A place where technology has stepped its feet, but not at the cost of the traditions stepping out, is Kolhapur. Set in the western region of Maharashtra, this land is a perfect blend of history, culture, authenticity and mechanization. It is a historical city in the beautiful and picturesque range of the Sahyadri mountains. From temples and forts, to mouth-watering delicacies, this place has its own charm. One such unique element of the Kolhapuri life is the Dudh Katta.
For the longest time, this practice has been followed by generations together. The idea is that buffaloes are milked in front of the customers who get their own tumblers to be filled. And these are not any well-established shops, but squares or titkis ( where three narrow roads intersect) where around 500 buffaloes are lined on the streets.
As the history says, everyone owned a cattle as farming was the main source of income for the people in Kolhapur. The amount of milk given by this cattle would exceed the family requirements in a huge proportion. Initially, these farmers would sell this extra milk from house to house, but later began gathering their buffaloes at crowded places to sell the fresh milk to maximum number of people. And thus began the practice of Dudh Katta.
Early morning one can see buffaloes in a great sum, walking idly in the narrow lanes of the city, with the owner behind them, carrying kettles and brass or copper mugs, heading towards the Katta. And the funny part being, the farmers fondly name these buffaloes with the names of their favourite Marathi serial characters!
Starting from five in the morning to one at night, these Dudh Kattas have a varied range of regular customers. One of them are the mud wrestlers. Every evening after a vigorous practice, they make sure they finish at least a litre of this wholesome milk. They also have challenges within themselves of who drinks the maximum number of glasses. It is said that Shahu Maharaj himself never went without having a glass of it. May it be someone just walking at night, or someone coming from the Ambabai temple, everyone will make sure they drink this thick, rich in cream milk at these Kattas. People from the neighbouring states and villages come here to relish this delish.
This milk being pure, unadulterated, unmixed, holds great nutrition value. Lower cholesterol level, high in protein, vitamin A, minerals, the nutritive values are retained as it does not undergo the chemical processes. Even with convenient and long lasting tetra packs around, the natural and untainted form is preferred.
Even in this age of technological advancement with modern amenities, Dudh Katta proves the fact that old traditions are far more cherished and prided upon. The human sentiments involved draws us to them and helps traditional practices like the Dudh katta not just survive, but also work splendidly in the contemporary times. It is the example of literally going back to our roots. How much ever techno-savvy we become, we tend to go back and believe in what is traditionally ours, what has been passed on to use. This practice is not just about the pride, but the fact that we still believe in the purity, the community efforts of keeping it going and the attachment that we share towards it. The feel of having a hot tumbler of milk with our own people, chatting and laughing, is so warm and cannot be put into words. The anecdotes and the memories is what keeps it alive and attracts people from all over the place. The sense of authenticity binds us to them and helps them flourish. This is the reason why this age old tradition of Dudh Katta is still prospering and his here to stay for a long long time.
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