For shiny black hair that calms your mind

CHENNAI: A ccording to Sanatan Sansa, “A woman symbolises Shakti (Divine Energy). Since a woman is the bestower of Shakti, it becomes possible for her to make use of Tejtattva predominant energy generated in her body by the movement of her long hair.

The ability of long hair to imbibe and emit Shakti tattva-predominant waves is greater; hence, in a way, a woman with long hair is protected from the attacks of negative energies”. According to 1 Corinthians 11:15, “but for a woman, if her hair is abundant, it is a glory to her”. But our modern living has affected our physical and mental health, and people are forced to keep their hair short.

Till 1990s, many bi-cycle-wallahs were selling herbal shampoo powders on the streets, and many were able to wear their hair long. When they switched to packaged, liquid shampoos and conditioners  manufactured by cosmetic chemists in labs, it started to weaken roots of their mane. If people want to grow their hair long, they should return to the traditional way of caring for hair. One important plant for this is Krishna Siris botanically known as Albizia amara (Roxb.) B. Boivin.

It is reported that washing hair with this Krishna Shiris leaves, popularly known as Arappu podi in Tamil, renders it black, shiny and silky and it serves to cool down the body. Its aroma stays in the hair for 4-5 days and there is therapeutic by keeping the body and mind stress-free, cool and relaxed. In Kannada it is known as Chujjalu/chigare and in Tamil, Usilai maram; Telugu calls this as Nalla renga.

Krishna Siris is a medium-sized tree reaching up to 30 m tall. Bark is greyish-green and branchlets grey-pubescent. Leaves are compound, branched twice, with 9-13 pairs. Stalks grow up to 4 cm long, with a gland above middle.

Leaflets are 40-50, 8x2 mm, with margins softly hairy. Flower-heads come in axillary racemes or in clusters, 2 cm across. Flowers are minute measuring 3 mm across, and cream in colour. Pods are 6-10 x 2-3 cm in size and are grey and compressed in appearance. Seeds are 6-12, 10 x 5 mm. These plants commonly grow along foot hills, scrub forests and dry deciduous forests throughout India.