Centella asiatica

Vallarai

Recently in Solitude Farm, we have started to grow Vallarai. It is a plant that flourishes extensively in shady, marshy, damp and wet environments. In the right conditions, it is quite rapidly propagative, while growing thick, circular leaves which grow to about 2 inches in diameter. Besides the cultivated variety there is also a wild variety, which has slightly smaller leaves.

In modern times this plant has been popularly referred to as Brahmi, as such even in certain vernaculars such as Urdu and Kannada, but the name in Tamil is actually ‘Vallarai’. It is a perennial creeper that has been valued for its medicinal properties since time immemorial. In fact, until a few years ago it was even considered an endangered species due to its having been over exploited from its natural habitat for medicinal use, and due to the lack of its dedicated cultivation.

Nevertheless, it has been making a comeback, especially in private gardens and by word of mouth, due to its versatility as both a medicinal supplement (for aiding against asthma, skin disorders, ulcers and stomach aches) as well as a nutritional supplement (for improving memory and in maternal health care) – even eating it raw in salads, or in chutneys can be so delicious! This is in that sense another clear directive on one’s own Road back to Nature.