Food from different parts of India, the history and heritage behind authentic Indian foods.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India contains separate monographs for the fresh and dried fruits of Phoenix dactylifera. Modern botanical authorities place the species in the palm family, Arecaceae.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India lists Jati leaf as Jasminum officinale L., belonging to the Oleaceae family. The National Medicinal Plants Board also records Jasminum officinale under the names Jati and Ban Chameli.
The botanical source of Laja is Oryza sativa L., the cultivated Asian rice plant. The accepted scientific spelling is Oryza sativa, and the species belongs to the grass family Poaceae. Rice begins as Tandula or grain, while the application of heat transforms selected paddy into Laja. This processing changes its structure, density, digestibility and Ayurvedic action.
The accepted botanical source is Coriandrum sativum L., an annual aromatic herb belonging to the Apiaceae family. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India identifies medicinal Dhanyaka as the dried ripe fruits of this species. The plant is now cultivated widely across the world and has become deeply integrated into Indian agriculture, cuisine and household health traditions.
Cicer arietinum is an accepted botanical species belonging to the legume family. It is an annual plant cultivated for its nutritious seeds and has a long history as both food and traditional medicine. Its ancestral geographical range is associated with the region extending from southeastern Türkiye towards Iran, followed by its spread across Asia, the Mediterranean and other agricultural regions.
Ayurvedic literature uses several words connected with rice. Vrihi and Shali refer to classes of rice, Dhanya may indicate the harvested grain or paddy, Tandula refers to the dehusked rice grain ready for cooking, and Odana refers to cooked rice. These distinctions reveal the depth with which Ayurveda examined rice from cultivation to digestion.
The rose commonly associated with classical Gulkand preparations is the cabbage rose or hundred-petalled rose, botanically accepted as Rosa × centifolia L. The multiplication sign reflects its hybrid origin. Plants of the World Online recognises it as an artificial hybrid involving Rosa canina, Rosa gallica and Rosa moschata. It belongs to the Rosaceae family.
The accepted botanical name is Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet, while Dolichos lablab L. is an older botanical synonym frequently retained in Ayurvedic publications and traditional food compendia. The plant belongs to the Fabaceae family. The Sanskrit name is written as Nishpava, Nispava or Nispavah in different transliteration systems.
Patha is a herb of movement, digestion, cleansing and correction. It is used in classical Ayurveda for abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, itching, skin disorders and disorders connected with breast milk impurity. Its bitter-pungent taste, sharp quality and heating potency make it a powerful herb for clearing stagnation, supporting digestion and purifying channels.
This root is famous for its strong, characteristic aroma, slightly bitter taste and warming action. In Ayurveda, Kustha is not treated as an ordinary herb. It is a powerful dravya connected with the respiratory system, skin, blood purification, vata-kapha balance and external medicinal oil preparations. Its presence in classical medicine shows how deeply Himalayan herbs shaped India’s healing knowledge.
