Prepare for Sharad : Kaitha fruit

Very popular among female folk and children.

The fruit is eaten plain, blended into an assortment of drinks and sweets, or well-preserved as jam. The scooped-out pulp from its fruits is eaten uncooked with or without sugar, or is combined with coconut milk and palm-sugar syrup and drunk as a beverage, or frozen as an ice cream. It is also used in chutneys and for making jam. A drink, Bael-panna made by blending the fruit with water and spices, is drunk during summers.

The ripe fruit is rich in beta-carotene, a precursor of Vitamin A; it also contains significant quantities of the B vitamins thiamine and riboflavin, and small amounts of vitamin C.

Fruits are refrigerant, stomachic, stimulant, astringent, aphrodisiac, diuretic, cardiotonic, tonic to liver and lungs, cures cough, hiccup and good for asthma, consumption, tumours, opthalmia and leucorrhoea.

Why this कैथा वार्ता?
My friend’s farmer father shared local wisdom 3 months back. While travelling to local pilgrimage together, he shared this: “Look at the Kotha tree. Plenty of fruits. Too many. This is indication of dry monsoon. There will be hardly any rain in this region.”

3 months later, we indeed have no rain (52% deficient in my district). He was so right. So do we have plenty of कैथा/ કોઠું. Mother is suggesting to eat them freely so that you can save self from unusual September heat! Eat Kothu chutney!

Mother Nature is so loving. She shares all her त्रिकालज्ञान by plenty of signs. Not only that, she also prepares us for upcoming seasonal catastrophe. So much wisdom if we just spend life with her and learn from her nurturing!
Less rain or too much rain, does not matter. From Today, there is arrival of शरद ऋतू. शरद without monsoon is difficult.

रोगाणाम शारदि माता (Season Sharad is mother of all disease) – Current season (from 14th Sept) is known as season of epidemics. It is season when Mother Nature prefers to balance the population.
End of monsoon, humid & hot – perfect setup for pathogens to expand their rule.

And so it is well-known wish/Blessing for loved ones – जीवेत शरदः शतं – May you live 100 शरद (You may get answer why this season and not any other season is used in blessing for long life). Those who successfully pass through this time without any sickness symptoms, observe Dashera festival to celebrate victory over all possibilities to degenerate their life, against whom they fought and won.

Abundant Kaitha or lemon is a sign that use them profusely in your diet. Take care. (Y)

Kaitha medicinal reference:http://globalresearchonline.net/journalcontents/v28-1/36.pdf