The ancient summer wisdom we are losing at the worst possible time
The Indian summer has never been easy. Long before air conditioners, refrigerators and bottled energy drinks became part of daily life, people found their own ways to deal with the heat. They relied on local ingredients, seasonal foods and traditional recipes that had been passed down through generations.
Across India, summer brought with it a distinct food culture. A glass of chaas after lunch, a serving of sattu on a hot afternoon or a refreshing drink made from raw mangoes was a common sight in many homes. These foods were valued because they were light, refreshing and well suited to the country’s hot climate.
Today, however, many of these traditional summer foods are becoming less common, particularly in urban areas. At a time when India is experiencing increasingly intense heatwaves, the decline of these seasonal food traditions raises an interesting question: are we moving away from practices that evolved to suit our climate?
Summer foods shaped by climate
India’s traditional summer foods were not created in laboratories or promoted through advertising campaigns. Instead, they developed over generations as communities adapted to local weather conditions and available crops.
Take chaas, or buttermilk, for example. It has long been a popular summer drink across many parts of India. Made from curd and water, it is refreshing, easy to prepare and often consumed with meals during hot weather.
Sattu, made from roasted gram, has been a staple in Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh for generations. It can be mixed with water and consumed as a simple drink or meal. Farmers, labourers and travellers often preferred it because it was affordable, filling and easy to carry.
Similarly, drinks made from raw mangoes, bael fruit, kokum and tender coconut water have traditionally been consumed during summer months in different regions of India. These beverages became part of local food cultures because they were seasonal, widely available and considered refreshing during periods of extreme heat.
The shift towards convenience
Modern Indian food habits have changed significantly over the past few decades.
Today, supermarkets are stocked with packaged juices, carbonated drinks, flavoured beverages and ready-to-drink products. Convenience has become a major factor in food choices, particularly in cities where busy schedules leave less time for preparing traditional recipes at home.
At the same time, food delivery services, changing lifestyles and global food trends have influenced what people eat and drink. Many traditional summer foods that were once prepared regularly are now consumed less often.
In many urban households, younger generations are more familiar with packaged drinks than with regional beverages such as bael sharbat or sattu-based drinks. While these traditional foods have not disappeared, their place in everyday life appears to be shrinking.
A hotter future
The decline of traditional summer foods is taking place against the backdrop of rising temperatures.
India has experienced several severe heatwaves in recent years. Many parts of the country have recorded temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius during peak summer months. Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events across many regions of the world, including South Asia.
Traditional foods alone cannot protect people from heat-related illnesses. Health experts emphasise the importance of adequate hydration, avoiding prolonged exposure to extreme heat, seeking shade and following official health advisories during heatwaves.
However, many traditional Indian summer foods developed in regions where people regularly faced long periods of hot weather. Their continued popularity across generations reflects how communities adapted their diets to seasonal conditions.
More than just nutrition
The story of these foods is not only about health. It is also about culture, memory and local identity.
For many Indians, summer foods are closely linked to childhood memories. Families often prepared seasonal drinks and snacks together at home. Grandparents passed recipes to younger generations, and many of these traditions became part of family life.
These foods also reflected India’s regional diversity. What people drank during summer in Gujarat could be very different from what was popular in Kerala, Maharashtra or Bihar. Yet all these traditions shared a common connection to local climates and seasonal ingredients.
As food habits become increasingly standardised, some of this seasonal knowledge risks being forgotten.
Can traditional summer foods return?
There are signs that interest in traditional foods is slowly growing again. Rising awareness about local ingredients, regional cuisines and minimally processed foods has encouraged some consumers to revisit older recipes.
Sattu-based beverages, millet products and traditional fruit drinks have begun appearing in cafes, health stores and online marketplaces. Several food entrepreneurs are also finding new ways to introduce these foods to younger consumers.
The goal is not to reject modern foods or romanticise the past. Instead, it is about recognising that traditional food practices often emerged for practical reasons and were closely linked to local environments.
India’s summer food traditions developed through generations of experience and adaptation to a hot climate. They represent a form of cultural knowledge that continues to hold value even in a rapidly changing world.
As temperatures rise and heatwaves become more common, these foods offer a reminder that sometimes the most enduring solutions are not new inventions. They are ideas that have been with us all along.
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