As the Indian summer blazes on, there’s no better way to stay cool than by sipping on something traditional and refreshing. Across the length and breadth of India, every region has its own unique answer to the heat, a chilled, flavourful drink often made with ingredients that reflect the local climate, culture, and culinary heritage.
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Maharashtra’s tangy sweet Aam Panna
There’s no summer without mangoes, and in Maharashtra, Aam Panna is the go-to drink to beat the heat. Made with raw green mangoes, jaggery, cumin, and black salt, it’s a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and tangy. Traditionally served chilled, it’s known not just for its taste but also for its ability to prevent heat strokes and replenish lost electrolytes. Every household has its own version, passed down through generations.
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Gujarat’s Chaas
In Gujarat, no meal is complete without a glass of chaas, a spiced buttermilk that’s light, frothy, and supremely cooling. Made by blending curd with water, salt, roasted cumin powder, and a hint of ginger or green chili, chaas is the state’s antidote to soaring temperatures. Often served in clay cups or steel tumblers, it’s refreshing and aids digestion after a heavy Gujarati thali.
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Uttar Pradesh’s creamy Bel Sherbet
The arrival of summer in Uttar Pradesh brings with it the fragrant bel fruit (wood apple). Though it looks tough from the outside, inside lies a pulp that’s cooling and packed with nutrients. The pulp is mixed with cold water, sugar or jaggery, and a dash of black salt to make Bel Sherbet, a naturally sweet drink that’s also a digestive tonic. It’s a favourite in both rural and urban households, often served to guests as a gesture of hospitality.
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Goan Sweet & Sour Solkadhi
In coastal Goa, the answer to the tropical heat lies in a glass of Solkadhi, a soothing pink-hued drink made with coconut milk and kokum (a souring agent derived from Garcinia indica). It’s not just a drink, but often served as part of the meal. Cooling, mildly tangy, and rich in antioxidants, solkadhi reflects Goa’s abundant use of coconut and the influence of Konkan coastal cuisine.
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Bihar’s Healthy and Tasty Sattu ka Sharbat
Bihar has one of the most nutritious and filling summer drinks, it’s the Sattu Sharbat. Sattu, made from roasted gram flour, is mixed with cold water, lemon juice, black salt, and sometimes finely chopped onions and green chilies for a savoury twist. It’s known to keep the body cool, boost energy, and even double up as a light meal. The drink is especially popular among labourers and farmers who need hydration and nutrition in one go.
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Rajasthan’s Punchy Jaljeera
In the arid lands of Rajasthan, where temperatures can be unforgiving, Jaljeera offers a burst of relief. A tangy and spicy drink made with tamarind pulp, mint, coriander, roasted cumin powder, black salt, and dry mango powder, jaljeera is known to stimulate the appetite and refresh the senses. Street vendors often serve it in earthen pots, and just one sip feels like a spicy monsoon in the desert.
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Tamil Nadu’s Sweet & Spicy Panakam
Panakam is a sacred summer drink from Tamil Nadu, traditionally offered during religious festivals like Ram Navami. Made with jaggery, water, crushed black pepper, dry ginger powder, and cardamom, this cooling drink isn’t just spiritually significant but also therapeutic. Its sweet-spicy profile makes it unique, and its cooling properties are ideal for the scorching southern sun.
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Uttarakhand’s Floral Beverage - Buransh Sherbet
The Himalayan state of Uttarakhand gives us Buransh Sherbet, made from the vibrant red flowers of the Rhododendron tree. The syrup made from these blossoms is diluted with chilled water and often garnished with lemon juice. Buransh is not just beautiful to look at, it’s said to be good for the heart and helps regulate blood pressure. For hill dwellers and tourists alike, this drink is a seasonal treasure.
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Odisha’s Tangy & Minty Tanka Torani
A lesser-known gem from Odisha, Tanka Torani is a fermented rice water drink seasoned with curd, mint, roasted cumin, ginger, and sometimes even curry leaves. Originally offered as part of temple food (Mahaprasad) in Puri’s Jagannath Temple, it has now become a popular household summer drink. It's deeply hydrating and helps cool the body from within, making it perfect for Odisha’s humid summers.
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Punjab’s Phalsa Sherbet
Phalsa (Grewia asiatica) is a small, tangy-sweet berry that grows in northern India during the peak of summer. In Punjab, it’s turned into a rich, purple sherbet by crushing the fruit, straining it, and mixing it with sugar, black salt, and chilled water. Phalsa sherbet is loved not only for its refreshing taste but also for its cooling properties and antioxidant benefits. It’s a rare seasonal delight many eagerly wait for every year.
India’s diversity doesn’t just show in languages, clothing, and culture, it pours into our glasses as well. These summer drinks are not just refreshments, they are a way to explore the local traditions, vibrant flavours, ancestral wisdom, and regional ingredients.
