June 14
The Magical “Tulsi” – Ocimum tenuiflorum,Ocimum sanctum, holy basil
Last week, I came across a vendor selling tea with Tulsi(aka Ocimum tenuiflorum,Ocimum sanctum, holy basil) in It. The word Tulsi originates from the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, and translates to “the incomparable one” . Tulsi or the incomparable one is often regarded as a consort of Lord Krishna in the form of Lakshmi in the Hindu Mythology. It is also referred to as the “Queen of Herbs” or the “Mother medicine of nature”.
All through out my childhood in Kerala, India, we had Tulsi in every other house. The plant offers a number of medicinal importance. These include solutions to heart disorder, fever, headache, stress, sore throat, skin disorder, teeth disorder, eye disorder, kidney stones, coughs, mouth infections, insect bites, respiratory disorder, arthritis, cancer, diabetes and children’s ailments(including diarrhea and vomiting).
As a result of its magical properties it is used in the traditional India medicine system of Ayurveda. A per the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Ayurvedic text(900 to 600 BCE), Tulsi is considered to be an adaptogen, balancing different processes in the body, helpful for adapting to stress and is is considered as a kind of “elixir of life” and believed to promote longevity.