Indian rediscovering Jowar, Bajra, and Ragi
For centuries, Indian kitchens thrived on simplicity — a handful of local grains, a wooden rolling pin, and the aroma of freshly cooked rotis filling the air. But somewhere along the way, our love affair with millets like jowar, bajra, and ragi faded. As polished rice and refined wheat took centre stage, these humble grains were quietly pushed into the background, remembered only by our grandparents. Today, however, the story is coming full circle. As conversations around nutrition, sustainability, and mindful eating grow louder, India is rediscovering the power of its own heritage foods. The spotlight is once again on these age-old grains — and this time, they’re here to stay. Why We Forgot Our Millets The Green Revolution of the 1960s changed the way India ate. With the focus on high-yield crops like wheat and rice, millets — which grow easily in semi-arid regions — began to lose importance. They were seen as “poor man’s food,” while polished grains became symbols of modernity and pr...