Dhara is a form of indigenous medication. In this process, a prescribed mixture of medicated oil, milk or buttermilk is poured in a steady stream onto the head of the patient.
First, the patient is made to lie on a wooden tub (Droni), specially prepared for the purpose. Then, the whole body is smeared with the appropriate medicated oils. A wide-mouthed earthen pot with a hole at its bottom is suspended by cords over the forehead of the patient. A fiber wick hangs from the bottom of the pot ending about two inches from the patient. The fluid chosen by the physician is then poured into the vessel and flows in a stream onto the upper part of the patient's forehead. The drippings, collected in a basin, are poured back into the vessel. The process is kept up for about 90 minutes. After the Dhara, the patient is given a bath in warm water.
