In Indian Herbal Ayurvedic System, Ushira herb has its own place of importance. It has cooling properties which can be “deployed” as Ushira sherbet or juice to have cooling effects in heat. Since old times women have been using the extract of Ushira for treating problems related to their periods. The leaves of this plant are used in many of the top skin care products and it can also be directly applied on the body. It has other medicinal benefits like curing emotional traumas, insomnia, aromatherapy, joint and muscle pains and much more.
Other names for Ushira are – Khaskhas and Vetiver. We will use these names interchangeably in this article. Vetiver, an English word, actually has Tamil origins, from where it was taken by French, and then the English. In ancient Tamil literature, Vetiver – Vettiver in Tamil, meaning rooted out (vetti) grass, finds mention for its medicinal properties. The plant has been native to India and is now used all over the world in many applications.
1. Unlike other grass, Ushira roots go very deep, deeper than some trees. This makes the plant an excellent stabilizer for stream banks, terraces etc. In fact, this property has been used by India’s Konkan Railways, which runs through western ghats having very high levels of rain, to stabilize the railway tracks. An excellent Indian solution to an Indian problem in modern times. You can read about this on this webpage:
http://vetivernetinternational.blogspot.in/2009/01/this-11-year-old-railroad-located-in.html
2. Some special properties of Vetiver enable it to protect crops. It attracts insects which lay their eggs on Vettiver, but due to its hairy architecture, the larva cannot survive on it and die, thus reducing the pest population in areas around Vetiver. The oil in Vetiver roots also has anti fungal properties.
3. Some of us, to whom old Indian concoctions were available, have tasted “Khas Sherbet”. Khas essence is added as a flavoring to a mixture of sugar, water and citric acid to make Khas syrup. This syrup is then mixed with water to make a nice flavored drink. We see less of these on Indian shelves nowadays, but those interested can still find this syrup online. Khas can be used for flavoring Lassi or ice cream also.
4. Vetiver is very popular in perfumery also, and perhaps this application of the plant has found the most widespread acceptance globally. Some notable examples (taken from Wikipedia) are: Dior’s Eau Sauvage, Guerlain Vetiver, Mr. Vetiver by Une Nuit a Bali, Zizan by Ormonde Jayne and Vetiver by L’Occitane. You can also get Khas flavored room fresheners. In fact, the main feeling Khas flavor gives is one of “coolness”. So Khas flavored scents feel very nice in hot weather.
5. Khas used to be literally used for cooling places in the old days when no air conditioning and not even fans were available. Khas mats were hung on doors and windows and were soaked with water. As water evaporated in the hot summers of the Indian subcontinent, it cooled the room and provided a pleasant ambience. Khas has many advantages in this application. Its nature is such that algae and bacteria do not develop easily, even if water runs on it for months. Also, it gives off a pleasant smell of its own. Alternative materials such as wood shavings or hay would start giving off bad odor within hours.
6. Finally, of course, Vetiver has medicinal properties, and has been used in medical applications since ancient times in India. It has strong antiseptic properties which make it very suitable in the treatment of acne. Vetiver oil is popularly used for this purpose today also. Mixed with green gram powder, Vetiver also is used as a bath powder. The root can also be made into an Ayurvedic bath scrub which feels very pleasant and cool.
Vetiver has been very effective in providing many types of “cooling” and freshness to people on the Indian subcontinent for ages. We hope these tested and proven methods of improving our lives are not lost, but find their proper place in our modern lives also.