31. VARSHA-RTU

32. In rainy season,
a. The agni (digestive activity) is weak.
b. It is already weakened by summer,
c. it undergoes further decrease and gets vitiated by the
Doshas.
d. The Doshas get aggravated by the effect of thick clouds
full of water, cold wind having snow, dirty water because
of rain, warmth of the earth and sourness.
e. The poor strength of digestive activity the Doshas start
vitiating one another and cause many diseases.

33. · One should undergo Panchakarma therapies.
· After that the person should also be administered
asthapana basti (decoction enema therapy).
· He should use
a. Old grains for food,
b. Meat juice processed with spices etc.
C. Meat of animals of desert-like lands,
d. Soup of pulses ,
e. Wine prepared from grapes and
f. Asava & aristas (Fermented decoctions), which are
old.

34. · Rain water or water from deep wells, well boiled
should be used for drinking.
· On days of no sunlight at all,
a. the food should predominantly Amla(sour),
Lavana(salty) and Snigdha,
b. Ruksha(dry),
c. mixed with honey
d. and easily digestible.

35. अपादचारी सुरशिैः सततं िूवपताम्बरैः
िम्य्पृष्ठे िसेर्दबाष्पिीतिीकरिस्त्ज्ते
· Person should not move without foot wear(move
only on vehicles)
· should use perfumes,
· expose his clothes to fragrant fumes,
· Stay shall be in the upper floor free from moisture,
cold and snow.

36. नदीजलोदमन्थािैःस्िप्नायासातपांस्ययजेत ्
Avoid –
· River water,
· mantha( beverage prepared with flour of
corns mixed with ghee),
· sleeping during at daytime,
· exertion and
· exposure to Sun.

38. िषा्िीतोधचताङ्गानां सिसैिाक् रस्त्श्मशिैः
तप्तानां सस्त्चचतं िृष्टौ वपत्तं िरहद कु प्यतत
तज्जयाय घृतं ततक्तं विरेको रक्तमोक्षणम्
1. The person becomes accustomed (normally) to
the cold of rainy season.
2. When he gets suddenly exposed to the warm rays of
Sun, the Pitta, which has undergone increase in Varsha
(rainy season) becomes greatly aggravated during sharath
(autumn).
3. In order to get over it, Tikta ghrita (medicated ghee
recipe described in the treatment of kustha chapter 19 of
Chikitsa sthana),
4. purgation therapy
5. and blood letting should be resorted to.

39. ततक्तं स्िादु कषायं च क्षुधितो अन्नं िजेल्लघु
िाशलमुर्दग शसतािािीपटोलमिुजाङ्गलम्
When hungry,
The person should take foods which are of
a. Tikta(bitter),Svadu( sweet) and Kashaya(astringent)
rasas, and
b. easily digestible such as
· Rice,
· green gram,
· sugar,
· Amla,
· Patola,
· honey and
· meat of animals of desert-like lands

40. HAMSODAKA -
तप्तं तप्तांिुककरणै: िीतं िीतांिु रस्त्श्मशि: समन्तात् अप्यिोरािं
अगस्ययोदय तनवि्षम्
िुधच िंसोदकं नाम तनम्लं मलस्त्जज्जलम् नाशिष्यस्त्न्द न िा रूक्षं
पानाहदषु अमृतोपमम्
1. The water which gets heated by the hot rays of the
sun during day time
2. Cooled by the cool rays of the moon during night,
3. For many days continuously,
4. Which has been de-poisoned (detoxicated) by the
rise of the star agashtya,
5. Which is pure,

41. 6. uncontaminated and
7. capable of mitigating the malas (dosas) is known as
Hamsodaka.
8. It is neither abhisyandi (producing more
secretion or moisture inside the minute channels so
as to block them) nor dry,
9. such water is like Amrita (nector) for drinking and
other purpose.

42. RITUSANDHI- (INTER-SEASONAL PERIOD) :-
ऋयिो: अन्ययाहद सप्तािौ ऋतुसस्त्न्िररतत स्मृत: ति पूिो
विधिस्ययाज्य: सेिनीयो अपरैः क्रमात्
असायम्यजा हि रोगा: स्यु: सिसा ययागिीलनात्
The seven days at the end and commencement of a
season is known as Rtusandhi (inter seasonal period).
During this period,
· the regimen of the preceding season should be
discontinued gradually and that of the succeeding
season should be gradually adopted;
· sudden discontinuance or sudden adoption gives
rise to diseases caused by asatmya (non-habituation)