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Boti cooks: Inside Himachal’s 1,000-year-old Dham tradition. Watch the video
From a sacred fire ritual to slow-cooked delicacies, discover the centuries-old tradition of Himachali Dham and the skilled Boti cooks who keep this culinary heritage alive.
Long before sunrise, while most of Himachal Pradesh is still asleep, the legendary Boti cooks begin preparing one of India's oldest culinary traditions—the Himachali Dham. The ritual starts with building a six-foot fire trench fueled by pinewood. Before cooking begins, the head cook bows and touches the sacred cooking spot with his forehead, honoring a tradition passed down through generations. Watch the video to know the whole story