Chitharathai / Sitharathai / Lesser Galangal Dried (Raw) – 100 gm

Chitharathai / Sitharathai / Lesser Galangal Dried (Raw) – 100 gm

Botanical Name : Alpinia Calcarata
English Name : Lesser Galangal
Tamil Name : Chitharathai , Sitharathai
Hindi Name : Kulanjan
Malayalam Name : , Chittaratha, Kolinchi
Telugu Name : dumparaashtrakamu

About :
Chitarathai is native to India, leaves dull dark green, lighter undersides. White with yellow and red variegated fragrant flowers resembling snapdragons. Alpinia calcarata is a very easy and vigorous species to grow. It has very narrow foliage and stems and is a prolific plant. Its narrow habit is not nearly as attractive as many of the better foliage Alpinia. The medium size white and red flowers are attractive and appear on upright inflorescences. It grows well in medium sun in well drained rich soil. Alpinia carcarata has nice reedy foliage but there is not much else going for it. If you live in a frost free area you will get some pretty flowers, but like other Alpinias, this will only bloom on second year growth.A herbaceous plant which grows up to 1.5 m height. Leaves are green, glossy, long and narrow, 15-30 cm long and 2.5-5 cm broad. Rhizomes narrowly oblong, much branched and grow horizontally in the soilFlowers, large, in dense panicles. Corolla segments are yellowish white and streaked with purple veins.Leaves, flowers and rhizomes are aromatic.

Benefits :
• Digestive and respiratory ailments in infants and children

• Rheumatic ailments

• Digestive problems

• Cough, headache, fever and indigestion

• Increases sperm count.

How to Consume :
Chitharathai for Cough: For cough with sputum, a piece of rhizome of this plant is slowly chewed. This is also good for vomiting issues.

•Chitharathai for Infants and children : For all sorts of digestive and respiratory ailments in infants and children, this rhizome is baked or heated and given after mixing with honey and breast milk.

• Chitharathai for Rheumatic Ailments :1 to 3 gram of powder of this rhizome is administered thrice daily for rheumatic ailments.

• Chitharathai for Digestive Problems :For digestive problems, 1 to 5 grams of powder of this rhizome can be administered twice daily before food.

• Chitharathai for Headache and Fever: Athimathuram, Thaleesapathri, Arathai and Thippili can be powdered, mixed in equal quantity and given along with honey for cough, headache, fever and indigestion.

• Chitharathai for Increase in Sperm Count :Recent research on this plant have proved that regular administration of powder or decoction of this rhizome increases sperm count and acts as an Aphrodisiac.