It’s the abode of the Gods — the ‘Dev Bhoomi’. The region has been given a special place in our sacred texts, and is home to numerous ancient temples, sacred sites, having a strong cultural connection with spirituality and peace. Himachal Pradesh is indeed a jewel that occupies a deeply historical position in Bharat’s journey through the ages. The earliest prehistoric evidence (nearly two million years ago) in Himachal Pradesh points to human settlement in the Bangana Valley (Kangra), Sirsa Valley (Nalagarh), and Markanda Valley (Sirmour), with stone tools from the Paleolithic era found there. These valleys, particularly Bangana, provided resources like fertile soil and water, which attracted early hunter-gatherer communities for habitation. In the prehistoric times, the Indo-Gangetic plains were inhabited by the Proto-Australoid or Munda — speaking ‘Kolarian’ people (Kol or Munda tribe), and when the people of the Indus valley spread through the Gangetic plains, they pushed northwards — towards the Kolarian people in the Himachal valleys.
The greatest sages in our history have been associated with this expanse. Rishi Jamdagni is associated with the Renuka lake in Sirmaur, Rishi Vashisht with the Vshisht Kund in the Kullu valley, Parshuram is associated with Nirmand in Kullu and Sage Vyas with the Beas cave in Bilaspur. One of the most prominent relationships of the state with our ancient history is through Hatkoti in the Jubbal area of Shimla, and the Hidimba Goddess temple in the Kullu valley, both of which are associated with the Pandavas- of the epic Mahabharata. According to the Mahabharata, the Himalayan region that now forms Himachal Pradesh was divided into several small tribal republics called ‘Janapadas’, which were a type of ‘Sangha Janapadas’ or ‘Ayudhajivi Sanghas’- meaning those that lived by the profession of arms.
In fact, the legendary grammarian ‘Panini’ in his iconic work ‘Ashtadhyayi’, which was written in the 6th-5th century BCE, mentioned the ‘Trigarta Janapada’, located in the foothills of what is now Himachal Pradesh. This is one of the first historical mentions of Trigarta, highlighting its significance in ancient Indian history. These Janapadas included ‘Audumbras’ — the most prominent ancient tribes of Himachal who lived in the lower hills between Pathankot and Jwalamukhi, and formed a separate state in 2 BC, ‘Trigarta’ — the state lay in the foothills drained by three rivers, which included, Ravi, Beas and Satluj and hence the name, it is believed to have been an independent republic. ‘Kuluta’ — the kingdom of Kuluta was situated in the upper Beas valley, which is also known as the Kullu valley, with its capital at Naggar, ‘Kulinda’- this kingdom covered the area lying between the Beas, Satluj and Yamuna rivers, the region of Shimla and Sirmour hills. Their administration resembled a republic with members of a central assembly sharing the powers of the king. During the Mauryan period (322 BCE- 185 BCE), Chandragupta Maurya slowly subdued most of the republics of Himachal by show of strength or use of force, though he usually did not rule them directly. Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, extended his boundaries to the Himalayan region. He introduced Buddhism to this tract and built many stupas, one of which was in the Kullu valley — this is stated in the account of the Chinese traveller, Hiuen Tsang. Moving on, after the collapse of the Gupta empire (320 CE- 550 CE), and before the rise of Harshavardhana of the Pushyabhuti dynasty, this area was again ruled by local chiefs known as Thakurs and Ranas. With the rise of Harshavardhana in the early 7th century CE, most of these small states acknowledged his overall supremacy, though many local powers remained with the local chiefs. In the medieval era, Himachal Pradesh comprised independent and tributary hill states like Kangra, Chamba, and Bushahr, which were often caught between larger empires like the Mughals and later the Sikhs. British influence grew after the Gurkha War of 1814-15, culminating in their control of the region by the mid-19th century.
Post-independence, the region evolved from a Chief Commissioner’s Province to a Union Territory, and finally became India’s 18th state on January 25, 1971. When talking about Himachal Pradesh, I would also like to deep dive into something that is as lofty as the mountains that define its landscape — the state’s cuisine! And what better to start off with, than the absolutely smashing and sublime ‘Dham’, a gastronomic delight that displays the wide spectrum of Himachali cuisine, signifying celebration and hospitality in the state’s culture. Different regions of the state have separate elements that are reflected in the Dham, I will focus on what is usually found in this ‘crown jewel’ from the hill state. The feast generally includes plain rice, a flavourful dal (lentil) curry like ‘Sepu Badi’ (made from black lentils), a vegetable curry such as ‘Rajma Madra’ and ‘Chana Madra’ (kidney beans/chickpeas in yogurt), a spiced buttermilk soup called ‘Himachali Redu’, and a sweet dish called ‘Meetha Bhaat’ (sweet rice). It is traditionally cooked by community cooks called ‘Botis’, and slow-cooked over wood fires in special brass vessels called ‘Charoti or Batloi’. The food is finally served on leafy plates known as’ Pattal’ or ‘Pattlu’.
Rice is served thrice, first with ‘Madra’- sometimes two or three types of Madra are cooked and served, then with ‘Teliya Maah’ — a very old and traditional recipe from Himachal Pradesh that is almost lost. It is a delicious and creamy lentil (black gram or urad dal) curry made of whole green gram, yogurt, milk, cream and much more cooked in mustard oil. The flavour treat of ‘Mahni’ follows — a traditional sweet and sour dish, primarily a tangy curry made from ingredients like raw mangoes, tamarind, or black chickpeas (kala chana). The blend of spices, from degi mirch to turmeric, creates a sweet and sour taste that elevates any meal. The string of dishes continues with another flavour treat, the ‘Himachali Chana Dal’ — it is prepared using split chickpeas as the main ingredient, along with mustard oil, turmeric, and various whole and ground spices such as coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin, cloves, green and black cardamom, and cinnamon. It also often includes other aromatic spices like bay leaves, ginger, green chilies, and sometimes kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and hing (asafoetida). ‘Himachali Redu’ comes next, it is also called ‘Kheru’ or ‘Dahi Tadka’, it is a simple, quick, and comforting yogurt dish featuring dahi (yogurt) tempered with whole and ground spices like fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds in mustard oil — sometimes onions and garlic are added for extra flavour. This versatile dish serves as a side dish for rice or parathas and can be a satisfying meal, especially during warmer months. The balance of flavours reflected through this thali are substantially complemented by ‘Mittha’ or ‘Himachali Meetha Bhaat’ — an integral part of the state’s celebrations, it’s a sweet rice prepared with rice, milk, jaggery or sugar, flavoured with cardamom, saffron, raisins and other dry fruits, along with a touch of turmeric powder for colour.
The most tantalising ‘Babru’ is yet another dish that highlights the exquisite flavour profile of the state. Similar to kachoris in taste, Babru is a distinctive culinary treat. It differs from kachoris in that it may be made both savoury and sweet. The kneaded dough is filled with ground black gram paste, giving it the appearance of a deep-fried poori. The sweet variation contains a jaggery filling. It is a well-liked breakfast item with a distinctive flavour and aroma. It is typically served with mouth-watering tamarind chutney, making for a much-loved regional dish. A signature offering from the state is ‘Kaddu Ka Khatta’ — it is prepared with chunks of pumpkin tempered in mustard oil and aromatic spices. It is then topped with tamarind or ‘amchur’ powder and jaggery for a tangy and sweet flavour. ‘Patrode’ is a dish that incorporates arbi (Colocasia) leaves, it is one of the most well-known afternoon tea snacks in the hills, and you may even enjoy the snack with your evening meal. Colocasia leaves and besan (gram flour) are used to prepare this. The besan and spice mixture is wrapped around the leaves, formed into little rolls, steamed, and then sliced into slices for deep or shallow-frying. ‘Taro’ or “Colocasia esculenta” is thought to be a native plant of Southern India, and over time, this dish has been adopted by various states in India. Another distinctly flavoured dish is ‘Bhey’ — it involves thinly slicing and washing the lotus stems, then boiling and stir-frying them with ingredients like ginger, garlic, onion, gram flour, and spices to create a flavourful and crunchy vegetable preparation. The food of this area is incomplete without mentioning ‘Siddu’- it is prepared with wheat flour, the flour is set aside after being kneaded, which gives the dough time to rise. The bread is then placed directly over the flames of a campfire to partially cook and then steam it. Siddu generally has a lentil or potato filling, and this ghee-based Himachali side dish goes great with mutton or veggies as a main meal. Although the preparation of this is intricate and time-consuming, the taste is worth every effort.
The most interesting ‘Patande’ cannot be missed in any food article related to the state. It is a breakfast dish that originates in the Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. Also referred to as the pancake of India, patande is prepared by cooking a batter made of wheat flour, sugar, milk, and baking powder with spices like cardamom and cinnamon.
Now, let’s shift our focus towards the non-vegetarian Himachali dishes. It’s the ‘Kullu Trout Fish’ that makes quite a big flavour splash. It is one of the best traditional dishes of Himachal Pradesh, in which marinated trout fish (found only in the waters of the state) is cooked with raw spices like crushed coriander seeds, dill leaves (fresh or dried), chilli flakes, lemon, salt, and sometimes mustard seeds. The goal is to use minimal spices to highlight the trout’s fresh and mild flavour, and a little lemon-onion sauce is drizzled on top after the fish has been pan-fried in mustard oil to enhance flavour. ‘Chicken Anardaana’ is another dish relished in the state, it is characterised by its sweet, tangy, and sour flavour profile from dried pomegranate seeds (anardana), and often has a distinctive pinkish-red colour. In this, the Chicken pieces are typically marinated with a mixture of spices like coriander, cumin, red chillies, yoghurt, and anardana powder before being cooked in a gravy with onions, ginger-garlic paste, and yogurt cooked in a fragrant gravy- offering a unique blend of flavours influenced by the Persian cuisine. And finally, ‘Chha Gosht’ is considered a classic and traditional Himachali dish, it is known for its rich flavours of marinated mutton cooked slowly in a gravy of yogurt and gram flour with aromatic spices like coriander, green and red chilli powder and cardamom. It is a prominent part of Himachal Pradesh’s culinary heritage, often prepared for special occasions, and is characterised by its unique sweet, savoury, and tangy taste.
Himachali cuisine is indeed a treat for all food lovers. It offers a variety of dishes that appeal to every taste bud, and like in many other states, the cuisine is in complete harmony with the climatic conditions of the region. It's sad that our most important food ambassadors, the children and youth, are, even today, not well-informed about the state’s immense food offerings. Our focus undoubtedly has to be on getting them familiarised with our regional (in this case, Himachali) cuisines, ensuring that in the times to come, it reflects naturally and strongly with the current and future generations' food choices!