Learning from age old community practices - By Sonia Garcha

Kamal is my cook and has also brought me up since my school days. Saturdays meant washing our hair and after that she would religiously oil my hair. She claims ever since I stopped this practice I have ruined the quality, thickness and length of my hair.

Last week she asked me to help her pick some hibiscus flowers and of course I just plucked some without questioning what she planned to do with them. And voila, she says these flowers are to be dried in the shade and then hand crushed and added to coconut oil. Kamal patiently explained to me the benefits of Hibiscus for hair and is going to make it for me.

And these time tested age old practices are all packaged into easy to use products by Parama Naturals.

When my friend Geeta gave me the Parama Naturals hair oil I was really excited to try a new product that would tame my curly and frizzy hair with the goodness of Amla, Hibiscus flower (Japa), Brahmi, Bhringaraj (Maka), Curry leaf, Haritaki, Bibhitaki, Neeli and Turmeric extracts in a base of coconut and sesame virgin cold-pressed oils. An all-purpose hair oil-cum-serum. Nourishing, conditioning, good for damaged hair, dandruff, hair fall, and managing frizzy hair seemed the perfect solution.

When Geeta shares that her clients ask her questions like "how should I oil my hair", I wonder why do we not "listen" to some of the advice given by our mothers and grandmothers where many of these practices were subtly interwoven with the seasons (Sanskrit: Rutus) and the normal rituals of life!