“White and wholesome as the morning light,
sweet in nature and strengthening to the body,
it conquers the three bodily humours;
it kindles appetite, nourishes vitality,
and stands as wholesome food,
driving away disorders and healing wounds.” (Rajanighantu)
Sorghum, the yavanala in Sanskrit, is traditionally revered as “Devadhānyam”—the divine grain, believed to nourish like nectar. The Rājanighaṇṭu describes white sorghum as strength-giving and stabilising, beneficial in balancing vāta, pitta and kapha, and promoting vitality. It is also said to help in conditions such as piles, wounds and swellings. The Bhojana Kutūhala considers white sorghum superior.
White sorghum is milder and somewhat sweeter, but less sweet than rice or wheat. It is regarded as cooling, light and dry (rukṣa), and therefore may mildly increase vāta. Yet it was valued as a staple grain.
Vāgbhaṭa, in the Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya, refers to the smaller sorghum grain as Jūrṇa, traditionally associated with the Telugu Jonna. Rich in dietary fibre and antioxidant phytochemicals, it supports digestive and bowel health and may be particularly valuable in diets aimed at maintaining healthy blood sugar, body weight and cardiovascular function. Its calcium content also supports bone health.
Sorghum grains cooked in plenty of water until soft yield a strained gruel. The gruel may be enriched with milk or curd, seasoned with fragrant spices to make a nourishing soup, or fermented into a traditional drink that helps quick digestion and absorption.
Sorghum rice, roti or sankati offer more sustained nourishment. Its flour is remarkably versatile and can be made into roti, bread, cake, dosa, chakilam and chekodi. A combination of sorghum and barley flours makes softer chapatis or pulkas. This combination adds more fibre and nutritional value.
Its effect on blood sugar depends on its making and the way it is eaten: thin sorghum gruel digests quickly, while sorghum rice, roti or sankati provides more sustained nourishment.
Sorghum is a treasured food with a rich legacy of nourishment and wisdom. It is a living legacy of traditional food wisdom, where nourishment, flavour and health have long been woven into the fabric of our daily meals.
The word ‘Johar’ was once a blessing, meaning “May you always have good sorghum to eat.” Today, however, it is commonly used as a respectful farewell to the departed.
In Telugu, death is sometimes expressed as “nūkalu cellipōyāyi”—one’s allotted morsels of food have run out. In that sense, Johar seems to have travelled a poignant journey—from a blessing for abundant grain to a farewell when one’s share of food has come to an end.
–Dr. Purnachand GV
