There is hot and then there are Indian summers hot- the kind that makes your slippers melt on the road and your ceiling fan feels like it is blowing furnace air. As temperatures hit the 40s and power bills skyrocket with the constant use of ACs and coolers, many of us are left wondering: is there any way to stay cool without burning a hole in our pockets?
Well, there is good news. From age-old nani ke nuskhe to clever desi hacks passed down through generations, Hyderabadis have always found creative ways to beat the intense summer heat. Whether you are living in a compact flat or an airy house, there are some home hacks that can help you keep cool without relying on AC 24/7.
So come along as Siasat.com reveals some of these tried and trusted secrets of Hyderabadis.
1. Mitti ka Ghada: Hyderabad’s OG water cooler
Before fancy refrigerators and chilled Bisleri bottles took over the city, every household in Hyderabad had a mitti ka ghada tucked away in a shady corner. This humble earthen pot does more than just store water, it naturally cools it, thanks to the porous clay that allows slow evaporation. This pot is making a comeback in households nowadays because of its refreshingly and naturally cool water that is easy on the throat.
Pro tip: Wrap a wet cloth around the ghada during the day to keep the water cooler for longer. And if you want to take it up a notch, add a few sabza seeds for natural coolness.
2. Go desi with khus and bamboo screens
These traditional blinds that are often spotted in palaces and old city homes in Hyderabad, do not just look aesthetic but are also genius at blocking heat. Hang them on balconies, windows and doorways and give them a generous spray of water every few hours. The water evaporates slowly and cools the air that filters through.
Want to level it up? Add a few drops of rose water or water cooler essence to the water spray for a fresh fragrance that screams Hyderabadi nostalgia.
3. Cool chaadar and floor
When the floor starts to feel like a heated tandoor in summers, take a page straight out of our grandmothers’ playbook. Take a thin dupatta or bedsheet, dip it in cold water, wring it out and spread it across the floor. It instantly cools the surface and makes the room feel a few degrees lighter.
Pro tip: Use light colours and breathable fabrics like mulmul or cotton. And whatever you do, ditch the heavy rugs and carpets as they hold in the heat and make the space feel hot.
4. Use the chatt smartly
If you live on the top floor during summer in Hyderabad, your terrace is probably turning into a frying pan. But here is a great fix- around 5 pm, mop or pour water across the terrace to cool down the slab just in time for the night.
For a more long-term solution, paint your terrace white or cover it with tarpaulin which reflects sunlight instead of absorbing it.
5. Minimal cooking and sharbats to the rescue
Let us be real for a minute. Standing in front of a gas stove during a summer afternoon in Hyderabad feels like a punishment and neither do most of us want to indulge in spice-heavy dishes in the heat. The smarter move is to cut down on heavy cooking and switch to light, cooling meals like curd rice, fruit bowls, roti with dahi and pickle.
Of course, chilled drinks are a must in summers. Whether it is Rooh Afza with sabza, tangy nimbu pani, traditional aab shola, jal zeera, chaas or watermelon juice, these drinks are the real MVPs of summer survival.
It is to be noted that while these hacks might lessen the intensity of the heat, they cannot guarantee a cool summer. In the end, surviving a Hyderabadi summer is all about making smart choices, small adjustments and caring for the people and strays around you.
What are your hacks to survive the summer in Hyderabad? Comment below.
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