Long before refrigeration, India had already solved the problem of summer. Across its cities, villages, and farming communities, a quiet tradition of cooling drinks took shape over centuries, each one rooted in local ingredients, practical wisdom, and the particular needs of the land.
Shikanji is perhaps the most universal of them: a spiced lemonade sharpened with black salt, roasted cumin, and mint that has been a midday staple across North India for as long as anyone can remember. Jaljeera goes further still, combining cumin, mint, and black pepper into something that functions as much as a digestive tonic as a thirst-quencher.
Sattu Sharbat, made from roasted gram flour, tells a different story entirely. In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, farmers have relied on it for centuries to sustain them through long days under a punishing sun.
Aam Panna, made from raw mango pulp, jaggery, and roasted cumin, was once favoured by soldiers and royalty for its ability to ward off heatstroke. And from Tripura’s tribal heartland comes Chuak, a gently fermented rice beer that speaks to community, hospitality, and a very different kind of summer altogether.
Each of these drinks is, in its own way, a small piece of Indian history. These are best appreciated cold, and best understood as proof that necessity has always been this country’s most inspired chef.
