6 Season Name Extra Quality «Full»

Hemanta is gathering . It is the season of storage—grain in barns, ghee in jars, warmth in wool. Vata dosha (air and ether) begins to rise. This is the ideal time for building immunity, consuming nourishing fats, and strengthening the body for the harshness to come. It is a quiet, patient season—the pause before the freeze. 6. Shishira (Late Winter / Snowy Season) — Mid-January to Mid-March Nature’s Signature: The coldest stretch. Fog, frost, and in the Himalayas—snow. Deciduous trees stand bare. Mornings are sluggish. Sun feels weak. Animals huddle.

Sharad is clarity . After the monsoon’s mud, the world is washed clean. It represents ṛta (cosmic order). In Ayurveda, it balances Pitta. Psychologically, it is the season of wisdom and harvest—reaping what was sown. The full moon ( Sharad Purnima ) is said to rain down amrita (nectar of immortality) onto the earth. 5. Hemanta (Pre-Winter / Early Winter) — Mid-November to Mid-January Nature’s Signature: Mist and dew thicken. Days are pleasant, nights turn cold. Harvest festivals (Lohri, Pongal) are celebrated. Mustard flowers paint fields yellow. Chimney smoke rises straight in still air. 6 season name

Vasanta represents arrival —of hope after winter’s scarcity. In Ayurveda, it is Kapha season (water and earth), a time of sluggishness that requires detoxification. The mind is romantic, creative, and restless. Classical ragas like Vasanta are sung to capture its floral, effervescent energy. 2. Grishma (Summer) — Mid-May to Mid-July Nature’s Signature: The sun hardens. Water bodies shrink. Dust devils spin across dry earth. Nights offer little relief. Mangoes ripen—nature’s compensation for the heat. Forests appear burned, animals seek shade. Hemanta is gathering

— the wheel turns. Each has its name. Each its gift. This is the ideal time for building immunity,

| Season | Dominant Dosha | Action | |--------|----------------|--------| | Vasanta | Kapha (accumulated winter moisture) | Release | | Grishma | Pitta (heat) | Pacify | | Varsha | Vata (erratic, damp energy) | Ground | | Sharad | Pitta (renewed clarity) | Balance | | Hemanta | Vata (cold, dry wind) | Nourish | | Shishira | Kapha (static cold) | Stabilize |

Shishira is stillness as strength . The earth sleeps deeply. It corresponds to the late Vata stage—dry, cold, mobile energy causing joint stiffness. This season demands fiery foods (ginger, honey, sesame) and inward spiritual practice. In yoga, it is the time for pranayama (breath control) to generate internal heat. The festival of Maha Shivaratri falls here—the "Great Night of Shiva," celebrating cosmic consciousness in the darkest cold. Beyond Climate: The Deeper Logic of Six Seasons Why six instead of four? The four-season model tracks temperature . The six-season model tracks energetic transitions —specifically, the interplay of three qualities ( doshas in Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta, Kapha) each rising and falling twice per year.