Observing Chaturmas

 Tomorrow would finally end the Chaturmas, the four months of not eating onion and garlic. Formally, it ended on Monday, the day after Ekadashi. As the Tulsi Vivah ceremony ends tomorrow, every which way, the restriction ends, too.

How about trying to understand this restriction? Well, it begins two days before the Ashadhi Ekadashi, and ends on the Kartiki Ekadashi. Most interestingly, these are known as the Devshayani and the Devprabodhini Ekadashi respectively. 

In other words, from Ashadh to Kartik, the Lord and his consort rest. How to understand this concept? Sure it is anthropomorphism, transferring human needs such as the need for rest, on to the divine. 

There is yet another way to look at the practice. Sure, the climate cycle has gone for a toss now. Yet, earlier when the monsoon respected its entry and exist points, these four would be the monsoon months. May be, hence the need for controlling the food intake. 

May be, the onion increases the 'kapha' (phlegm) and the garlic increased the  'wat'  (the bile) in the body. Hence to balance the "tridosha", the Ayurveda would suggest such restrictions which the common man would follow only if assigned some religious values, I suppose. Yes, I will counter-check these facts, I promise. 

The Jains and the Krishna Consciousness kind of movements do not ever eat these two veggie items as onions and garlics are not only not "satvik". They are, moreover, considered "tamasik" (arousing wild passions) and "rajasik" (igniting ignorance, laziness, and so on).

Well, allopathy would insist that garlic is the best for heart health, while the onion controls most all everything from cholestrol, blood sugar as well as blood pressure. 

What to do when "-pathies" clash so violently? Well, moderation, I would argue, is the best medicine. Hence I observe the Chaturmas which was part of my parents' belief and faith system, too. Of course, they suffered patiently my 'informative' lectures which now you are tolerating, Dear Reader!!! In other words, their following of the practice, too, was not either superstitious observance nor any caste rigidity.

Thursday onwards, I would eat these two veggies, of course, in moderation, however much they tingle the taste buds!

Pratima@ Understand the principle, practice follows!