Jentaka Sweda and Kuti Sweda – Differences And Similarities

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Jentaka Sweda (sudatorium sudation) and Kuti Sweda (cabin sudation) are the types of (2 among the 13 types of) Saagni Sweda (sudation given with the help of fire or medicines prepared by contact with fire). Both these forms of sudation look similar on the outlook but they have certain similarities and dissimilarities. In this article we will look at the similarities and differences between these two sudation (swedana) forms which will help a physician in his clinical practice.

Table of Contents

Similarities

Similarities between Jentaka Sweda and Kuti Sweda

Both Jentak Sweda and Kuti Swedas are Saagni types of sudation (fire is used as a medium to provide sudation).
Both Jentak Sweda and Kuti Swedas are Sarvanga Sweda types of sudation (full body sudation).
Jentaka Sweda and Kuti Sweda are the only two types of Saagni Swedas which require special constructions (of building) to be made to carry out the sudation procedure. Now days they may be a part of the hospital set-up either included within the primary construction or isolated from it (as explained in Ayurvedic texts). Technical modulations are allowed keeping in view the advancements and availability of facilities in the modern day clinical practice.
The construction (of special room) in both Jentaka Sweda and Kuti Sweda is identical and is circular in shape.
Related Reading – Jentaka Sweda

Differences

Differences between Jentaka Sweda and Kuti Sweda

In Jentaka Sweda, the construction of cabin will be on the bank of lake or any water reservoir, few feet away from the water source, on a leveled surface. In Kuti Sweda, the kuti or cabin is not built near a water reservoir.
In Jentaka Sweda, the cabin or construction is comparably bigger than the Kuti in Kuti Sweda. Kuti Sweda is a small or moderate construction which is neither congested nor very much spacious.
In Jentaka Sweda, the construction will be built with many small windows and ventilators. But in Kuti Sweda, the cottage will not have any windows.
In Jentaka Sweda a platform is constructed all along the inner circumference of the room, adjacent to the wall. The patient sleeps on this platform at one end (near the door) and move on the platform along its circumference gradually making a circle and reach the other end of the platform ending at the entrance at the other side and come out of the room after the treatment is completed. But in Kuti Sweda we do not have any such arrangement. In fact a cot is placed at the center of the room. The patient is made to sleep on that cot and sudation is given.
In Jentaka Sweda the angara koshta i.e. the stove of the size of a human being is vertically stationed at the center of the interior of the room. In Kuti Sweda four small angara koshtis or stoves are kept at four different corners of the interior of the room.
In Jentaka Sweda, only the patient is allowed to stay in the cabin during the process of the treatment, the attendants are not allowed to stay inside. On the contrary there is no mention that the patient should stay all alone in the cabin in Kuti Sweda. This indirectly means that the physician and the helpers (attendants, masseurs) can be present inside the kuti supervising the treatment and the patient.
In Jentaka Sweda, the medicinal herbs i.e. the dried wood of the vata alleviating plants are burnt in the angara koshtika placed at the center of the room. The heat coming from the angara koshtika provide sudation to the patient sleeping on the platform. But in Kuti Sweda, the paste of medicines is pasted to the inner layer of the walls of the cabin. The heat coming from the stoves placed at each corner of the cabin will interact with the medicines pasted to the wall, carry the medicinal properties and provide sudation to the patient.
Related Reading – Kuti Sweda

Tabular representation

Similarities and Dissimilarities between Jentaka Sweda and Kuti Sweda – a quick check

*Jentaka Sweda*	*Kuti Sweda*
Saagni Sweda	Saagni Sweda
Sarvanga Sweda	Sarvanga Sweda
Needs room or cabin	Needs room or cabin
The room is built on the bank of a lake or water reservoir	same
The room is round or circular in shape	The room or kuti is circular in shape
The room is larger in shape	The room is smaller and less spacious
The cabin has windows and ventilators	Kuti or cabin doesn’t have windows or ventilators
The cabin has an elevated platform for the patient to sleep all along the circumference of the cabin, adjacent to the wall, door to door	The cabin doesn’t have any pindika or platform
The platform acts as a cot or bed for the patient to sleep.	A cot is placed at the center of the cabin for the patient to sleep
The angarakoshta or the human size furnace (stove) is placed at the center of the cabin	4 small angarakoshtas or stoves are placed one at each corner of the cabin
The wood of medicinal plants is burnt in the central furnace (angara koshti)	The paste of medicinal herbs is applied to the inner surface of the cabin walls
Only patient is allowed to stay within the cabin to undergo treatment	The physician and attendants can stay along with the patient in the kuti or cabin