Traditional Things of Himachal Pradesh: Lugdi

R AK K H PATR I K A July 20, 2021  6 MINU TE S

B R O U G HT T O Y O U B Y R A K K H R E S O R T HI MA C HA L PR A D E S H

Traditional Things of Himachal Pradesh: Lugdi The land of the Himalayas and the mos t visited touris t des tination in India, Himachal Pradesh is a mar vellous place to be. The scener y from this region is bound to las t in your memories for years. Snow-clad mount ains so grand, and fores ts full of pine trees and fauna only the mount ains can accommodate, Himachal Pradesh is truly made up of the fines t things nature offers. The unique overabundance of birds and plants here are some you may have never even heard of with lush valleys filled with freshwater rivers and lakes s temming from the Himalayas. It is quite literally a paradise for nature enthusias ts.

Adventure spor ts are also quite popular here because of the varied landscape full of mount ains, valleys and hills. Many resor ts in Himachal Pradesh also have bookings and packages for a bunch of them from mount aineering , trekking , camping , river rafting to a lot more. Himachal Pradesh is a s t ate full of experiences for persons of ever y kind, you can visit the serene temples and monas teries for a spiritual experience, roam through the numerous tea gardens and learn more about Kangra tea in Palampur and neighbouring regions, trek the trails of Spiti, watch the wildlife of the hills in the Great Himalayan National Park, or jus t lounge in one of the hotels and resor ts in Himachal , which are few of the bes t in the countr y.

The cuisine of Himachal offers a few traditional drinks, out of which rice beer called Lugdi is quite infamous. Know its his tor y, how it is made, and the cultural significance it holds in the hear ts of the Himachali people! Introduction to Himachal Pradesh Mos t touris ts don’t pay enough attention to the herit age of the s t ate of Himachal Pradesh. The touris ts only know that the beauty of Himachal Pradesh is unparalleled and they don’t realise that the culture of Himachal is also highly complex. Himachal Pradesh is an interes ting and culturally rich s t ate, it holds a unique identity because of its his torical , geographical , and natural features. It offers a wild mix ture of cultures and people. The tribal population of Himachal comes in all sizes and forms.

The tribal population is known for their skills in wood car ving and jeweller y making. The culture of Himachal Pradesh is also highly valued because of its tradition and folk ar t .

The culture of the s t ate of Himachal is also unique in the way the people of Himachal are culturally aware. His tor y of Lugdi Lugdi is made of rice and is a ver y popular drink in Himachal Pradesh. The word ‘lugdi’ literally means ‘milk or water with food’ . It is believed to be one of the mos t popular drinks in Himachal , a drink which is preferred by all .

Rice is pro cured from the tribal regions of the region, mos tly from the three s t ates of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Utt ar Pradesh. This pro cess involves boiling rice in the water in traditional clay pots. It is a slow pro cess to fill the clay pot with water, and then the water is boiled to make the rice liquid. If the rice gets dr y, there will be no ‘ Lugdi’ ! This is the tricky par t of making Lugdi, it requires a lot of attention.

The rice needs to be soaked in water for at leas t 1 2 -1 6 hours to make it soft . The Relationship of Rice B eer with the Himachalis The ancient wine made from rice called Bua is ver y popular in Himachal Pradesh. A cus tomised version of this wine was then made by mixing it with the rice spirit called Tur which in turn gave rise to the delicious conco ction known as Lugdi or Roti. The white liquor is made by firs t preparing sugar syrup by boiling the milk in kerosene. It is then removed from the fire and added to an open jar, where it is left to ferment overnight . The nex t day, a pot of this sugar y mix ture is allowed to ferment even more and after a few days, the rice beer is ready to be t as ted.

The drink is s trongly sweet but it’s usually ser ved cold.

The lo cals call it Roti Lohri ( Rice Roti Lohri) which means the day of rice beer. Why is Rice B eer the famous lo cal drink? How to Make Lugdi, and Its Culinar y Significance The dish of ghewar is the mos t loved dish of Himachal and a par t of the ever yday meals of the Himachali people. But , their favourite beverage, Lugdi is something you mus t have tried!

The drink is prepared from grains or pulses. It is available in different colours – from deep red to dark brown, depending on its preparation. It is spiced with chillies and cardamom and then combined with saffron and ginger juice. It is prepared with the help of a wooden bowl called kalha. The grain used for preparing Lugdi is usually rice, wheat and millet .

Wheat and rice are the mos t preferred ones, but millet is also a popular option for this drink. B efore Lugdi is prepared, the grain is soaked overnight in hot water.

Alcoholic B everage Making Pro cess in Himachal Pradesh Lugdi is an alcoholic drink popular throughout the Himalayan regions of India. This drink is usually made from rice, but can also be made from corn. Unlike the res t of India, Himachal Pradesh do es not use pot in which rice is boiled, but a closed tin canning sys tem is used for the manufacturing of Lugdi. The flour is poured into the tin can, or drum, with a small hole in it . The drum or tin is sealed and heated until the small holes get covered with the mix ture. This pro cess t akes about 30-40 minutes. Lugdi can be made in the Himachal region using any of the five traditional liquors- sahti (co conut), neer dal (olive), hanak (rose), sattu (groundnut) and khal (blacks trap molasses) . Production of Lugdi The pro cess of making rice beer is quite interes ting.

Ingredients for Lugdi B eer: For making Lugdi B eer, there are few ingredients that you will require, and each has a specific t ask to do. You will need water, sugar, milk, yoghur t , salt and yeas t . For the preser vation of it , you will require a bottle to s tore it for future use. Take a flask and a funnel . Ingredients for the preparation of Lugdi B eer. Pour in all the ingredients in the flask and tr y to mix well . If it’s water y, add milk. If it’s thick, add yoghur t . If it’s s ticky, add sugar. Add yeas t and leave it for 2 4 hours. After a day, give it a slight s tir and pour it into a bottle. Close it , leave it for 7 to 1 0 days. Consume it the nex t morning!

Though I s trongly sugges t being a t ad more careful while brewing your own alcoholic beverage at home. Surely many resor ts in Himachal Pradesh will guide you around the consumption of this traditional drink if you inquire. Make sure to drink responsibly and do tr y out this beloved conco ction when you visit Himachal nex t!

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