Sutikagara (सूतिकागारम्) - Revision history

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Sutikagara refers to the the specially designed labour room for a pregnant woman who is about to deliver a baby or has just delivered a baby. This room is the place for residence of a woman a few days before labour , during labour and few days after labour till she needs specific attention and care. Ayurveda scholars have paid detail attention to it

Introduction

Today we see that the pregnant women get admitted to the hospital once the labour pains begin or a day before their planned day for caesarian section. Institutional deliveries have started in recent times in world after the rise of western medicine. However before that, the women used to deliver babies at home under the guidance and assistance of a skilled, experienced midwifes. Ayurveda scholars had deeply studied and understood the need of implementing special safety measures during labor so as to ensure safety and wellbeing of woman in labour and the newly born baby. For that Ayurveda recommends construction of a place named as 'Sutikagara' which is specially designed for delivery. Thus Sutikagara helps a medical person or vaidya to make preparation for labour and management of complications that might arise during or post labobur. It isolates mother and newly born baby from rest of the family and friends so as to ensure their safety and wellbeing during and post labor when their immune function is weak and they are susceptible for infections.

Etymology

The term Sutikagara is made up of 2 terms namely 'Sutika' and 'Agara'.

Sutika- This refers to a woman who has just delivered a baby or a parturient woman or a woman in lobour.

Agara- Means house, apartment or a dwelling place

Thus, collectively it means a house or a dwelling place for a woman who is in labour or who has just delivered a baby.

Sutika

Ayurveda acharyas opine that the woman is called Sutika from her labour till one and half month post labour. There are differences of opinion regarding fixing the period upto which the woman is called as sutika. Some acharyas opine that the owman will be called as sutika upto 4 months from labour while others also opine that she should be referred as sutika untill her menstruation begins.

Structure of sutikagara

Arrangements in sutikagara

Process of entering the sutikagara

@@ Line 100: / Line 100: @@
 |Firewoods
 |-
-|YAwagu (Rice gruel)
+|Yawagu (Rice gruel)
+|
 |Other instruments or tools advised by experienced old ladies or midwives etc.
 |}
+Along with the above mentioned items who can be present or who should be available easily near Sutikagara has also been mentioned in Ayurveda samhitas. It is mentioned that, aged and experienced women who are themselves multipara, very kind hearted, caring, having appropriate behavior, affectionate & tolerant nature, free from grief, having knowledge of doing right things at right time should be present in Sutikagara. Also brahmanas who are expert in Atharvaveda should also be available whenever required in Sutikagara. Some rituals practiced just before the delivery like Punyaha wachana etc and to perform Jatakarma samskara after the delivery of the baby Athrvaveda expert brahmanas are required. Therefore all these factors should be considered while designing and developing sutikagara.
 == Process of entering the sutikagara ==
-नवमे मासि सूतिकागारमेनां प्रवेशयेत् प्रशस्ते तिथ्यादौ |
+Once the Sutikagara is ready, the pregnant woman is advised to enter into it right after the start of 9th month of pregnancy.
-प्रशस्ते देशे वास्तुविद्याप्रशस्तं सर्वर्त्तुसुखमुखहृतसर्वो-
+The detailed process of entering into Sutikagara is described in brief below.
-पकरणं सन्निहितज्वलनं प्राग्द्वारमुदङ्द्वारं वा सूतिकागारं
+* Time to enter- After the beginning of the 9th month of pregnancy,  an auspicious day and on auspicious constellation should be selected to enter the Sutikagara. One should select the time when the moon is situated in the highest place and is in association with other beneficial planets.
-कारयेत्||१४|| तत्रानुकूलेषु नक्षत्रादिषु पुण्याहशब्देन गोब्राह्मणवृद्धा-
+== References ==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Sutikagara refers to the the specially designed labour room for a pregnant woman who is about to deliver a baby or has just delivered a baby. This room is the place for residence of a woman a few days before labour , during labour and few days after labour till she needs specific attention and care. Ayurveda scholars have paid detail attention to it
+Sutikagara refers to the the specially designed labour room for a woman who is about to deliver a baby in few months or has just delivered a baby. This room is a place for residence of a woman a few days before labour , during labour and few days after labour till she needs specific attention and care. Ayurveda scholars have paid detail attention to its structure, arrangements, facilities and all other relevant details.
 == Introduction ==
-Today we see that the pregnant women get admitted to the hospital once the labour pains begin or a day before their planned day for caesarian section. Institutional deliveries have started in recent times in world after the rise of western medicine. However before that, the women used to deliver babies at home under the guidance and assistance of a skilled, experienced midwifes. Ayurveda scholars had deeply studied and understood the need of implementing special safety measures during labor so as to ensure safety and wellbeing of woman in labour and the newly born baby. For that Ayurveda recommends construction of a place named as 'Sutikagara' which is specially designed for delivery. Thus Sutikagara helps a medical person or vaidya to make preparation for labour and management of complications that might arise during or post labobur. It isolates mother and newly born baby from rest of the family and friends so as to ensure their safety and wellbeing during and post labor when their immune function is weak and they are susceptible for infections.
+Today we see that the pregnant women get admitted to the hospital once the labour pains begin or a day before their planned day for caesarian section. Institutional deliveries have started in recent times in world after the rise of western medicine. However before that, the women used to deliver babies at home under the guidance and assistance of a skilled, experienced midwifes. Ayurveda scholars had thoroughly studied and understood the need of implementing special safety measures during labor so as to ensure safety and wellbeing of woman in labour and the newly born baby. For that, Ayurveda recommends construction of a place named as 'Sutikagara' which is specially designed room for delivery. Thus Sutikagara helps a medical person or a [[Vaidya (वैद्यः)|vaidya]] to make arrangements for labour procedure and management of complications that might arise during or post labour. The separate room of Sutikagara isolates mother and newly born baby from rest of the family and friends so as to ensure their safety and wellbeing during and post labor when their immune function is weak and they are susceptible for infections. Some relate Sutikagara with modern day accouchment ward.
 == Etymology ==
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 == Structure of sutikagara ==
-Sutikagara is a temporarily made structure for delivery of a woman. It is not multipurpose nor is used for more than one woman. Thus it has be built specifically for one woman and then dismantled once the purpose is served.
+Sutikagara is a temporarily made structure. It is not multipurpose nor it is used for more than one woman. Thus it has be built specifically for one woman and then dismantled once the purpose is served. The structure of sutikagara should be as described below, <ref>Charaka Samhita ([https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/?mod=read&h=sUtikAgAr Sharirasthanama Adhyaya 8 Sutra 33)]</ref> <ref>Sushruta Samhita ([https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/esushruta/?mod=read&h=sUtikAgAr Sharirasthanam Adhyaya 10 Sutra 5])</ref>
-Location
+When to build ?- It is advised to build the sutikagara well in advance before delivery and ideally before the starting of the 9th month. The auspicious day is selected for starting the construction of the sutikagara.
-Measurements
+Location - The land for the sutikagara should be carefully selected. It should be free from stones, sand, gravel, earthen pot pieces (and any waste products dumped onto it). It should be thoroughly cleaned before construction. The place should also not have any smell or odours and unpleasant site.
-Materials used for construction
+Measurements - Acharya Sushruta has suggested that, the land should be approximately 12 feet long and 6 feet wide. It should be covered on the top properly.
-Walls
+Direction- It should be east or north facing.
-Temperature
+Materials used for construction - The structure is wooden. Thus the woods of specific plants have been suggested to build it. Woods of medicinal plants like Bilva (Aegle marmelos), Tinduka (Diospyrus malbarica), Inguda (Balanites aegyptica), Khadira ( Acacia catechu) or Bhallataka (Semicarpus anacardium) are suggested for use. One can use other woods with the help of experts of  [[Atharvaveda (अथर्ववेदः)|Atharvaveda]], when these woods are not available in the vicinity.
-Specifications according to varnashramadharma
+Walls - The walls should be smeared well with the help of cow dung.
 == Arrangements in sutikagara ==
-Herbal medicines to be stored in Sutikagara
+Along with the facilities to fulfill daily needs of a woman Sutikagara should be well equipped with all the necessary herbs, medicines and other tools to facilitate smooth delivery and post partum period after that. Following things should be made available in Sutikagara according to Ayurveda scholars.
-Tools
+Along with the above mentioned items who can be present or who should be available easily near Sutikagara has also been mentioned in Ayurveda samhitas. According t o
-People allowed and their qualities
+स्त्रियश्च बह्व्यो बहुशः प्रजाताः सौहार्दयुक्ताः सततमनुरक्ताः प्रदक्षिणाचाराः प्रतिपत्तिकुशलाः प्रकृतिवत्सलास्त्यक्तविषादाः क्लेशसहिन्योऽभिमताः, ब्राह्मणाश्चाथर्ववेदविदः; यच्चान्यदपि तत्र समर्थं मन्येत, यच्चान्यच्च ब्राह्मणा ब्रूयुः स्त्रियश्च वृद्धास्तत् कार्यम्
 == Process of entering the sutikagara ==