BARAMULLA: In Dudran, a milk-centric village in Baramulla, residents operate their milk business without relying on electricity-consuming refrigerators. Instead, they depend on traditional wisdom for their milk-related activities.
This small village with 79 homes is important because the people here have been continuing an old tradition of storing milk for many generations.
For many decades, the women in Dudran have been using Dodh Khot to keep their milk, cheese, and butter safe. These women are really good at taking care of Dodh Khot, making sure it stays at just the right temperature to keep their special dairy products fresh.
These khots are basically little houses made from stones and wood, which are ensconced within fences to keep animals away from the milk and other things. In Dudran, folks focus solely on working with cow milk and its products.
Dudran’s Dodh Khot is now a sign of keeping things going strong by blending tradition, business creativity, and a promise to keep things pure. As these women balance the old and the new, it shows how well ancient practices can stand strong even when the world around them is changing fast.
Keeping milk in Dodh khots is an ancient method that doesn’t use electricity, and the milk stays fresh for a long time. That’s why people call it a weather-friendly practice, as it works well in all sorts of conditions.
Haji Noor Mohammed (68) said, “I still remember my childhood when our houses had a special natural fridge. In the hot summer, my mom cleverly kept milk and other things cool in our own Dodh Khot.”
The dairy goodies from Dudran’s Dodh Khot are pure and healthy, with no fake preservatives. When it’s cold in winter, they keep fresh milk in clay or steel pots inside the khots, keeping it warm and making it turn into curd easily. It’s a smart way to preserve the natural goodness of the products.
The milk storage solution in Dudran, utilising Dodh Khot near natural springs, contributes to mitigating negative climate impacts. By avoiding electricity-consuming refrigerators, the village reduces its carbon footprint, promoting environmental sustainability.
The reliance on traditional, low-tech methods aligns with eco-friendly practices, minimising the village’s overall environmental impact. Additionally, this approach is resilient to potential disruptions caused by climate-related power outages, ensuring a more dependable milk storage system even in adverse conditions.
Overall, Dudran’s traditional wisdom not only preserves a cultural tradition but also offers a climate-resilient and environmentally conscious alternative for milk storage.
This sustainable model in Dudran can serve as an inspiration for other communities, promoting the adoption of environmentally friendly practices and reducing the overall impact of human activities on the climate.
Farooqa Bano, who lives in Dudran, said, “In our village, we don’t have fridges. Instead, we’ve been using something called Dodh khot for a long time, and it works really well for us.”
“This way of doing things has become a normal part of our everyday lives, showing that it’s dependable. Even though we don’t have modern refrigerators, Dodh khot has been like a reliable friend for us. It always works, showing that keeping things simple can be really effective. In our village, where traditions are important, Dodh khot is a sign of how resourceful and practical we can be.” she added
In Dudran, villagers use Dodh khots to naturally store all their milk and its different products. Families who sell milk can make about 10 thousand to 15 thousand rupees per month without having to spend on fridges or electricity.
In the summer, almost every home in Dudran stores milk and uses a local process called “gurus” to make butter and curd.
Locals believe that these pure, natural milk products are healthy since they lack modern preservatives. These homemade goods are their way of managing various health problems.
Aamina Bano shares her daily routine, explaining, “I keep two or four pots of milk in a cave to make butter and curd. After five days, I bring the milk home and turn it into butter.” Her hard work pays off, and she happily tells us that she makes up to 15,000 rupees every month by selling pure dairy products. What makes their products special is their dedication to keeping things pure and natural.
Dudran’s whole economy revolves around cow milk and its tasty products, with these basic Dodh Khots forming the core of a lasting dairy business that helps people make a living and keeps their traditional way of life intact. It is special because it relies on eco-friendly and weather-proof practices.
Dudran’s whole economy revolves around cow milk and its tasty products, with these basic Dodh Koths being the core of a lasting dairy business that helps people make a living and keeps their way of life intact. It’s special because it sticks to eco-friendly and weather-proof practices.
In a world dealing with climate changes and sustainability problems, Dudran shows us an important lesson: sometimes, the answers we’re looking for are in the wisdom our ancestors passed on to us.
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