Ritucharya: A Seasonal Ayurvedic Routine Through India's Six Seasons
How to adjust food, daily routine, skin care and hair care through India's seasons, from summer and monsoon to autumn, winter and spring, the Ayurvedic way.
By Aayuvedic Herbals team · · 6 min read
Ritucharya, from 'ritu' (season) and 'charya' (routine), is Ayurveda's guide to living in step with the weather. Classical texts divide the year into six ritus of roughly two months each: Shishira (late winter), Vasanta (spring), Grishma (summer), Varsha (monsoon), Sharad (autumn) and Hemanta (early winter). Each brings its own qualities, and Ayurveda suggests adjusting food, routine and self-care to match.
India's climate varies hugely, and a Chennai winter is nothing like a Delhi one, so treat this as a framework rather than a calendar. Notice how the weather where you live actually feels, and adjust gradually as one season gives way to the next.
Why seasons matter in Ayurveda
Ayurveda observes that the qualities of the weather show up in the body. Hot, intense summers build pitta's heat; the damp, changeable monsoon unsettles vata and is traditionally associated with a sluggish appetite; and cold, heavy late winter and early spring build kapha. Ritucharya uses the principle of opposites, cooling in heat, warming in cold and lightness when the air feels heavy, to stay comfortable through the year.
Summer (Grishma): an Ayurvedic routine for staying cool
- Food: lighter, cooling and hydrating choices such as chaas, coconut water, cucumber, watermelon, gourds like lauki and tori, rice and moong dal. Go easy on very spicy, sour, salty and fried food.
- Routine: step out early in the morning or after sunset, rest in the hottest hours if you can, and keep exercise gentle.
- Skin: a light gel moisturiser, daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, and rose water or a gentle clay pack once a week for a cooling feel.
- Hair: coconut oil for scalp oiling, a scarf or cap in the sun, and washing away sweat more often with a mild shampoo.
Monsoon (Varsha): Ayurveda tips for the rainy season
Ayurveda regards the rains as a time when agni, the digestive fire, tends to feel low. Favour warm, freshly cooked, easy-to-digest food and drink boiled or filtered water.
- Food: soups, khichdi, moong dal and cooked vegetables, with gentle spices such as ginger, jeera and black pepper. Skip raw street food, leafy greens that are hard to wash well, and leftovers.
- Routine: keep your feet clean and dry, change out of damp clothes promptly and keep indoor spaces aired.
- Skin: humidity can leave skin feeling oily one day and dry the next, so cleanse gently, use a light moisturiser and try a clay or orange peel pack once a week. Sunscreen still matters on cloudy days.
- Hair: dry the scalp fully after getting caught in the rain, oil a little less and wash a little more often.
Autumn (Sharad): calming lingering heat
After the rains, sharp sunshine returns. Ayurveda links this season with pitta, as heat that built up quietly during the monsoon is said to come to the surface.
- Food: sweet, bitter and cooling foods such as rice, wheat, moong, amla, pomegranate, seasonal fruit and ghee in moderation. Limit very spicy, sour and fermented food.
- Routine: avoid the harsh afternoon sun and enjoy an evening walk in the moonlight, a classic Sharad suggestion.
- Skin and hair: stay consistent with sunscreen, choose soothing, gentle face packs and keep coconut oil for the scalp.
Winter (Hemanta and Shishira): warmth and nourishment
Cold weather is traditionally seen as the season when appetite and digestion are at their strongest, which makes winter the time for more substantial, nourishing food.
- Food: warm, wholesome meals such as bajra and makki rotis, til and jaggery, root vegetables, soups, ghee and seasonal greens like sarson and methi.
- Routine: regular abhyanga with warm sesame oil before bathing, exercise that brings on a light sweat, and early nights.
- Skin: richer creams, a few drops of face oil at night, lukewarm rather than hot showers, and lip care. Keep up the sunscreen.
- Hair: warm sesame or almond oil massages for the scalp, and avoid stepping out into the cold with wet hair.
Ritucharya asks one simple question each season: what is this weather doing to me, and what would bring me back to balance?
Spring (Vasanta): lighter, more active days
As temperatures rise, the heaviness gathered over winter is said to loosen, which is Ayurveda's way of explaining why spring can feel sluggish and slow.
- Food: lighter and warmer choices such as barley, millets and moong, honey stirred into warm (never hot) water, and pungent, bitter flavours from ginger, methi and karela. Cut back on heavy, sweet, oily and cold food.
- Routine: wake early, skip daytime naps and step up your exercise.
- Skin and hair: switch back to lighter moisturisers, use a gentle face pack weekly and wash oil out of the scalp thoroughly.
In short
- Ritucharya is the Ayurvedic seasonal routine, built on six ritus of about two months each.
- Balance with opposites: cooling in summer, warm and simple food in the monsoon, nourishing meals in winter.
- Adjust skin and hair care too, lighter in heat and humidity and richer in dry cold.
- Change habits gradually as the seasons turn, and adapt to your own region's climate.
- Sunscreen and gentle care stay constant all year round.
Questions people ask
Ritucharya is the Ayurvedic seasonal routine: 'ritu' means season and 'charya' means routine. It divides the year into six seasons and suggests how to adjust food, daily habits and self-care for each, using the principle of opposites. The aim is to stay comfortable and balanced as the weather changes.
Classical Ayurveda describes six ritus: Shishira (late winter), Vasanta (spring), Grishma (summer), Varsha (monsoon), Sharad (autumn) and Hemanta (early winter). Each lasts roughly two months. Because India's regional climates differ, use the qualities of your local weather, whether hot, damp, dry or cold, as your guide.
Ayurveda suggests warm, freshly cooked, easy-to-digest food in the monsoon: soups, khichdi, moong dal and cooked vegetables, with ginger, jeera and black pepper. Drink boiled or filtered water, and avoid raw street food, poorly washed greens and leftovers. Keep portions moderate.
Use lighter gel moisturisers and cooling weekly packs in summer, keep cleansing gentle through the humid monsoon, and switch to richer creams and a little face oil in dry winter months. In spring, go lighter again. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen stays the same in every season.
The Wellness Journal is for general education and inspiration only. It isn’t medical advice — please speak to a doctor or qualified Ayurvedic practitioner about any health concern, and patch test new products before use.
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