Holi 2023: Chilled Drinks To Cool Off The Heat Beyond Thandai

By Jasmine Kaur

Since Holi is just a day away, prep up your drinks menu and don’t just stick to the cliché thandai. Opt for these yummy drinks to beat the heat. 

Local Indian drinks from various regions, including kanji, bel ka sharbat and more are perfect for the Holi drinks menu. 

Kanji 

While the preparation for this bright red drink begin in winter when beetroots and carrots are in season, it is cherished in summer as a drink and as kanji vada too. 

Buransh Sharbat

A kind of rhododendron, the extract of buransh flowers is full of anti-inflammatory, hydrating and immunity-boosting qualities. It is an excellent choice of sharbat too. 

Bel Ka Sharbat

Usually harvested during Holi months, bel or wood apple’s diluted squash is paired with milk and sugar to make a refreshing and delicious concoction. 

Pallar 

Instead of thandai, spruce up buttermilk with chillies, mustard and fenugreek seeds. Hailing from Garhwal, this drink has a pale yellow hue and great digestive properties. 

Mahua 

The flower of the Mahua plant that blossoms between January and March in eastern and central India, is used for making a Holi-special drink. An Odia variant is called mahuli.