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DOI: 10.4103/0974-8520.96113
Innovative Proposal Quick Response Code:

Water purification prescribed in Ayurveda

K. P. Skandhan1, S. Amith2, L. P. A. Karunatilake3, K. P. S. Avni4, Kulwant Singh5
1
Department of Physiology, Sree Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences, Chalakka, Ernakulum, 2Southeast
Alabama Medical Center, Ross Clark Cir, Dothan AL, USA, 3Department of Shalya (Surgery), Institute of
Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka, 4Department of Radiology, Malabar Institute of
Medical Sciences, Calicut, 5Director, Jammu Institute of Ayurveda, Nardani, Jammu, India

Abstract
Authors present here water purifying methods for drinking purpose by employing few kinds
of flowers, a traditional knowledge available in India from the classics of Ayurveda, the oldest
system of medical practices. A simple method is designed to conduct a study for finding out
the efficacy of the said method.
Key words: Ayurveda, flower, purification, water

Introduction report showed that attendance in school improved when water

supply to the region was improved.[3] Absence of clean water
Water is sacred in all religions. Hindus, sprinkle water on new and sanitation are major risk factors for ill health.[4] Some of the
born child. Muslims feed a drop of “Zam Zam” holy water water borne diseases are given below.
from Mecca. Christians perform Baptism. Their recognition of Arsenicosis, Lampylobacteriosis, Cholera, Cyanobacterial
water is important as shown “By means of water God gives life toxicoses, Dengue, Dengue Haemorrhagic fever, Diarrhoea,
to every living thing”, (Islam: Quran 21:30). “The iota of life Fluorosis, Guinea worm disease (Dracunculiasis), Infectious
is created in water” (Hinduism:Atharvaveda, Asthagarideyam). Hepatitis, Japanese Encephalitis, Lead poisoning, Leptospirosis,
“Whoever believes in me, stream of living water will pour from Malaria, Malnutrition, Methaemoglobinemia, Onchocerciasis
within him” (Christianity: John 7:38). (River Blindness), Paratyphoid enteric fever, Ringworm (Tinea),
Since 2000, United Nations Committee on economic, social Scabies, Schistosomiasis, Spinal injury, Trachoma and Typhoid.
and cultural rights elaborated the necessity of drinking water Clean drinking water is the majority remedy of all. Clean water
and included this as a person’s right to it. The right to water
is shown to have reduced water trachoma and eye infection.[5] It
is the right of a person which entitles everyone to sufficient,
was shown that improvement in drinking water quality through
safe, acceptance, physically accessible and affordable water
household treatment like chlorination could reduce diarrhoea to
and enjoyed without discrimination and equally by men and
an extent.[6] A recently published study had shown that supply
women. Access to safe water is fundamental human need and a
of clean drinking water reduced diarrhoea, morbidity by 25%.[7]
basic human right declared Kofi Annan former United Nations
In a latest study report from UNICEF (2005) showed that
Secretary General.[1]
improvement in community water supply increased the primary
After fifteen days of the worst natural calamity in Japan, school attendance. We are in need of a procedure, which can
tsunami, 1 million homes were still without drinking water.[2] It purify water at house to safeguard health[3] and increase the
is calculated that 1.1 billion people out of 6 billion populations contribution of all to the development of a nation.[1,3]
on the earth have no access to clean drinking water such as
Some chemical impurities present in drinking water causing
protected springs and wells.[3] Economically a country is pulled
health problem was studied by few groups of workers. Rahman
back when drinking water supply is not proper. The number
et al.,[8] showed that ground water samples of 21 villages of
of hours of manpower employed for collecting water is at the
Gagarapura village area, contained arsenic above 50μg/lt. Many
cost of the development.Usually the burden is on women and
children. Carrying water loads on head by women and children of the villagers suffered from arsenic skin lesions. Arsenic was
may cause spinal injuries also.[1] Children miss their schools detected above normal level in their hair, nail and urine. In
as remain in search of water, a great loss to a nation. A recent another study fluride was considered. Fluoride in water in limit
is good for teeth. However, above this level it is harmful. A
high level of fluoride in ground water was seen in some parts of
Address for correspondence: Dr. K. P. Skandhan, Assam, India.[9]
Department of Physiology, Sree Narayana Institute of
A major task in front of authorities in developing and
Medical Sciences, Chalakka – 683 594, Ernakulum, India.
underdeveloped countries is providing drinking water to their
E-mail: [email protected]
people. In many countries like India, villages are geographically

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Skandhan, et al.: Water purification prescribed in Ayurveda

apart and inhabitants may have to walk kilometers to fetch as other countries.[13] However, it is not known whether water is
water. On such situation, supplying clean drinking water fully purified by this simple procedure. To overcome this lacuna,
remains a major problem.[5] we propose a study to be conducted, in the following pattern.
Each flower – Utpala, Naga, Champaka, Patala is coded as
Purification A,B,C or D [Table 1]. Subgroups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are for using
its parts [Table 2]. One subgroup each is individually placed
Several methods for purification of water are given elsewhere.[10] in one of the containers a,b,c or d. These different types of
WHO (2003) had elaborated simple filtration method by using containers are in common use in this country. For example
fabric mesh of stainless steel or polyester (aperture 50-45 um), flowers of Utpala (group A) in whole (subgroup 1) is placed in
which was sufficient for removing algae cells and large protozoa. earthern vessel (a) [Table 2].
Chlorine is commonly used as a disinfectant. Probably these
two measures would be easily adopted by villagers. This could In this proposed study, the effect of either whole flower or a
be supplied to public by government with minimum financial part of it on contaminated water present in different containers
expenditure. However, the purity of drinking water from this shall be studied. Before and after the experiment; the water is
process alone is not sufficient. WHO (2002) recognized the analyzed for details of contamination. This includes routine
difficulty in purifying and supplying water especially to a small chemical analysis for various chemical substances present in
group of people who are geographically away from the main water; microscopically for protozoans and other unicellular
stream of land. organisms, microbiologically for the presence of any bacteria.
Five liters of contaminated water is taken into each container
WHO estimated that a large number of people (3-5 million) (a, b, c and d) as shown in Table 2. To each container whole
were deprived of safe drinking water as a result of South Asia flower (A) or its one part (subgroup 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) is added
tsunami. A report of 2002 from WHO showed that the total after weighing it. The weight may be an important criterion,
number of people who were served drinking water was 5150169 depending on the age or its growth. The whole set up is kept
when compared to unserved people 1074706. If simple measure for 24 hours. Clear water is withdrawn for study purpose. An
to purify water is known to affected population, they must have anticipated change in result when compared to the previous
escaped from water borne diseases. result is solely due to the presence of the subgroup (1, 2, 3,
Recognizing an economic and easily accessible system for 4 or 5) added into the container. They study will also shown
improving water quality remains as essential for a community which type of container is more useful for water storing purpose.
especially when it is isolated from mainland. UN and UNICEF The study could be further expanded by changing the weight
(2005) promote household water treatment and safe storage. of subgroups (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) or changing the age of the flower.
Some places community may have their own simple purification Each may have its own role in purifying the water.
method. If such traditional knowledge made available will be
useful to others in own country as well as in other countries. The purity of water (cleanliness of water) in terms of time may
Recently Babu and Chaudhry (2005) reported a filtration be studied by repeat analysis of samples after 1, 2, 4, and or more
method using natural coagulant.[11] This method could be days. This is essential as storage water may lose its purity on
preferred by rural people. standing. Also it is a responsible source of spreading disease.[3]

Ayurveda, the oldest health caring system prescribed water for In conclusion, Using the traditional knowledge, we are able to
drinking purpose. Agnivesha (1998) compared water to nectar purify water in each house. Using one of four flowers, mentioned
or vital breath.[12] Sushruta Samhita (2002), an Ayurveda classic
had written water purification method for drinking purpose by Table 1: Coding of flowers
using following flowers.[13] Group Flower
1. Utpala (Nelumbo nucifera) A Utpala (Nelumbo nucifera)
2. Naga (Mesua ferrea) B Naga (Mesua ferrea)
3. Champaka (Michelia champaca) and C Champaka (Michelia champaca)
4. Patala (Stereospermum suaveolens) D Patala (Stereospermum suaveolens)
Among different communities this is stated as an accepted
method for purifying water. According to the method, keep one
Table 2: The proposed plan of study for water
of these flowers in water to be purified and after a period of
purification
time decant for portability. However, a standard measure for
this is not known. Also a scientific study on this aspect is not Sub Parts Contaminated water in containers
done. We present here, a plan of study on this aspect to find group Earthen Brass Stainless Plastic
out the efficacy of the plant flowers in purifying water. If proved (a) (b) steel (c) (d)
correct the method will be useful to millions of people. 1 Whole flower 10n 10 10 10
2 Petal 10 10 10 10
Proposed Plan of Study 3 Stamen 10 10 10 10
4 Pedicel 10 10 10 10
The flowers mentioned in Sushruta Samhita (2002) are being 5 Sepal 10 10 10 10
regularly used by people in different parts of our country as well n; number

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Skandhan, et al.: Water purification prescribed in Ayurveda

in Table 1, and using it in whole or parts, a study is proposed to 7. Crump JA, Otieno PO, Slutsker L, Keswick BH, Rosen DH, Hoekstra
find out the purifying effect of the same in contaminated water RM, et al. Household based treatment of drinking water with flocculant-
disinfectant for preventing diarrhoea in areas with turbid source water
in different type of containers. Once proven the efficacy it shall
in rural western Kenya: Cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ
be introduced to population.
2005;331:478-81.
8. Rahman MM, Sengupta MK, Ahamed S, Chowdhury UK, Lodh D, Hossain
References MA, et al. Status of groundwater arsenic contamination and human
suffering in a Gram Panchayat (cluster of villages) in Murshidabad, one
1. WHO. The right to water. Geneva: WHO Library Cataloguing-in- of the nine arsenic affected districts in West Bengal, India. J Water Health
publication data; 2003. 2005;3:283-96.
2. McCurry J. Japan: The aftermath. Lancet 2011;377:1061-2. 9. Dutta RK, Saikia G, Das B, Bezbaruah C, Das HB, Dube SN. Fluoride
3. UN, UNICEF. Water for life making it happen. Geneva: WHO library contamination in groundwater of Central Assam, India. Asian J Water
cataloguing-in-publication data; 2005. Environ Pollut 2006;3:93-100.
4. Murray CJ, Lopez AD. Global mortality, disability, and the contribution of 10. Lechevailler MK, Keung Au K. WHO, water treatment and pathogen
risk factors: Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet 1997;349:1436-42. control, safe drinking water. Cornwall World Health Organization and
5. WHO: Water series. Geneva: AITBS publishers; 2002. IWA publications; 2004.
6. Fewtrell L, Kaufmann RB, Kay D, Enanoria W, Haller L, Colford JM Jr. 11. Babu R, Chaudhuri M. Home water treatment by direct filtration with
Water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions to reduce diarrhoea in less natural coagulant. J Water Health 2005;3:27-30.
developed countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect 12. Agnivesha. Charaka Samhita. Banaras: Chaukhamba Orientalia; 1998.
Dis 2005;5:42-52. 13. Sushruta Samhita. 7th Revised ed. Banaras: Chaukhamba Orientalia; 2002.

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