In this week’s article of our Rediscovering Ayurveda series, we interviewed Amrita Kaur.
Meet Amrita Kaur
Amrita Kaur is a Food Content Creator and Ayurvedic Chef who began her journey as a creator 9 years back when she moved to Mumbai. Today she’s no less than a celebrity whose workshops are quite a thrill among food and nutrition lovers!
“I previously worked as a radio jockey and journalist, and only got around cooking and trying new stuff when I moved to Mumbai,” says Amrita reminiscing her journey. Slowly and gradually, she began to find solace and wonder in the hidden corners of her kitchen. One thing led to another and she found herself posting about her food adventures on her blog – Life ki Recipe!
All of this was followed by cooking workshops and food styling classes. Her love for food grew remarkably when she realized the power food had over our bodies. After all, we reflect what we consume, right?
Amrita’s life took a massive turn when she became the producer and seller of the famous OMG Bacon Jam. Upon a friend’s recommendation, she decided to give the product a try only to find that nobody was really making it in India. So, she took the matter in her hands and brought in substitutes and her jam, within no time, became a big hit among the masses and trended on twitter for a long time!
A Sudden Realization
So then how did she find Ayurveda? Or rather, how did Ayurveda find her? Well, it’s been quite a ride for Amrita.
“About 4 years ago, I was travelling a lot. I visited various parts of the countries including places like Leh-Ladakh, Spiti, Chennai, Hyderabad, Nagaland, among others. Witnessing the cultures of these places really brought so many revelations to me: I realized how people were so mindful about their food and food-related habits.”
The immense respect towards food and local produce ignited deep respect in Amrita’s heart. “I ate a lot of meat in Nagaland and learned about the community’s sense of cooking together, and realized that here in Mumbai, we don’t even question where our food is coming from,” she says. This was when she decided to become a vegetarian: a realization that dawned upon her in the 30th year of her life when she was deep in the introspection mode.
Being mindful about our food habits should be a must. We must have a clear idea what is good for our bodies and how the food we consume is affecting us. Amrita’s desire to turn vegetarian allowed her to connect with the farming community wherein she learned the cultural as well as rudimentary aspects of food production.
A Journey of Learning
The same year, she decided to take it up a notch. And since, information on the internet is extremely scattered, she went to Kerala to study Ayurveda. Her stance was clear – she wanted to get closer to her roots and study the sciences in a holistic manner. There, she learned about Ayurveda from the basics and all that was relevant that could be applied in the modern-day world. Amrita has now been self-studying and educating herself for the past few years.
“I am a learner and am learning every single day. My strength lies in packaging important information in a beautiful way and backing it with logic and relevance! I always try to ensure that the content I am sharing can be applied by today’s generation without having to go out of their way to lead a healthier life!”
Ayurveda is the science of a longer and healthier life. It teaches us the littlest of things including how to drink water right, what salts to use and what vessels to cook for food. All of this not only is so logical but also very scientific. “Ayurveda is the science of longer life and my name also means a long life. The purpose resonates with me, and I am convinced that this is what I was born to do,” exclaims Amrita.
Sharing the Rationale behind Ancient Norms
A day in Amrita’s life consists of light yoga and meditation and spending time all by herself early in the morning with some music playing in the background. She also regularly scrapes her tongue and engages in Nasya, Dinacharya, and goes on about her work. Even though she loves to meditate at night, she tries to maintain a healthy sleep schedule on most days.
Most times, we meet people who are very uptight about Ayurvedic practices. Sometimes, it is difficult to apply certain practices in a rigid manner in the contemporary world. Which is why Amrita ensures that she’s sharing content and information that resonates with today’s generation.
“Our parents’ generation didn’t ask why they were asked to do certain things and what was the rationale behind doing certain activities, but it is our generation that has begun questioning the age-old norms which is allowing us to develop a deeper understanding of the ancient science.”
A Scientific Approach
Modern nutrition has more numbers and figures. More researches are done on it which gives the impression that it is more valid, more reliable. But Ayurveda, says Amrita, is equally scientific in its approach. It is unfortunate that we weren’t taught it back in school when it roots from India. But Amrita believes that it is never too late to delve into things that always have the scope of bettering your lives. In the future, she would love to study modern nutrition to see how it matches Ayurveda.
“As cliché as it sounds, your body is a temple and you have to take care of it!” adds Amrita, whose favorite habit inspired by Ayurveda is tongue scraping! She also lays emphasis on not treating your stomachs like a dustbin and only consume food that your body needs. Not watching TV or engaging in other activities while eating is another important thing to keep in mind!
Ayurveda is that practice that not only balances people’s lives but also talks about the relationship between food and emotions, it really grounds people and is easily accessible. We are already practicing most of these practices at home, it’s all about giving a name to the practices we have already been doing!
On being part of #AmrutamFamily
“Amid a global shift, Amrutam is doing a wonderful job at packaging Ayurvedic recipes in a beautiful way! It is keeping it authentic by talking about the products and by engaging with the audiences. The approach is not only to ignite conversation but also to provide personalized solutions and I think that’s really great! I would say that Amrutam is at a good spot wherein it is connecting with people and bridging the gap between those who want to learn and those who wish to impart the knowledge about Ayurveda!”
Her message for the readers is: Listen to your body. Make sure you only eat when you are hungry. And do not treat your stomach like a dustbin!
She has recently ordered the Kuntal Care DIY Hemp Hair Spa and is a big fan of the Gulkand!
Amrita Kaur is truly a gift to the world of food and nutrition. With her unparalleled knowledge and thirst for learning, she continues to add value to the world of Ayurveda! We are beyond grateful to have Amrita as part of our #AmrutamFamily!
