Hemanta: eating and living through early winter

हेमन्त · mid-November to mid-January

In Punjab, Hemanta is the season the fog arrives, the shawls come out, and the kitchen starts smelling of ghee and jaggery again. Ayurveda describes it as the season in which the body is at its strongest, and its advice is simple: use that strength well.

When it falls

Hemanta covers the lunar months of Margashirsha and Pausha, which is roughly mid-November to mid-January. It ends around Makar Sankranti and Lohri, when Shishira, the late winter, begins.

What the season does

The classical texts divide the year into two halves:

• The giving half (visarga kāla): as the sun moves south, the moon and the cool, moist air are said to give strength back to living things. Hemanta is its last season.
• The taking half (ādāna kāla): from Shishira onwards, the sun's heat and dry winds take strength away again.

By Hemanta, the texts say, strength is at its peak and digestion (agni) is at its strongest. The cold outside holds the body's heat in, and the fire within burns brighter.

Hemanta is also the season in which the doshas settle and gather. Pitta, aggravated through Sharad, quietens down, and the stillness of the cold lets Kapha begin to collect. It won't stir until spring.

The texts make one warning that is particular to this season. A strong fire needs fuel. If it gets too little, through skipped meals, long fasts or very light food, it is said to turn on the body's own tissues instead.

Eating in Hemanta

Tastes to favour: sweet (madhura), sour (amla) and salty (lavaṇa). These are the tastes of nourishment and warmth.

Tastes to go easy on: bitter, pungent and astringent, in large amounts. They are light and drying, which is what the season has least need of.

From the Indian winter kitchen:

Go easy on: cold drinks and iced water, raw salads at night, food straight from the fridge, and long gaps between meals.

The day in Hemanta

• Oil the body (abhyaṅga) before a warm bath. Sesame oil is the classical choice for winter. Rub it in, wait a while, then bathe.
• Get the morning sun. The texts recommend sitting in the sun in Hemanta. In North India that is the gentle mid-morning hour, not the noon glare.
• Exercise more than in summer. The body can take more effort now, and the texts count this season as one where regular exercise suits.
• Dress and sleep warm. Keep the head, ears and feet covered outdoors, sleep under heavy quilts, and keep the bedroom warm.
• Eat on time. Breakfast matters in this season more than any other.

Moving into Shishira

The last week of Hemanta and the first of Shishira are a ṛtusandhi, a joint between two seasons. Shishira asks for the same care, only more so: the cold deepens and the air turns dry and windy. So nothing needs to change suddenly. Keep the oil, the warmth and the hearty meals going.

A cup for the season

A warming kahwa with tulsi and adrak (ginger), sipped mid-morning or after lunch, fits Hemanta well, and so does a cup of haldi doodh at bedtime.

Go gently

This is general guidance from a traditional system of wellbeing, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, nursing, managing a health condition or taking medicine, speak to your doctor before changing your diet or routine.

From the texts

• Charaka Saṃhitā, Sūtrasthāna 6 (Tasyāśitīya Adhyāya): the seasons and the regimen for each.
• Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya, Sūtrasthāna 3 (Ṛtucaryā Adhyāya).