In many parts of India, traces of the advent of the summer season begin to show around March. Engulfed in the hot and humid weather, there’s only one thing that gives people a sense of respite — a refreshing sherbet made out of curd, lemon or any seasonal berries and fruits.

Although the concept of sherbet (sherbat/sharbat), often claimed to be the world’s first soft drink, is rooted in the Persian sharbat — a sugary concoction infused with flowers and fruits, its influence in India began to materialise during the Mughal rule. An anecdotal story also claims that Mughal emperor Babur would send people to the peaks of the Himalayas to fetch fresh ice to make him sharbat. Certain texts also attribute the invention of sharbat to the ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras. Whatever may be the origin, sharbat, squashes or locally brewed beverages have continued to quench our thirst and satisfy our senses for centuries.
Not surprisingly then, India has an exhaustive list of drinks or coolers that go beyond the restraints of seasons and fill us with flavour, nostalgia and pure joy. Here are only a few lesser-known drinks you should try:

Babri Beol