Lehya (), also referred to as Lekiyam () refers to a traditional Indian

electuary An electuary is a medicine consisting of a powder or other ingredient mixed with something sweet such as honey to make it more palatable.

Classification

Classified as a product of

Siddha medicine Siddha medicine is a form of traditional medicine originating in southern India. It is one of the oldest systems of medicine in India. In rural India, have learned methods traditionally through master-disciple relationships to become loca ...

, lehyam is regarded to be a healthy body tonic, consumed to resolve digestive and respiratory problems, comprising ingredients that are easily absorbed by the body.

Ingredients and preparation

Lehyam is prepared using powdered medicine,

jaggery Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Africa. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can ...

, sugar, honey, in an aqueous medium of water.

Ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...

is often added as a preserving agent, and after preparation, the food may be rolled into small balls and left to harden within a vessel, edible for up to a year.

Variations and uses

Various forms of lehyam exist, and are named for their ingredients, and offer different properties. For instance, in

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...

, ''inji lekiyam'', for which the salient ingredient is

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...

, is offered to a new mother shortly after her delivery. ''Thaneervittan'' (asparagus) ''legiyam'' and ''sowbhagiyasundi'' (dry ginger powder) ''legiyam'' are used similarly. ''Nellikai lekiyam'', for which the salient ingredient is

gooseberry Gooseberry ( or (American and northern British) or (southern British)) is a common name for many species of ''Ribes'' (which also includes currants), as well as a large number of plants of similar appearance. The berries of those in the genu ...

, is offered to children to boost their immunity. In South India, lehyam is often prepared and purchased on the occasion of

Deepavali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...

to aid the digestion, and counteract the effects, of eating sweets during the festival. According to ''

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...

'', Deepavali legiyam, or Deepavali marundhu, is popular in

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

, and made in many households at festival time. ''Ciṭṭukkuruvi lēkiyam'', prepared from sparrow meat, was once consumed for aphrodisiacal purposes.

References

{{reflist Ayurveda Siddha medicine Diwali Traditional medicine in India

Classification

Ingredients and preparation

Variations and uses

See also

References