Botanical Name:- Hedychium spicatum Ham. ex Smith.
Family:- Zingiberaceae
Hindi:- गंधपलाशी, कपूर कचरी, सितरूटी, शटी
It is found mostly in the Himalayan regions, Punjab, Nepal and Kumaon.
The root is cut and dried, with both small and large fragrant pieces sold in the market. It is white in color and has a pulpy texture, while its outer skin is reddish-brown. The taste is bitter. It is used to make abir and to enhance the fragrance of gudakhu. Pieces of the root of Chandramool (Kaempferia galangal Linn.), which belong to the same family, are also sold under the name ‘kapur kachri,’ and are similar to this. A Chinese medicine called ‘kapur kachri’ is also available in the market; although it looks appealing, it has a weaker fragrance.
Kapurkachri is hot, absorbent, light, bitter, pungent and digestive. It is used in cough, breathing problem, hiccups, vomiting, dysentery, colic and ulcers. Its use as toothpaste is beneficial in toothache. It removes bad breath.