Kerala
Susruta (c. 400 BC), Charaka (c. 700 BC), and Vagbhata (c. 700 AD), the well-known vriddha trayi (Trio of Elders) of Ayurveda, considered Rakthashali, the best among the shali varieties of rice. In an interview to The New Indian Express, Vinod K Namboothiri, senior medical officer, Muttar Government Ayurvedic Hospital in Kerala, says, the paddy is of a rare variety widely used for medicinal purposes in the country and it is nearly extinct. “The paddy with red husk and grain is acclaimed from Vedic times as a medicinal rice variety. The grain is said to be good in treating ‘tridoshas’ (vata, pita and kapha). It helps maintain equilibrium in the body. It is also an anti-oxidant and can purify blood,” he says. This is possibly why this grain was given the name Rakthashali, as ‘raktha’ in Sanskrit refers to blood. Also known as red Sali and Chennellu in some regions, farmers say that this winter rice is good for people suffering from anemia.