Better — Cold Season In India

That evening, Dadi called Rohan to the kitchen. She was making kadha —a traditional herbal brew with tulsi (holy basil), cinnamon, cloves, and dry ginger. “This is our family’s winter shield,” she said. “But the third blanket is the most important.”

She also prepared gur ki chai (jaggery tea) and steamed mooli ke parathe (radish flatbreads). “No cold drinks or late-night ice cream,” she winked. “And always eat warm, cooked meals. Our body stays strong from the inside.”

That morning, Rohan’s grandmother, Dadi, gathered the family in the sunny courtyard. She unfolded a small, secret trick for thriving in the Indian winter. She called it the three warm blankets . cold season in india

Dadi brought out a steel pot. “In winter, our digestive fire is strong,” she explained. “So we eat foods that honor it.” She added ginger, turmeric, and black pepper to simmering milk. “This is haldi doodh ,” she said, handing Rohan a small cup. “It fights germs and soothes the throat.”

It was a crisp December morning in Lucknow, and seven-year-old Rohan had just woken up with a sniffle. The famous winter fog, or kohara , pressed against the windows like a soft white blanket. But Rohan didn’t feel cozy. His throat was scratchy, his nose was stuffy, and all he wanted was to drink his grandmother’s elaichi chai. That evening, Dadi called Rohan to the kitchen

Next, his father took him for a morning walk—but with a twist. “We don’t hide from the sun,” he said. “The winter sun in India is gentle and healing.” They stood on the terrace, letting the soft sunlight fall on their backs. “Vitamin D keeps our immunity high,” his father explained.

Rohan understood. That week, instead of playing outside in the fog for hours, he read stories under a quilt. He washed his hands often. He sneezed into his elbow. And he noticed that his cold faded faster than usual—not just because of the medicines, but because the family had wrapped him in three warm blankets. “But the third blanket is the most important

And every year after that, when winter arrived, Rohan’s family would say: “Don’t fight the cold—learn to wear it like a shawl. From the inside, outside, and deep in the heart.” And that’s how a little boy in Lucknow turned a sniffly December into the coziest, healthiest winter of his life.