Description

Geru Mitti, red ochre, is a naturally occurring earthen pigment composed predominantly of hydrated ferric oxide (Fe₂O₃·H₂O) admixed with clay minerals, silica, and manganese compounds. It is collected from laterite formations, iron-rich sedimentary deposits, and red-earth outcrops across India — particularly in Rajasthan, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh. As one of the oldest mineral pigments known to humanity, it appears in Palaeolithic cave paintings and is documented in Charaka Samhita under the category of Bhumija dravyas (earth-derived substances). In Ayurvedic mineral pharmacy, it undergoes classical Shodhana before use in preparations traditionally associated with external applications for skin conditions and as a cooling earth-mineral formulation. It also carries cultural significance in Hindu rituals.