Castor Oil

Going back to school days, I remember few classmates hair slicked back, with a distinct odor. I had asked what it was and the answer was Haralenne ~ Castor Oil. I also remember dad smearing castor oil on us during a summer vacation, it would stick to our bodies like glue. Its a thick, viscous honey colored liquid. To wash it off, we used Sheegekai and buckets of hot water. Even after a long bath, we could still smell the oil. Castor oil is a good coolant. Its also a powerful laxative. Its taken in small quantities to help clear worms & waste matter from stomach and intestines. If taken its better to be home until the effects last.

During engineering days I remember Sudhin telling me about swallowing a tea-spoon of castor oil and then having glasses of warm water. Its not really comfortable as long the effects lasted but when its effect wears out stomach feels great.

Castor plants are kind of wild, they do not require much care. They are usually grown on field borders or bunds. It's rare to see fields dedicated to castor plants.

Castor fruits

Dry castor fruit ready for picking

Castor beans

To extract oil, beans are roasted and then ground to a paste in a stone grinder. When the paste's consistency is uniform, oil can be squeezed out with a piece of thin cloth.

Castor oil

Castor oil is a good lubricant. Its common to see bullock cart wheels lubricated with castor oil. Its also one of the ingredients for organic fertilizers. To know more check Wikipedia page on castor oil.

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