Taila pak vidhi refers to the detailed process of making traditional Ayurvedic oils out of specified proportions of kwath (herb decoction) or drava (milk or fresh juice), kalka (dry or fresh herbal paste) and dravya sneha (oil or ghee). The cooking process is usually completed over the span of a few days until the residual moisture has cooked away. This process involves a large amount of materials, and many hours of boiling and close attention.
I found an Indian study that compared oils prepared with the taila pak vidhi technique versus those using other methods. Unrefined sesame oil and dried Ayurvedic herbs were the ingredients for all the oils. Here are two of the major differences they found:
- Oils prepared with kalka alone without kwath, and oils prepared in a pressure cooker had a slight burnt note.
- Cooking with both kwath and kalka showed an increase in the amount of herbal components dissolved in oils compared to cooking with kalka alone. It was suggested that kwath helps to get herbal extracts and components into the oil.
These points highlight some of the common problems with hair oils that are available commercially today. Many oils that are marketed as Ayurvedic oils are prepared either by cooking herbs on their own in oil or by cooking oil in a pressure cooker. These shortcuts have a huge impact on the efficacy of the oils, which is why so many commercial products fail to live up to customer expectations.
Churna’s Bhringraj Blend and Fresh Amla Hair Oils are prepared following the traditional Ayurvedic method to ensure your hair oil has the strength needed to achieve desired results. Use them followed by Churna Shampoo to experience the magic of Ayurveda for yourself.