Every year, World Milk Day is celebrated on June 1 to acknowledge the importance of milk in nutrition, livelihoods, and food cultures around the world. In India, milk is far more than just a staple. It is incorporated into everyday routines, festivals, regional cuisines, and the family culture. While most people are already familiar with lassi, flavoured milk, and buttermilk or chaas, India is also home to a unique range of lesser-known milk-based drinks that have been loved for generations.
Many of these drinks come from local climates, farming practices, and the need to remain nourished during the harsh summer season. Some are a bit fermented, some are cooling naturally, whereas others are rich enough to be a meal on their own. However, as packaged drinks and modern café drinks continue to gain popularity, many traditional milk drinks are slowly disappearing from public memory. This World Milk Day, revisit a few regional favourites that persist to convey stories of India's diverse culinary roots.
Doodh Soda, Punjab
At first glimpse, milk and soda may sound like an unusual blend, but Doodh Soda has been a favourite in parts of Punjab for years. The drink is prepared by mixing chilled milk with sweetened soda or lemon-flavoured carbonated beverages. The outcome is frothy, a bit sweet, and extremly refreshing. Quite popular at old-school dairies and local beverage shops, it gives a cooling option to heavier milkshakes. The fizzy texture makes it stand out from other traditional milk beverages, making a nostalgic beverage that many Punjabis still link with scorching summer afternoons.
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Jigarthanda, Tamil Nadu
Jigarthanda literally means "that which cools the heart," and few drinks live up to their name. Prepared with chilled milk, almond gum, nannari syrup, and ice cream, it is decadent, creamy, and also deeply refreshing. Unlike just the regular milkshake, Jigarthanda blends multiple textures, from the jelly-like almond gum to the velvety milk base. It is originally sold by street vendors in Madurai, and it has now become one of Tamil Nadu's most loved beverages. Every sip feels indulgent while delivering a respite from intense summer heat.
Gondhoraj Ghol, West Bengal
This Bengali version of ghol changes a simple buttermilk drink to something incredibly fragrant. It uses Gondhoraj lime, a special citrus variety loved for its intense fragrance rather than the sharp acidity. Fresh curd is whisked with little water and lightly seasoned before the lime zest or juice is added to it. The result is a delicate, spicy, and incredibly refreshing drink. Unlike the heavily flavoured drinks, Gondhoraj Ghol depends on slight citrus notes that feels pleasantly on the palate. It is particularly popular during Bengal's humid summers when lighter beverages are chosen over rich desserts and sweet drinks.
(Image credit: Freepik)
Kharvas / Pos, Goa And Coastal India
Kharvas, known as Pos in Goa, is traditionally a milk-based drink prepared using colostrum milk, the first milk that is produced after a cow or buffalo gives birth. In some coastal communities, it is also loved in a softer, drinkable form before it is set totally. Spiced with cardamom, saffron, and jaggery, it has a rich, custard-like taste. Deeply linked in rural traditions, Pos displays a time when seasonal ingredients have shaped local food habits. Today, it remains one of India's most unusual and lesser-known milk-based beverages.
Chhang, Ladakh
High in the Himalayas, where food preservation has always been important, Chhang appeared as an essential part of local culinary culture. Traditionally made through fermentation, it is commonly linked with community gatherings, celebrations, and hospitality. The drink shows a lightly sour, earthy flavour that shows the mountain environment from which it was prepared. While many versions are grain-based, dairy-linked variations have also lived within Himalayan food traditions. Chhang gives a fascinating glance into Ladakh's resourceful food legacy, where fermentation helped communities to make nourishing beverages fitted to the ever-changing climates.