6 Season Name _hot_ < Working >

— the wheel turns. Each has its name. Each its gift.

| 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 | 6 season name

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. — the wheel turns

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. | Season | Dominant Dosha | Action |

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.

Grishma is the trial by fire . It embodies tapas (austerity). In Hindu mythology, this is when Shiva performs his cosmic dance of destruction and regeneration. Physiologically, Pitta dosha (fire and water) dominates, demanding cooling foods, stillness, and introspection. It is the season of discipline—where survival depends on adaptation. 3. Varsha (Monsoon/Rainy) — Mid-July to Mid-September Nature’s Signature: The sky splits. Thunder announces the first rain on parched soil—a smell called petrichor , which is the earth’s own perfume. Rivers swell, frogs chorus, peacocks dance.

Varsha is the great reset . It is considered the most spiritually potent season for meditation, as the clouds block distractions and the rhythmic rain induces inward focus. Ayurveda warns of weakened digestion ( Agni ) during this damp, humid time. Emotionally, it evokes viraha (longing in separation)—the rain is a lover’s tears. The famous Kalidasa ’s Meghadūta (Cloud Messenger) is set in Varsha. 4. Sharad (Autumn) — Mid-September to Mid-November Nature’s Signature: The sky clears to a crystalline blue. Moonlight becomes luminous. Rice fields turn golden. Dew begins to form at dawn. Snakes (now sated) shed their skins. Festivals of light—Navaratri, Durga Puja, Diwali—fill the nights.