India / SEASON

Season 1

11 listed episodes · First aired January 1, 2014

Season overview

They say that variety is the spice of life. Well, Indian cuisine is abundant with both spice and variety. But how did the Indian palate come to be this colourful? The answer lies in the royal kitchens of India. Indian Royalty are the custodians of the ancient culinary traditions. Raja, Rasoi aur Anya Kahaniyaan takes us through the history of food prepared in the royal kitchens of India, whose blending of foreign imports, rare fowls, elaborate preparation methods and local herbs, created some of the best and most flavourful food in the country. We get to experience the tales of extravagance and eccentricity, of desperation and innovation, and of happy accidents. The royal love for creativity and uniqueness have led to a rich culinary tradition that makes Indian cuisine one of the most exciting ones in the world.

EPISODE GUIDE

Episodes

Full guide ↗
E1Jodhpur & Jaipur

This episode takes us to Rajasthan, and tells us of the curse that fell upon it that made it a dry, barren desert devoid of vegetation. So while we explore Rajasthan’s survival food like Panchkuta that has its origins i…

E2Tamil Nadu (Tanjore)

Tamil Nadu: This takes us to the Land of Temples- Tamil Nadu and tells the story of its food which is a story of the dynasties that ruled the land, most importantly the Cholas, and of the voyages of Chettinars who trave…

E3Delhi & Rampur

The most exhilarating journey into the history of the country’s capital, with stories as delicious as its food We go on a discovery of the roots of one of India’s most loved culinary cultures and discover them in Mughal…

E4Jammu & Kashmir

At the crossroads of the ancient silk route, laden with its bounties, here we journey into the Kashmiri kitchen that thrives on the fruits of the Dal Lake and loves the lamb We go floating by the floating gardens- the e…

E5Amritsar & Punjab

Here we find ourselves in the rich, fertile land of Punjab. We go collecting mustard from the lush mustard fields and discover the farmer’s food- his makke ki roti with dollops of butter, sarson ka saag, rajma and lassi…

E6Himachal Pradesh

Himachal takes us on a breathtaking food journey to a part of the country that was historically always at war and where little grew, and we’re fascinated to discover how these limitations amalgamate with the local needs…

E7Banaras & Allahabad

Here we journey into the holy cities of Banaras and Allahabad along the fertile Ganga-Jamuna doab and discover their histories that are as ancient as history itself. We learn how religion becomes a way of being and mani…

E8Lucknow & Mehmudabad

Tracing the history of the former nawabs of erstwhile Awadh, this takes us on a journey into the royal kitchens of Lucknow and Mehmudabad. We discover the origins of dum biryani and the fascinating lore behind the galaw…

E9Mysore & Coorg

We travel to Mysore and trace the histories of its royals- from Tipu Sultan to the Wodeyar King and discover how the culinary delights of the royal kitchens came to be integral to the cuisine of Mysore at large- Mysore …

E10Kerala & Munnar

We go on a breath-taking journey into God’s Own- Kerala and discover food that may well befit the Gods. We go along backwaters and on coconut trails, meet fishermen and learn of Chinese fishing nets. We discover the hea…

E11Gujarat

This takes us to the dry, arid Kutch where we discover, to great joy, that despite scanty vegetation, there is no dearth of culinary delights. We travel across this land of Krishna and Mahavir and learn how their teachi…