Rucha or Richa (Hindi: Richa) refers to a shloka (couplet) or mantra, usually two to four sentences long, found in the Sanskrit religious scriptures, the Vedas. The etymological origin of rucha is the Sanskrit word, ruc (ऋच्), which means to praise. Rucha, is therefore, one ruc after the other. Other meanings of ruc are splendour, worship, a hymn. Rucha can also refer to a verbal composition of celestial sounds called "shrutis"; the Gayatri Mantra is a rucha as well. Rucha means "aphorism of Rig Veda".
