I forget what was used to wash my hair when I was a small child but I do remember my hair being washed by a very loving maid when I was in my early teens. She used ritha.
For most of my life my hair was kept short and it is only in the last few years that I've let it grow. During these years I've also turned to more natural products for my hair.
At first I used the ritha and sheekakai powders that we find in shops but once I found ritha in a shop I began to use it.
Method
Take some 15 ritha nuts and a handful of sheekakai and soak in an iron kadai overnight. I suppose you can soak it in any other container too.
The seeds should be removed from the ritha and you can do this before soaking by hitting the nuts and breaking them to extract the seeds or you can do it after soaking or boiling. Then you use your nails to tear open the nuts and remove the seeds.
Next day, boil it gently for some 15 minutes.
Oil your hair well and squeeze out the juice from your concoction and wash your hair.
If your hair is very oily, hot water is better.
Attention
Keep your eyes closed tightly as this liquid burns the eyes horribly. Wash your eyes well with plain water if any gets in.
For long hair and well oiled hair you may need several washes. At one point the liquid will begin to produce lather. Also, you will notice that your hair will feel clumped or matted while washing with this.
With this shampoo your hair will dry out fast.
When your hair is completely dry apply a little oil(coconut oil) to the roots and slowly work through your hair.
Your hair will be silky.
I notice that my hair and that of my husband's looks darker with this shampoo and when we use commercial products it looks greyer or whiter.
Nowadays, since we have a garden, I also use 15 leaves of hibiscus and 5 flowers which I first boil for 10 minutes, then blend and apply on my hair.
I have less hair fall when I stick to this routine.
When I run out of these things, I try to use besan or moong dal powder.
