Sharada Ritucharya (Autumn regimen)

According to Indian calendar a year is divided into 6 seasons(ritu). Each season is comprised of 2 months. 

They are:

Name of the Ritu	Season	Indian Months	Calendar months	Dominant Taste
Vasanta	Spring	Chaitra- Vaishakha	Mid March to mid May	Kashaya (Astringent)
Grishma	Summer	Jeshtha- Aashadha	Mid May to mid July	Katu (Pungent)
Varsha	Rainy	Shravana-Bhadrapada	Mid July- Mid September	Amla (Sour)
Sharada	Autumn	Ashwina-Kartika	Mid September- Mid November	Lavana (Saline)
Hemanta	Winter	Margashirsha- Pousha	Mid November- Mid January	Madhura (Sweet)
Shishira	Winter , Dewy season	Magha-Falguna	Mid January-Mid Marcha	Tikta (Bitter)

According to dominancy of Sun or Moon, there are two kalas in a year, Aadana and Visarga kala.

Aadana kala	Visarga kala	Body strength
Shishira	Hemanta	Good
Vasanta	Sharada	Medium
Grishma	Varsha	Low

In Aadana kala there is Uttarayana and  dominancy of Fire. The weather is hot and dry. Human strength is relatively low. Shishira, Vasanta and Grishma are 3 seasons of Aadana kala. 

In Visarga kala, there is Dakshinayana of Sun and dominancy of Moon. Weather is cold. Human strength is relatively better.Varsha,Sharada and Hemanta are seasons of Visarga kala.

Sharada Ritucharya:

In Varsha ritu there is cold weather and increased pitta dosha which when exposed to heat of Sharada ritu , pitta becomes excessively more. 

So  diet and lifestyle should be to prevent diseases due to increased pitta. Medicated tikta ghee , purgation treatment and blood letting are advised as a part of treatment of increased Pitta dosha.

Diet:
           Do's:

• Have food in moderate quantity and only when you feel hungry.
• Include bitter, sweet and astringent tastes more in diet along with other tastes as they have pitta dosha lowering effect.
• Rice, Moong dal, Patol (Paraval- Pointed gourd) ,bitter gourd, sugar, dates, Amla (Indian gooseberry),Pomegranate, honey, meat of animals from dessert like area are good to have in this season

                                                                       

• Include dry and ununctuous foods and liquids in diet. 
• Have coolant foods and liquids in diet. 
• Water heated with hot sunlight in day time and cooled in moon light in night , exposed to star Agastya is holy, pure and capable of removing all doshas is called as Hansodaka. This water is advised to be taken in Sharada ritu. 

      Don'ts:

• Extra oily foods
• Curd
  
• Eating too much
• Strong alcohol
  
• Alkaline foods e.g. Certain fruits like banana, strawberry, kiwi, vegetables like carrot, cauliflower, nuts like hazelnut etc
• Animal muscle fat 

Lifestyle:

                      Do's:

• Apply a paste of sandalwood, khas-khas grass and camphor together or alone and rest in early moon light for 1-2 hrs
• Rest in the moon light on a terrace wearing clean clothes and pearl ornaments.

Don'ts:

• Exposure to mist
• Going into hot sunlight
• Eastern wind
• Sleeping in day time