Why Your

Upma Recipe

Is Actually A Link To South India's Millet History

South India's Millet Foundation

Ancient Tamil texts, dating back 300 BCE to 300 CE, mention millets in South Indian cuisine. The southern peninsular region has both wet and dry climates, with arid patches dominating a handful of areas in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Naturally, these regions were, and remain, suited to crops that need minimal water and can withstand dry spells.

Millets, which were traditionally grown as rain-fed crops, were well-suited to the dry climate of the Deccan Plateau in southern India. Finger millet (ragi), pearl millet (bajra), sorghum (jowar), foxtail millet, kodo millet, and little millet were all cultivated across the region in rotation with local legumes and vegetables.

When Semolina Entered the Picture

Semolina (rava or sooji) is derived from durum wheat, a crop that requires significantly more water and more fertile soil than millets. Its use in India grew gradually through trade and later accelerated under British colonial agricultural policy, which reorganised what was grown and what entered the market.

Originally a simple porridge made from coarse rice flour or millet, upma eventually transitioned to semolina as its grain of choice, transforming it into the comfort food it is known for today. The exact moment of transition is hard to pin down because it didn't happen uniformly or even on a massive scale.

The Green Revolution's Role

Launched in India in the late 1960s, the Green Revolution was introduced as a response to food insecurity. It introduced high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice, with government subsidies, minimum support prices, and public distribution systems heavily weighted toward those two crops.

The production of millets decreased as the Green Revolution did not focus on minor cereals. The crops that were once consumed in every household became a fodder crop in just a few decades.

Khara Bath and Kesari Bath

Karnataka has a particularly distinct version of the upma recipe: khara bath, the savoury version of the sweet kesari bath. The two are served together on one plate, a combination called chow chow bath, still a defining feature of Bengaluru's breakfast culture.

In its older form, both sides of this pairing were almost certainly made from coarser, nuttier millet flours rather than refined semolina. The sweet-savoury combination and the tempering method are ancestral. The semolina is the substitute.

What makes khara bath distinct from a basic upma is the spicing: sambar masala or garam masala is added along with red chilli powder, rather than green chillies, giving it a more layered, restaurant-style flavour. This is the version now associated with Bengaluru's legendary breakfast institutions like MTR and Brahmin's Coffee Bar.

What Was Lost in Translation

The switch to semolina also had agricultural consequences. Millets are drought-resistant, need no irrigation, and can grow in depleted soils. The aggressive push for ‘miracle’ wheat and rice varieties discouraged the cultivation of indigenous crops such as millets, leading to a loss of agricultural biodiversity.

Millets are nutritionally superior to refined semolina in nearly every measure. They are higher in dietary fibre, protein, iron, calcium, and magnesium. Ragi is particularly rich in calcium. Foxtail millet has a low glycemic index, making it useful for blood sugar management. Jowar and bajra support heart health through their fibre content.

The Stigma That Followed

The issue now arises is of epic snobbery that was something Indians picked up, or rather were conditioned under colonial rule. ‘Millets are poor people’s food’ is what rang clear for many. Even today, these grains evoke memories of scarcity, seen as inferior foods, consumed out of necessity rather than choice. 

This perception took root as wheat and rice became staples. The seeds were sown over decades, under the influence of the British Raj. These two grains were also associated with urbanisation in the late 1800s to 1900s and with a measure of economic progress and urban life. Something like a millet upma recipe gave the new elites an ‘ick’. The biggest irony? Millets were far superior in terms of fibre and other nutrients. 

The Revival: Millet Upma Returns

It took a lot of push to bring ancient grains back, and it perhaps kicked off with the United Nations' declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets. It was pivotal in raising awareness of the nutritional benefits of millets and the environmental benefits of millet farming.

This is quite literally coming home for India, as the soil and climate are already perfect for growing millets and strengthening its agrarian roots. India is the world's largest producer of millets, so it proposed this designation and used it to push both cultivation and consumption. Local ripples were further evident through government schemes, as millet tiffin centres and restaurant menus began to include millets across metropolises.

The Old Upma Needs A Revival

The upma on your plate is older than rava, which is broken wheat, introduced by a culture really fond of its bread. It’s high time that the old ways of eating are evaluated and embraced to live a life not plagued by the usual bloating, acidity, and health ailments that have become common today.