Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 134th Mann Ki Baat address on Sunday, urged citizens to take precautions against the ongoing heatwave and highlighted traditional Indian summer drinks, besides developments in athletics, heritage and environment conservation.
“The weather is very hot in most parts of the country right now. Strong sun, hot winds – it is very important to take care of yourself in such weather,” he said, advising people to stay hydrated and follow the guidelines issued by the government.
Prime Minister Modi spoke about traditional summer drinks like aam panna, lassi, yoghurt, sattu, kokum and sol kadhi, describing them as products of local tradition and generations of experience.
“You must have noticed that as the temperature rises, the taste of home cooking changes, and the type of cooking changes. In some places, water is brought from earthen pots; in other places, curd starts, and in other places, raw mangoes start boiling – and then the time for the original drinks begins,” he said.
Speaking in Hindi, he added, “You are also familiar with these delicious drinks. If you go to north India, you will find aam panna in many places, the taste of raw mango, the relief from the heat. If you go to Punjab or Haryana, you will find lassi in big cups. Also, in Rajasthan and Gujarat, milk is like a companion to every meal.”
“Sattu sharbat in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh is simply amazing – it fills the stomach and gives you strength. Kokum sharbat and sol kadhi in Konkan and Goa. Panakam, neer mur and sambaram in south India and pael panna in Odisha are not just drinks, they are part of the traditions of different regions of India,” he added.
He said people should remember that most of these products “come from our kitchens, from our farms and our fields.”
“There are no big brands, but it embodies the experience of generations. You also enjoy these delicious drinks during the summer,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi also spoke about the different types of mangoes in the country and said that every region has its own mango and its own flavour.
“By the way, Langra mangoes have a special quality: they often remain green even after ripening. And Zardalu in Bihar, whose aroma is recognizable from afar. Chausa, Malda – every name has memories attached to it. Go to southern India, and there is Panjanapalli, Totapuri, Neelam, Malguva, Himsagar in Bengal, Odisha, Suvarnarika in Andhra Pradesh. In other words, as a place changes, so does the shape and color of the mango.” And its taste.”
His remarks came days after he chaired a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where ministers discussed measures to tackle the heatwave across the country.
Bihar BJP’s Samrat Chaudhary, in a statement issued by his office, said it was noteworthy that the Prime Minister mentioned sattu and mangoes from the state. “These references showcase Bihar’s unique identity on the national stage,” he said.
The Prime Minister also congratulated the athletes who created national records during the National Senior Athletics Federation competition in Ranchi.
He highlighted the men’s 100m race, in which the national record was broken three times in two days by runners Gurinder Vir Singh and Animesh Kujur.
Modi also discussed his recent visit to the Netherlands, where 24 Chola-era copper plates were officially returned to India.
On environmental conservation, Modi praised the rescue operation in Uttar Pradesh, in which a Ganges dolphin trapped in a canal was rescued after a 13-hour effort.
