Petha is a famous sweet from Agra. Juicy on the inside and crisp on the outside, this delectable treat is made from white pumpkin (also known as winter melon or ash gourd), and soaked in rose sugar syrup to lend it a sweet, refreshing taste.

As the story goes, it was first created by the Mughals chefs when Emperor Shah Jahan wanted a sweet that resembled the characteristics of the Taj Mahal — pure and white. The chefs boiled white pumpkin, serving it in rose sugar syrup or as dried sweet chunks. The petha served as a source of energy for the thousands of workers who toiled over the construction of the Taj Mahal. Agra’s Noori Gate area is home to over 700 cottage units that create this sweet, now served in many different flavors like cherry, orange, paan, coconut, and of course, rose, among others. 

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Tea, also famously known as chai, is one of the most consumed beverages by Indians. Chai with biscuits is a perfect routine for many Indians to start their day. There is an interesting story of how commercial tea plantations started in India.

In 1823, a Scottish explorer named Robert Bruce discovered that Singphos, a local tribal community in Assam, were consuming an unknown specimen since the 12th century. He met Bisa Gam, the chief of the Singphos, with the help of Maniram Dutta Baruah, a native nobleman. After the meeting, the tribal chief presented two tea plants and a few seeds to Robert Bruce. Soon, the British discovered that the assamica variety of tea was better suited to grow in Assam as the region had favourable climatic conditions and they could compete with China in tea production. That is how commercial tea cultivation started in Assam in 1826. The Singphos, still residing in parts of Northeast India, Myanmar, and China, played an important role in giving India its beloved beverage.

Here is an infographic of the tea story. Pin it for easy reference!

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Today, one can sample more than 50 varieties of sambaar across the country. It’s not a coincidence that the Maharashtrian amti and South Indian sambaar taste so similar. However, chefs do relish the unique taste of sambaar from the Thanjavur region, be it with a crisp dosa or a bowl of steaming rice.

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Nobody knew where or how the movement originated, but the Indian flatbread had many a British general worried.

When brought to their notice, the British overlords were terrified. They immediately started an investigation. Several speculations were made. However, even today, nobody really knows what the reason behind the ‘Chapati Movement’ was, even those who participated in it were unaware of its origin and objective.  

Years later, J W Sherar in the book ‘Life During the Indian Mutiny’ admitted that if the objective behind the movement was to create an atmosphere of mysterious restlessness, the movement had been highly successful. 

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1. Samosa
   
2. Jalebi
   
3. Dal Chaawal
   
4. Rajma
   
5. Filter Coffee
   
6. Gulab Jamun
   

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