Journal of Ethnic Foods 5 (2018) 99e104

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Journal of Ethnic Foods

journal homepage: http://journalofethnicfoods.net

Review Article

Himachali dham: Food, culture, and heritage

Monica Tanwar a, Beenu Tanwar b, *, Rattan S. Tanwar c, Vikas Kumar d, Ankit Goyal e
a
Department of Applied Sciences & Humanities, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Govt. Institute of Engineering & Technology, Pragati Nagar, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh,
India
b
Department of Dairy Technology, Mansinhbhai Institute of Dairy and Food Technology, Dudhsagar Dairy Campus, Mahesana, Gujarat, India
c
Accounts Department, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
d
Food Technology and Nutrition, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
e
Department of Dairy Chemistry, Mansinhbhai Institute of Dairy and Food Technology, Dudhsagar Dairy Campus, Mahesana, Gujarat, India

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Dham, a popular traditional feast prepared during marriages, local festivals, and special occasions of
Received 28 August 2017 Himachal Pradesh, is a complete food not only according to Ayurveda but also nutritionally. The ethnic
Received in revised form foods, include rajmah madra, kadi, khatta, sepu badi, and so forth, exhibit a treasure of food heritage and
25 October 2017
are an integral component of the diet of the people in the state. The cuisine is developed keeping in mind
Accepted 29 October 2017
not only the geographical and climatic conditions of the state but also according to the traditional
Available online 3 November 2017
methods under natural conditions mostly from the staple ingredients.
© 2017 Korea Food Research Institute. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the
Keywords:
Culture CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Dham
Food heritage
Himachal Pradesh
Traditional foods

पूजयेदशनं नित्यं अद्याच्चैनमकुत्सयन् ।
दृष्ट्वा हृष्येत् प्रसीदेच्च प्रतिनन्देच्च सर्वश: ॥
पूजितं ह्यशनं नियं बलमूर्जं च यच्छति ।
अपूजितं तु तद्भुक्तं उभयं नाशयेदिदं ॥
(Manusmriti, 2.51e52, 57)
[Devnagri Script]
“Food should always be worshipped and taken with the utmost
reverence. The sight of food should delight one's heart and fill it
with joy. It should always be cherished whatever the situation.”
(Manusmriti, 2.51e52, 57)
1. Introduction
Himachal Pradesh, a northern mountainous state of India, is
famous for its rich diversity in terms of traditions, culture, dress,
language, and art. The rich culture and traditions of Himachal
* Corresponding author. Department of Dairy Technology, Mansinhbhai Institute
of Dairy and Food Technology, Dudhsagar Dairy Campus, Mahesana 384002,
Gujarat, India.
E-mail address: beenutanwar@gmail.com (B. Tanwar).
Pradesh are reflected in its cuisine that encompasses a wide range
of delicacies enriching the palate with a plethora of aroma and taste
[1]. The food is different in terms of taste, variety, and style of
cooking; be it north, south, central east, or west India, each part has
its own distinct quality, yet woven together with the common
thread of spices and mouth-watering flavors. The difficult terrain
acts as a fortress safeguarding the state's culture and traditions
from external influences, and one can still witness the prevalence of
age-old traditions in the rural pockets of the state during its fairs,
festivals, and social ceremonies [2].
Dham, a local term for lunch/traditional feast prepared in
Himachali style and served during ceremonies, provides an op-
portunity to be familiarized with the delicacies of the state. It is
very hard to separate Himachal Pradesh and dham as it forms an
integral part of Himachali traditions. Himachali dham is not just an
insignia of tradition but also a mark of practical “Vedic” knowl-
edge and is, thus, not only popular in Himachal Pradesh but also
loved across the world. It is believed that initially dham was
served in the temples as prasad, and hence, the entire meal is
satwik. However, eventually, dham is now served during every
auspicious occasion and gathering such as marriages, family
events, and religious events in Himachal Pradesh. Another unique
aspect of dham is that usually no vegetables are used in any of the

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jef.2017.10.006
2352-6181/© 2017 Korea Food Research Institute. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
100 M. Tanwar et al / Journal of Ethnic Foods 5 (2018) 99e104
dishes. It is purely made from various types of lentils and dairy
products [3].
Charak Samhita talks about the importance of Ahaar and Vihaar.
Ahaar means right food that is the combination of Satvic, Rajsic, and
Tamsic food. Satvic food is nonstimulating and energy-providing
food. Rajsic food consists of delicacies, which stimulates body and
mind. They often cause aggressiveness and irritability, whereas
Tamsic food is considered detrimental causing sedative effects [4].
Dham, which earlier was served in the temples as prasad, was
prepared in a satvic manner, avoiding garlic and onions and using
dahi, khoya, and a unique mixture of spices. Vihaar stands for right
recreational activity. Himachali dham is held during marriage cer-
emonies, religious events, family functions, and other social gath-
erings that provide a perfect spot for relaxation, recreation, and
relationship.
2. History
Chamba, one of the most beautiful regions of Himachal Pradesh,
was saved by the mighty Dhauladhars from the successive waves of
Muhammadan invasion. When just like the plains in Kashmir,
Sikandar Butshikan ruthlessly destroyed the temples built by Lali-
taditya and his successors, the sacred mountains of Dhauladhars
protected Hinduism and Chamba till eternity. The brazen-carved
cedar wood idols of Meru Verman at the ancient shrines are the
glorious testaments of the same. Thanks to the mighty snow-clad
mountain barriers for even protecting the Himachali cuisine,
which since the Vedic era has remained intact and untouched by
the Islamic cuisine.
The legend has it that the kings of Chamba were the de-
scendants of Kusha, the son of Lord Ram. It is said that Raja Meru
came from Ayodhya at an early age and conquered the mountains.
King Jaisthambh, one of the descendants of Raja Meru, was so
bewitched by the Kashmiri foods that he wished to recreate those
Kashmiri dishes in the local Chamba tradition with the complete
yield of the province, to be offered to the local Goddess for her
benevolence. In that period, Chamba was known for rajmah (red
kidney beans), a variety of spices, and milk. The unification of the
style of cooking of Chamba and Kashmir and the amalgamation of
the local crops led to the creation of a novel dish madra, and hence,
dham came into the fore. Madra is cooked in ghee/oil, and the
uniqueness of this dish lies in its taste, wherein it is possible to
perceive all the unique flavors individually, without the over-
whelming flavors of onions and tomatoes [5].
Legends have it that the now famous Kangri madra was brought
by the brides of Chamba to Kangra. However, owing to the local
unavailability of rajmah, it underwent a transformation and kabuli
chana/chhole (chickpea), instead of rajmah, is now used to prepare
the now famous Kangri madra. In fact, the madra has become a
cuisine technique. Almost every district of Himachal Pradesh has its
own unique madra being served in dhams from time immemorial.
Fig. 1. (A) Panihara, a person responsible for filling water, cleaning, and washing utensils. His duty is to clean the painth area after each batch finishes partaking food. In this figure,
he is cleaning the Charoti/Batloi. Charoti/Batloi is brass or copper vessels used for cooking dham. (B) Boti (Brahmin cook) is preparing dham in batloi/charoti on a deep trench with fire,
called “Char” or “Tiun”. (C) The food is served to people sitting in painth/lines on the ground in leaf plates called pattals, made of dried leaves of tour/sal or banyan trees.
3. Preparations of dham
Firewood required for cooking food is called “samdah”. The
village priest suggests an auspicious date, months before dham's
actual date, and all the villagers are invited on that day. Men cut the
firewood, and women cook food for them while singing folk songs.
Cooking authentic Himachali cuisine is an extremely laborious
and time-consuming task, which generally takes approximately 12
hours for preparation.. As dham in ancient times was offered to
Gods in the temples, and owing to the caste system and some
religious customs prevalent at that time, only a group of Brahmin
cooks known as “botis” used to prepare the dham. For many cen-
turies, these botis have preserved the secret recipes of the dham and
have handed them to their younger generations just by the word of
mouth. Even now, every village has a boti of its own, who cooks
authentic dishes to be served as a dham during festivals and com-
munity functions. Botis usually wear a dhoti and cook/serve the
whole dham barefoot and are very strict about the hygiene and
sanitation inside the kitchen, so much so that during the prepara-
tion of dham, people must enter the kitchen barefoot and have to
first clean their hands, only then work is assigned to them [5,6]. In
ancient times, after the completion of dham, every boti was given a
bagful of wheat for his services.
4. Dham cooking room/rasialu
The temporary kitchen is usually built outside the main house
with bamboo sticks as main pillars and steel sheets as roof. The
preparations for dham begin a night before when all the containers
are collected from people in the village/town. In the morning, every
villager brings milk and buttermilk to the temporarily created
kitchen; being an agrarian society, most of them have these things
in abundance at home. Many times, some vegetables such as
pumpkins and so forth are also arranged within the villages,
depending on the season. After finishing their work at home, all
villagers come together and help botis in cutting vegetables and
arranging other stuff such as spices and so forth. Almost every
family in the village participates in this work.
The food is cooked in a long 6 2 feet trench with the help of
firewood. The deep trench with fire is called “char” or “tiun” and has
various other names (Fig. 1B). As already discussed, firewood used
for cooking dham and dry wood are arranged few weeks in advance.
Before preparing the dham, botis worship the char/tiun and then
start the cooking process. This traditional method helps in
destroying the harmful germs in the surrounding area of the
kitchen [5e7].
5. Cooking and serving style
Thick copper and brass vessels called “Charoti” or “Batloi” with
broad base and narrow opening are used for cooking (Fig. 1A),
 M. Tanwar et al / Journal of Ethnic Foods 5 (2018) 99e104 101

whereas iron cauldrons (kadhai) are used for preparing khatta. The
thick base metal vessels are good conductors of heat, and their
narrow shape helps in keeping the food warm for a long time.
Mostly, every house in a village/town has such utensils, and they are
collected 1 day before in the temporary kitchen. The food is then
slow cooked on firewood, which imparts the dham a unique flavor,
and the flame from the wood kills all the possible germs [2,5,6].
Following the Vedic traditions, the food is served in leaf plates
called pattals to people sitting in painth/lines on the
ground (Fig. 1C). The message of universal brotherhood is wit-
nessed during the feast as people irrespective of their status are
seated in the lines feasting from leaf plates. The plates are made of
dried leaves of tour/sal or banyan trees, weaved together with thin
pleats of bamboo wood and, thus, are biodegradable and environ-
ment friendly [2,3]. Like the cooks, the people serve food barefoot.
The food is consumed using hands, which helps the people to
decide the suitable heat required for consumption. The person
responsible for filling water, cleaning, and washing utensils is called
panihara, and it is his duty to clean the painth area after each batch
finishes partaking food.
6. Famous dhams
Himachal Pradesh is a state which encompasses a plethora of
flora and fauna. One witnesses distinct culture and dialect after
crossing a few miles in the hilly state. This diversity in the culture
and traditions is also reflected in the traditional dham of each re-
gion, which gives them an exclusive place in the Himachali cuisine.
The following are the famous dhams of Himachal Pradesh: Kangri
dham, Mandyali dham, Chambyali dham, and Bilaspuri dham (Fig. 2).
6.1. Kangri dham
Each district has a different dialect and culture, which in turn is
reflected in its food. Kangra district, famous for its picturesque
landscape and forts, has an equally famous cuisine as well. The age-
old traditional dham adds to the beauty of the district.
The preparations generally start the previous night. The chief
ingredients used in the dham are mustard oil, spices, and curd
whereas onions, garlic, and tomatoes are avoided. It is said that the
gravy prepared with curd helps in better digestion.
The feast starts at 12 in the noon and continues till 4 pm in the
evening. The typical menu for dham starts with rice and the main
dish of the dham, i.e., moong dal (green gram) and rajma (red kidney
beans) or chhole (chickpea) madra. The gravy is made by cooking
khoya and dahi in ghee until the consistency is reduced to a great
extent. This is followed by a dish cooked by mixing three types of
dalsdmoong, urad, and masoordand is called the “maash” dal.
Legend has it that this combination of complementary nutritional
elements can be found in the 1,500 year-old Aryan literature and
was consumed by them. The dal is made by the dhuni technique
wherein, the mustard oil is poured over a piece of burning coal

Fig. 2. Detailed distribution of traditional dhams in Himachal Pradesh, India.

102 M. Tanwar et al / Journal of Ethnic Foods 5 (2018) 99e104
and is placed in the dal and covered for some time to give the smoky
flavor. The maash dal is capped by khatta (sweet & sour sauce) made
of tamarind and jaggery, prepared in an iron vessel. It is said that
khatta helps remove the fats of the madra, which is prepared in pure
ghee. The dham ends with the meetha bhaat (sweet rice) or mithdee
(made of boondi or bread crumbs, etc.) (Fig. 3).
Dishes in a Kangri dham are usually devoid of artificial colors and
are a perfect blend of oils and spices essential for the body. The
menu is served meticulously in Vedic manner, which aids in better
digestion [7].
6.2. Mandyali dham
The rigor of taste, the sizzle of spices, and the vanity of cooking
with mounts of love is the heart of Mandyali dham. It is a meal
prepared to grace the occasions and the auspiciousness of weddings.
Sage Sushrut in “Sushruta Samhita” explained the proper sequence
of having meals and mentioned the inclusion of all six rasas in the
diet. He explained that one should start the food with a sweet, fol-
lowed by sour and salty food, and in the end bitter and astringent
food should be consumed for a sound body and mind. This sequence
can be seen in the Mandyali dham wherein, one finds that it follows
the definition of a proper diet described in Ayurveda [3].
Unlike Kangri dham, here the starters begin with a sweet dish,
“Boondi ka meetha” (prepared from chickpea floor dipped in sweet
syrup along with dry fruits). The next item served is sepu badi, the
main component of the dham, which is prepared from fresh spinach
leaves and badi. Badi is prepared from maash (black lentil) and
chana dal (Bengal gram), which is then deeply fried with the gravy
of coriander and spinach leaves, thus giving it a sweetesour taste.
Then comes kaddu ka khatta (prepared from pumpkin), having
a blend of sweet and sour taste, followed by kolth ka khatta
(prepared from horse gram). It is sour in taste and is mixed with rai
powder (mustard seed powder), which gives it the pungent taste.
Then comes maah ki daal (black lentil), having a bitter taste or dhule
maah (split black lentil) cooked in desi ghee, which is a specialty of
Mandi and in the end, jhol, which is an astringent, prepared from
curd and water in a mud pot. In local terms, it is said “the food
wouldn't digest until a glass of jhol is not drunk” and goes in accor-
dance with Ayurveda. Moreover, as it contains buttermilk, which is
a rich source of Vitamin B12, calcium, riboflavin, and probiotics, it
strengthens the digestive system and immunity of the body [3,6].
6.3. Chambyali dham
Chamba is an ancient Himalayan Kingdom located in the state of
Himachal Pradesh. It is the second largest district (area wise),
having a great past and is better preserved than any other ancient
Fig. 3. (A) Chhole madra is a popular Himachali curry made with chickpeas and yogurt and is slow cooked with a variety of spices that provide a distinct aroma and flavor. (B) Maash
dal is prepared by mixing three types of dalsdmoong, urad, and masoordusing the dhuni technique to give a smoky flavor. (C) Khatta is made of kaale chane, tamarind, and jaggery
and is cooked in an iron vessel. (D) Meethe bhaat is basically rice cooked with sugar/gur, saffron milk, and dry fruits. The use of cinnamon, cardamom, fennel seeds, and coconut
gives a distinct flavor to the dish.
kingdom in the Himalayas. To add to its beauty and uniqueness, as
already described, Chambyali dham is mainly famous for rajmah
madra. This rare delicacy is believed to be gifted to the entire state
by Chamba. According to the locals, a Chamba bride had introduced
this dish in Kangra where it is now prepared with variations as per
the availability.
Here, the dham starts with the serving of rice and auriyali moong
daal, followed by the main delicacy, the rajmah madra, which is
served by the head boti. Then a sweet dish, usually meethe bhaat, is
served followed by teliya maah ki daal, and kadhi, and in the end
khatta is served.
6.4. Bilaspuri dham
The Bilaspur district situated in Satluj valley in the outer hills is
famous for its forts, fairs, and festivals. Fairs and festivals are not
only entwined in the day-to-day lives of the general public but also
they are their traditional customs and hence, celebrated with a high
civic sense of associations and social discipline. Various types of
fairs and festivals are celebrated almost throughout the year, with a
common cuisine, the bilaspuri dham, locally called as bhati, kaaraj,
or jug.
Highlights of the bilaspuri dham are moong dal cooked in ghee,
serving as a rich source of carbohydrates; simple urad daal and tur
daal cooked in the mouth-watering white mustard paste, followed
by spicy sebu badi. Adding to the savory menu is khatta, which is
unique as it consists of pumpkin, chickpeas, tamarind, and jaggery
followed by the kadi pakoda which is a must. In the end, a sweet
dish bundi ki daal is served glazing the feast with irresistible
kaleidoscopic colors.
6.5. Other dhams
Around Hamirpur district, raw mustard oil is added to the dishes
during the cooking process, which helps in providing a
special pungent flavor to the dishes. Onions and tomatoes are
added to the dishes in very small amounts around Hamirpur;
however, curd is added in abundance. Dried apricots are used for
preparing khattas; dalda ghee, tomatoes, and curd are used for
preparing traditional madra in Hamirpur region.
In Kinnauri dham, rice is served along with puri, halwa, and
seasonal vegetables. There is also provision of liquor and mutton for
the guests [8]. In Lahaul and Spiti district, rice is served along with
chana dal (Bengal gram), rajmah (kidney beans), chole (chick
pea), gobhi aaloo ki sabzi (cauliflower and potato vegetable), and
mutton. In Sirmouri dham, rice, maah ki daal, pude, jalebi, halwa, and
shakkar are served in dham. Patande, ainkulu, and sidu (Fig. 4) are
some of the famous foods of Sirmaur district. In Una, rice, chana
 M. Tanwar et al / Journal of Ethnic Foods 5 (2018) 99e104 103

Fig. 4. (A) Boondi/badane ka meetha is a traditional delicacy prepared from chickpea flour dipped in sweet syrup along with dry fruits. (B) Sepu badi is prepared from urad (black
lentil) and chana dal (Bengal gram) and is cooked in curd along with spinach. (C) Kaddu ka khatta, a simple, yet delightful recipe, is made by combining tender pumpkin pieces
cooked in indigenous Indian spices and has a perfect blend of sweet and sour taste. (D) Mah ki daal cooked in desi ghee is a specialty of Mandi dham. (E) Jhol is prepared from rice,
curd, and spices, which is boiled in a mud pot and is a delicacy of Mandi and Hamirpur districts.

daal, rajmah, maah ki daal along with palda (Fig. 4) (similar to kadhi) jamuns are served. In Kullu, safed chane ka madra, kale chane ka
find a special place in dham. In rural Shimla, maah ki daal, chane ki khatta, chana daal, rajmah, maah ki daal, and meethe bhaat are
daal, safed chane ka madra, jimikand (Yam), paneer, kale chane ka served. In some areas of Kullu, people also serve nonvegetarian
khatta, and sweets such as badana (Boondi) or small-sized gulab food during their son's marriage (Figs. 5,6).

Fig. 5. (A) Auriyali moong dal, which is made chiefly with mustard seeds (known as “auri” in Himachal), is stir fried and is relatively dry and sour in taste. (B) Rajmah madra is a
popular Himachali curry made with rajmah and yoghurt along with desi ghee and few spices, providing a unique aroma and a distinct flavor. (C) Meethe bhaat is basically rice cooked
with sugar/gur, dry fruits, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel seeds, and coconut. (D) Teliya maah ki daal is cooked using mustard oil, desi ghee, and yoghurt along with a variety of spices,
including bay leaf, black and green cardamoms, cinnamon stick, black peppers, cloves, cumin seeds, asafoetida, ginger, coriander powder, turmeric, and red chillies. (E)
Kadhi consists of diluted gravy based on sour yoghurt thickened with besan (gram flour). (F) Khatta is usually made with kaale chane, tamarind, and jaggery in an iron vessel.
104 M. Tanwar et al / Journal of Ethnic Foods 5 (2018) 99e104
Fig. 6. (A) Patande, a festive dish of chiefly Chamba and Sirmaur districts, is made from rice flour and looks like a conventional hotcake. (B) Siddu, a steam-cooked fermented dish
resembling bread and is normally eaten with ghee (clarified butter), dal (lentil broth), or with chutney and is a delicacy of mainly Kullu, Shimla, and Lahaul-Spiti. (C) Ainkulu, also
called askalu, is a festive dish made from rice flour slurry mainly in Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Sirmaur, and Solan districts. (D) Palda, a delicacy resembling kadhi, has a thick, smooth
texture cooked along with potatoes and aroma of cardamom and mustard oil.
The topographical and climatic conditions of this convoluted
hilly state play a pivotal role in the preparation of various tradi-
tional food items. The food is prepared in such a way that it can
retain the heat and provide essential energy to the inhabitants of
this hilly terrain. Nutritional value of the food of dham becomes
the focus of many studies. The entire dham is a rich source of vi-
tamins such as riboflavin and thiamin, proteins, and carbohy-
drates. Unlike the modern cooking methods, chemical
preservatives and artificial colors are avoided, thus making dham a
composite nutritious diet.
7. Conclusion
Himachali dham is not just a feast but a conglomeration of
distinct flavors presented in one complete form. The bounty of
Himachali cuisine is attracting tourists from domestic and in-
ternational levels. The traditional preparation is untouched by
the outside influence; however, the modernization is slowly and
gradually peeping inside the fort and corrupting it. Nowadays,
the leaf plates are being replaced by paper plates that are posing
a great threat to the ecotourism. The easy access to chemical
colors, readymade spices, and fast foods has led to the degen-
eration of the traditional knowledge in a common folk's
household. The lack of commercial availability and gradual
decadence of the traditional practices has led to the extinction
of the age-old knowledge regarding the cuisine and nutritional
value of the food. The state tourism department has taken up
the task to revive the traditional dham and put it on the map of
the world and to save the traditional feast for the future
generations.
Conflicts of interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding
agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Appendix A. Supplementary data
Supplementary data related to this article can be found at
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jef.2017.10.006.
References
[1] Sharma N and Singh A. An insight into traditional foods of north-western area
of Himachal Pradesh. Indian J Tradit Knowl 2012;11(1):58e65.
[2] Thakur N and Bhalla TC. Traditional foods and beverages of Himachal Pradesh.
Indian J Tradit Knowl 2007;6(1):17e24.
[3] Goel S, Arya D, Negi V, Nariyal V, Shinde P and Sharma OR. Dham (Traditional
feast of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh) a complete food with Ayurveda
perspective. Int J Adv Res 2017;5(2):389e93.
[4] Tamang JP. Indian dietary culture. J Ethn Foods 2016 Dec 1;3(4):243e5.
[5] Katoch M. Centuries-old recipes & cooking methods: we unravel a unique Hima-
chali kitchen secret for you [Internet]. 2017 [cited 26 Aug 2017]. Available from:
https://www.thebetterindia.com/98931/himachal-dham-boti-sanjay-mishra/.
[6] Kumar A. The Mandyali Dham: celebration of taste [Internet]. 2016 [cited 26
Aug 2017]. Available from: http://insighthimachal.com/2016/08/20/mandyali-
dham-celebration-taste/.
[7] Roy R. My best meal in Himachal Pradesh: Kangri dham. [Internet]. 2015 [cited
26 Aug 2017]. Available from: http://indiafoodnetwork.in/food-stories/my-
best-meal-in-himachal-pradesh-kangri-dham/.
[8] Thakur A. Himachal Pradesh cuisine. [Internet]. 2014 [cited 26 Aug 2017]. Avail-
able from: http://chefanuragthakur.blogspot.in/2014/07/himachal-pradesh-
cuisine.html.