Desi Cooling Hacks

As Indian summers grow hotter every year, people are once again turning to familiar household cooling habits that many grew up watching their parents and grandparents use effortlessly. Long before air conditioners became common, homes relied on simple yet thoughtful ways to stay cool — clay pots filled with water, khus curtains hanging near windows, cotton bedsheets, shaded balconies, hand fans, and cross ventilation that kept air moving naturally through the house.

Today, as rising electricity bills and climate concerns push people to rethink excessive cooling consumption, these traditional methods are quietly finding relevance again.

Back To Basics

For homemaker Wendy Fernandes, many of these habits never really disappeared. “We still keep water in a matka (earthen pot) during summer because the water feels naturally soothing,” she says. “Even when we use the AC, we try not to depend on it all day. My mother always believed the house should stay airy instead of completely shut.”

Across many Indian homes, clay pots remain one of the simplest and most effective cooling tools. Unlike refrigerated water, matka water cools naturally through evaporation and often feels gentler during extreme heat. Similarly, khus curtains — made using fragrant vetiver grass — continue to be used in parts of North India. When sprinkled with water, they cool incoming air while adding an earthy fragrance to the room.

Return of Low-Tech Cooling

Interestingly, many younger Indians are also beginning to appreciate these older cooling techniques, especially as conversations around sustainability become more mainstream.

Aarav Menon, an engineering student, says he became more aware of energy-efficient living during repeated summer power cuts in his hostel. “You realise how dependent we’ve become on ACs the moment electricity goes off,” he says. “Simple things like blackout curtains, keeping windows open during cooler hours, or using earthen pots actually help more than people think.”

Engineering and climate experts often point out that many traditional Indian homes were originally designed around passive cooling. High ceilings, courtyards, shaded verandas, jali work, terracotta roofs, and lime-coated walls helped regulate indoor temperatures naturally long before modern cooling systems existed.

Modern apartments, however, are often built with less ventilation and greater heat retention, which increases dependence on air conditioners and coolers.

While ACs remain essential during extreme heatwaves, especially in urban areas, their growing use also contributes to rising electricity consumption and environmental stress. This has encouraged more people to look at hybrid cooling methods that combine technology with traditional wisdom.

Smarter Ways to Stay Cool

Energy-efficient appliances are now becoming part of that conversation. Inverter ACs, cooling fans with lower power consumption, insulated curtains, heat-reflective window films, and smart ventilation systems are helping reduce excessive energy use while maintaining comfort indoors.

At the same time, many people are rediscovering small habits that make a surprisingly big difference. Using lighter cotton fabrics, avoiding heavy cooking during peak afternoon heat, staying hydrated with traditional drinks like chaas or aam panna, and allowing natural airflow into the home are all simple practices that reduce heat stress naturally.

Beyond physical comfort, experts say cooling practices also influence emotional well-being during harsh summers. Jessica Lobo, a behavioural psychologist, explains that excessive heat can quietly affect mood, sleep, concentration, and stress levels. “When people feel overheated for long periods, they often become more irritable, mentally fatigued, and emotionally restless,” she says. “Cooling rituals, even small ones, create a sense of psychological relief and comfort.”

Lobo believes traditional Indian cooling habits often carried an emotional and sensory calmness that modern cooling systems sometimes lack. The smell of wet khus curtains, afternoon naps under ceiling fans, cool matka water after coming home from the heat, or sleeping on cotton sheets were all deeply linked to feelings of comfort and familiarity.

Cooling With Balance

The conversation today is not really about choosing between traditional cooling methods and modern technology. In a country facing rising temperatures and unpredictable climate patterns, both have their place. Air conditioners undoubtedly offer relief during severe heatwaves, but older cooling techniques remind people that comfort does not always have to come with excessive consumption.

Perhaps that is why many households are slowly moving toward balance instead of extremes — using technology where necessary while bringing back thoughtful habits that work with the climate instead of against it. Sometimes, staying cool is not only about lowering the temperature of a room. It is also about creating spaces that feel lighter, calmer, and easier to live in during the hottest months of the year.