In brief: Treatment-room Churnams are bought by the kilogram: Kolakulathadi for Udvartana and powder Kizhi, Kottamchukkadi for Udvartana and warm Lepa, and Rasnadi for the crown of the head after head treatments. Kept dry, a kilogram pack stays in good condition from the first spoonful to the last.
The treatment-room Churnams
Churnams are finely ground classical herbal powders. Those used in the treatment room are applied to the body rather than taken, and they are bought in larger packs than the Churnams a client takes home.
| Churnam | Classical use in the room | Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Kolakulathadi Churnam | Udvartana (dry powder massage) and powder Kizhi | 500 g, 1 kg |
| Kottamchukkadi Churnam | Udvartana and warm Lepa (herbal paste) | 1 kg |
| Rasnadi Churnam | Applied to the crown of the head after Abhyanga, Shirodhara and Nasya | 500 g, 1 kg |
Udvartana
Udvartana is a massage with herbal powder, usually dry, worked against the direction of hair growth with firm strokes. The powder is used as it comes, and a full-body session takes it by the handful rather than by the measured spoon, so a busy room goes through a kilogram faster than many centres expect. Measure your own use over four weeks before setting a reorder level.
Lepa
For Lepa, the powder is mixed into a paste with warm water or another liquid chosen by the practitioner, applied to an area and removed before it dries completely. Kottamchukkadi Churnam is the warm Lepa of our range. For face packs, Mukhalepa, Rose Petals Powder and the Facial Ubtan are prepared in the same way, in smaller quantities.
Powder Kizhi
For powder Kizhi (Churna Pinda Sweda), the powder is warmed, tied into a cloth bolus and applied rhythmically. Kolakulathadi is a common choice for it. Pinda Swedana bags and Kizhi cloth by the 30 metre roll are supplied for tying the boluses, and Navara rice comes in 1 kg for Navarakizhi.
Rasnadi Churnam after head treatments
Rasnadi Churnam is applied to the crown of the head after Abhyanga, Shirodhara and Nasya. A pinch per session is enough, so a 500 g pack lasts a single room a long time; the 1 kg pack suits a centre running several head treatments a day.
Storing powders
Powders are spoiled by moisture more than by time. Keep the kilogram pack closed and dry, decant a working amount into a small jar with a dry spoon, and never return unused powder from a bowl to the pack. Label the working jar with the batch number and the date it was filled. Store below 25 degrees Celsius, away from light and steam, which in practice means outside a treatment room that has a steam cabinet or a shower.
Churnams for internal use
Churnams taken internally, such as Triphala, Brahmi, Ashwagandha or Shatavari powder, are food supplements. They are supplied in retail packs, with Triphala also in 1 kg, and they are dispensed in their labelled packs rather than used in the treatment room.
Ordering
The kilogram packs are on sale on this site and, at trade prices, through Shop Ayurveda EU, our platform for professional buyers. The complete professional range, from Thailams in 5 litres to Panchakarma equipment, is set out on our wholesale page.
Common questions
How much Udvartana powder does a session use?
It varies with body size and technique, and a full-body session takes the powder by the handful. Measure your own use over four weeks and set the reorder level from that figure.
How should an opened kilogram pack be kept?
Closed, dry and cool, with a working jar for daily use so that the pack itself is opened as rarely as possible. Moisture is the main risk to a powder, so keep it away from steam and wet hands.
Do you supply powders for face packs?
Yes. Mukhalepa, Rose Petals Powder and the Facial Ubtan are prepared as a paste for face packs, and they suit spa facials as well as Ayurvedic practice.
