The traditional breakfast of the ancient city of Kashi is the piping hot puri sabzi, kachori and droolworthy jalebi! Interestingly, the lightly spiced raswale aloo sabzi with greasy puris followed by kachori served with chana, meethi chutney and hari chutney and topped off with sinfully sweet jalebis (normal serving is four in a plate) really hits the spot! The batter is made by... Continue Reading →
Banarasi Dahi Bhalla
Dahi bhalla with an overwhelming flavour of bada elaichi and adarak is a delightful innovation of Kashi. Also known as dahi pakodi or dahi vada or dahi gujiya, this vada made from urad dal makes its appearance in almost all festivals and celebrations. A certain measure of urad dal (sometimes moong dal) is rinsed and soaked overnight. It... Continue Reading →
Himachali Lingri
Lingri or lungru as it is known in Himachal Pradesh is an indigenous vegetable that grows in the wild in the Himalayan region. This fern also known as fiddlehead (Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw) is widely used by locals of Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in their traditional cuisine. Lingri is... Continue Reading →
Kanpuriya Dhaniya Aloo
The lip-smacking Dhaniya Aloo is undisputedly one of the most famous snacks of Kanpur. Made from fresh coriander and potatoes, this dish is better known on the street as chutney wale aloo or hari dhaniya wale aloo or hara aloo. This mouth-watering dish has been prepared by locals for centuries using the age-old recipe. This hugely popular... Continue Reading →
Balod Ginger (Ginger-based Products)
Balod district in Chhattisgarh has for years been a treasure trove of rare medicinal plants, spices, agricultural produce and exotic flowers. The rich plant diversity seen in this district has not been found anywhere else in Central India. This district has a sizeable tribal population who have perfected the art of living harmoniously with... Continue Reading →
Banarasi Tamatar ki Chaat
Tamatar ki chaat as the name suggests is essentially a chatpata chaat with tomato at the helm. Though the tamatar ki chaat sold in Prayagraj and Lucknow is amazing, the Banarasi tamatar ki chaat is in a class of its own. The explosion of flavours - spicy, sweet, sour, tangy and crunchy in each bite is pure... Continue Reading →
Mangalore Goli Baje (Goli Bajji)
Goli baje, a deep-fried heavenly delight is a signature dish of Mangalore and Udupi. This popular snack is often seen as an accompaniment to breakfast, lunch, tea and even dinner. Goli baje is surprisingly easy to make and requires basic ingredients like maida, sour curds, spices like ginger and green chilli, coconut and coriander... Continue Reading →
Bidar Ginger
Bidar district known as 'The Crown of Karnataka' is blessed with rich history, culture, architecture, national resources and agricultural produce. Located in North Karnataka, Bidar has the ideal climatic conditions (hot dry summers, cold winters and decent rainfall in the monsoon) and a mixture of clayey, red loamy, deep alluvial black calcareous clayey, deep black... Continue Reading →
Mizo Passion Fruit
The geo-climatic condition of Mizoram has contributed largely to the wide variety of rich and assorted flora and fauna seen here. With agriculture being the mainstay of the people of Mizoram, exotic fruits, vegetables, spices, rice and others are grown here using the age-old method of jhum cultivation. Orange, banana, tomato, beans, brinjal, peas, squash,... Continue Reading →
Mizo Ginger (Saitual Ginger)
The North Eastern state of Mizoram is a treasure trove of ginger diversity with as many as eight native varieties cultivated here since the ancient times. Ginger along with turmeric and chillies are important cash crops and widely used to prepare local delicacies as well as medicines. Mizo ginger is grown in Aizawl, Serchhip,... Continue Reading →
भागलपुरी जर्दालू आम (Bhagalpuri Zardalu Mango, Bihar)
हालांकि भागलपुर के जर्दालू आम का उल्लेख भारत की उच्च कोटि की आम की श्रेणियों जैसे: दशहरी, लंगड़ा, हापुज में कहीं नहीं पाया जाता, परंतु इस सौंधी खुशबू वाले आम को अब धीरे धीरे वह पहचान मिल रही है, जिसका यह अधिकारी है। असल में, जर्दालू आम का अपना रोचक इतिहास है, कहा जाता है... Continue Reading →
महाराष्ट्र का लासलगाव प्याज़ (Lasalgaon Onion, Maharashtra)
नाशिक जिले के निफाड तालुक में स्थित लासलगाव न केवल भारत अपितु समस्त एशिया में प्याज का सबसे बड़ा बाज़ार है। कई लोगों को इस बात का पता ही नहीं होगा कि महाराष्ट्र देश में प्याज का सबसे बड़ा उत्पादक है। प्रसिध्द लासलगाव प्याज़ जिसे लाल निफाड या नाशिक प्याज के नाम से भी जाना... Continue Reading →
आसाम की तेज़पुर लीची (Tezpur Litchi of Assam)
पूर्वोत्तर राज्य आसाम के बारे में शायद बहुत से लोग इस बात से अनजान हैं कि यह राज्य जैविक विविधता, विभिन्न वनस्पतियों और जीव जंतुओं से समृद्ध राज्य है। आसाम अपनी उष्णकटिबंधीय वर्षा वनों, बांस के बगीचों, राष्ट्रीय उद्यानों साथ ही विभिन्न प्रकार की स्थानीय खेती और फलों के उत्पादन के लिए भी जाना जाता... Continue Reading →
Kanniyakumari Clove of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is the largest producer of clove in the country with Kanyakumari district contributing a sizeable portion to the total production. Clove was introduced in India around the 1800s by the East India Company in its spice garden in Courtallam. The dense wooded areas of Maramalai, Karumparai and Vellimalai in the Western Ghats of... Continue Reading →
Peer Kho Cave Temple, Jammu, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
One of the most ancient Shiva temples in Jammu also known as the "City of temples" is the Peer Kho cave temple. This historic temple is situated on the banks of the holy Tawi river surrounded by igneous rocks and acacia forests. Locals regard this cave temple to be the oldest in the Shivalik region.... Continue Reading →
Shankaragaurishvara Temple, Pattan, Baramulla District, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Shankaragaurishvara Temple in Pattan is an exemplary example of Kashmiri temple style architecture prevalent in the 9th century. Modern Pattan is actually Shankarapattana, the capital founded by Shankaravarman of Utpala dynasty. Both Shankaravarman and his father Avantivarman were patrons of art, architecture and Sanskrit literature. Their noteworthy contribution to the revival of Hindu philosophy and... Continue Reading →
Mahabilwakeshwar Temple or Harihara Temple, Billawar, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Billawar also known locally as Balaur is a tehsil in Kathua district located on the banks of Bhinni and Naaz rivers. This town is said to have been established by Raja Bhog Pal, a son of the king of Kullu Valley in 765 CE. Subsequently, the ruling family came to be called as Balouria deriving... Continue Reading →
Sangli Turmeric of Maharashtra
Sangli located in the western part of Maharashtra is considered to be the largest and most important trading centre for turmeric in Asia. Popularly known as the 'Saffron City', Sangli has been cultivating its world-famous turmeric since the 1900s. It is said that large quantities of Sangli turmeric used to be exported through the Rajapur... Continue Reading →
Hatu Mata Mandir, Narkanda, Himachal Pradesh
Hatu Peak at a staggering elevation of 11,152 feet (3400 metres) is the highest peak in Shimla district in Himachal Pradesh. A narrow treacherous single road, a little away from Narkanda passing through dense forests of deodar, fir, spruce, blue pine and others on one side and a dizzying fall into a valley below leads... Continue Reading →
Bijli Mahadev Temple, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
Bijli Mahadev temple is one of the most ancient and sacred temples in the spectacular Kullu Valley in Dev Bhoomi Himachal Pradesh. This temple is seated at an altitude of 2,460 metres and an arduous trek of 7 – 8 km through a scenic Cedar forest leads you to this divine place that offers a... Continue Reading →
Aadi Brahma Temple and Aadi Purkha Temple, Himachal Pradesh
The breathtaking Kullu Valley flanked by Dhauladhar and Pir Panjal ranges of the Lesser Himalayan mountains on either side is referred to as the Valley of Gods or Eden of Apple. This historical place was called as Kulantapitha meaning end of the habitable world and is held in high esteem in the ancient texts of Brahmanda... Continue Reading →
Ajara Ghansal Rice, Ajara Taluka, Kolhapur District, Maharashtra
Scented rice has always been a prized possession in regional economies since the days of yore. Different varieties of indigenous scented rice have been cultivated in different parts of India since ancient times. Both Charaka and Sushruta have extolled the medicinal values of fragrant rice in their respective treatise. Ajara Ghansal rice grown in... Continue Reading →
Hathei Chilli of Manipur
Hathei chilli or umoruk as it is called in the local dialect is considered to be God's gift and the pride of Ukhrul for the people of Sirarakhong. This special chilli along with the seven other organically grown varieties of chilli in Manipur have been cultivated for generations. Hathei chilli thrives only in the Mahadev... Continue Reading →
Parashuram Kund, Lohit District, Arunachal Pradesh
Parshuram kund located in Lohit district on the banks of the lower level of Lohit River (a tributary of the Brahmaputra River) is one of the most sacrosanct places not only in Arunachal Pradesh but also in India. This holy place finds mention in Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana and is dedicated to Parashurama, the sixth avatar... Continue Reading →