Author: Deep Singh

Discovering Millets and Himalayan Ingredients in Rishikesh this Summer 2025
In the age of clean eating and conscious living, wellness isn’t just about what you do — it’s also about what you choose to put on your plate. At The Roseate Ganges, perched in the foothills of the Himalayas and rooted in the healing spirit of Rishikesh, the return to wholesome, seasonal, and nourishing food is more than a philosophy and at the heart of this renewed approach lies a quietly powerful ingredient: millets.

Ancient Grains with Modern Benefits
Millets — a family of small-seeded grains cultivated in India for thousands of years — are finally receiving the attention they deserve. Once a staple in traditional Indian households, millets were gradually replaced by rice and wheat over the decades. But today, with a renewed global focus on nutrient-rich, easily digestible foods that are also environmentally sustainable, millets are making a well-deserved comeback.

From foxtail to kodo, barnyard to finger millet (ragi), each variety offers its own set of benefits: they’re naturally gluten-free, rich in fibre, and packed with iron, calcium, magnesium, and antioxidants. Better still, millets are known for their low glycaemic index, making them ideal for those looking to stabilise energy levels, improve digestion, or manage weight gently and naturally.

A Natural Fit for Wellness-Focused Travel
For travellers seeking to align mind, body, and spirit through yoga by the river, conscious and slow living, or Ayurvedic healing rituals, what you eat should nourish and support your journey.

At our luxury wellness retreat in Rishikesh, meals are thoughtfully prepared with this philosophy at heart. Our culinary team works closely with local farmers to incorporate a variety of native millets into the daily menu — ingredients revered in ancient Indian nutrition for their therapeutic benefits and now celebrated for their role in modern wellness.

This back-to-the-roots approach goes far beyond taste and promotes digestive ease, hormonal balance, and sustained vitality — key pillars of holistic wellbeing. Among the stars of our millet-centric menu:

● Bajra (Pearl Millet): An excellent source of energy, fibre, and essential nutrients like iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. Known to aid in weight loss, diabetes management, and healthier hair, skin, and nails and best enjoyed in porridge, soups, pilafs, rotis, and even desserts.

● Ragi (Finger Millet): Rich in calcium, iron, protein, and dietary fibre, Ragi supports strong bones, improves digestion, helps lower bad cholesterol, and assists in weight management. It is a favourite in breakfast cereals, rotis, shakes, salads, pancakes, and cookies.

● Jhangora (Barnyard Millet): A powerhouse of iron, calcium, and magnesium, Jhangora is perfect for gluten-free diets and supports bone health, blood sugar regulation, and antioxidant protection. It finds delicious expressions in khichdi, dosas, idlis, kheer, and baked goods.

By reimagining ancient grains for today’s discerning wellness traveller, we offer meals that are light, satisfying, and deeply grounding — a true extension of the retreat’s soul-nourishing experience.

Millets and Ayurveda
In Ayurveda, millets are considered sattvic — foods that promote clarity, calmness, and vitality. They are also seen as balancing for the Kapha dosha, helping to reduce sluggishness and build lightness in the body. Their warming quality makes them especially suited for transitional weather and for those seeking to detox gently while still staying energised.

Incorporating millets into your diet — even during a short escape — can be an easy way to support immunity, reduce inflammation, and feel more attuned to the rhythms of nature. And when you’re dining amidst the serenity of the hills, it’s all the more effortless.

The Environmental Bonus: Food That’s Good for the Earth
Millets are inherently sustainable too. They require less water, minimal fertiliser, and are naturally resistant to pests. In fact, they’ve long been cultivated by Himalayan communities as hardy, rain-fed crops. Choosing millets, then, isn’t just good for you but also a small but significant way to support regenerative agriculture and local ecosystems.

Experience the Millet Revival at The Roseate Ganges
If nourishment is the focus running through your stay with options of healthy eating in Rishikesh, this summer’s Story of Millets is where it all comes together — a gentle tribute to ingredients that heal, sustain, and bring us back to the roots of mindful eating.

From 12th to 30th May at Chidya Ghar, experience a limited-time menu thoughtfully centred around millets at one of the best wellness resorts in India. Designed to be both grounding and flavourful, the menu pairs chef-led dishes with refreshing, locally inspired mocktails.

Offered as a curated set menu (INR 3500++) or à la carte,it has to be a part of your retreat!

For reservations, call +91 8800024304 or email [email protected].

A Summer of Taste and Wellness at The Roseate Ganges

Planning a summer escape to Rishikesh is always quietly bursting with hope. One hopes to draw from the strength of the Ganges, the quiet solitude of the hills, and a retreat from the over-busy, over-connected everyday with yoga at sunrise, long walks on sun-dappled trails, and a moment of quiet in nature. And then, perhaps, a quiet surprise — a golden drink in your hand, sweetened not with sugar, but with something real and rooted: honey.

From 19th to 25th May 2025, Chidya Ghar Bar at The Roseate Ganges invites you to sip summer differently. ‘With Love, from the Honey Bee’, is a week-long celebration of this natural nectar, expressed in an exclusive selection of cocktails and mocktails crafted with locally sourced honey.

The Legacy of Honey in the Himalayan Foothills
Honey has long held a sacred place in Indian culture, not just as food, but as medicine, ritual, and symbol.

In Ayurveda, it is revered as one of the traya upastambha — the three great natural medicines — and is widely recognised as the most potent antidote to Kapha dosha, which governs congestion and sluggishness in the body. In Rishikesh, honey is precious, sweet and therapeutic. The region offers a stunning diversity of local honey, each with its own texture, flavour profile, and wellness properties. From the wild-gathered forest honey of Uttarakhand to the light, floral acacia honey of the lowlands, every drop adds to the rich story of the land. You will also find raw honey, untouched by pasteurisation or filtration, preserving its natural enzymes and nutrients. The pahadi honey from higher elevations — prized for its purity and potency — and even flavoured honeys, gently infused with herbs or spices like tulsi, cinnamon, and lemon for enhanced health benefits.

At The Roseate Ganges, we believe ingredients this rich deserve to be experienced slowly — preferably in a glass, under the open sky.

The Case for Honey in Your Drink
Cocktails are about contrast — sweet against sour, sharp against smooth, but when sweetness comes from honey instead of sugar syrup, the experience changes entirely. There’s more texture, more warmth, and more character. Honey naturally brings its own flavour notes — floral, herbal, sometimes smoky. It clings differently to citrus, bonds better with botanicals, and finishes smoother on the palate while allowing the mixologist to build a drink that doesn’t just taste good but also feels good. From a crisp honey-cucumber cooler to a honey-whiskey sour, the possibilities are endlessly playful.

For those skipping the spirits, mocktails made with honey, mint, lemon and a hint of pink salt offer the perfect summer sip too — refreshing and revitalising, without the crash.

Introducing ‘With Love, from the Honey Bee’ at Chidya Ghar
19th – 25th May 2025 | 1 PM – 9 PM

At one of the best luxury wellness resorts in Rishikesh, overlooking the serene Ganges, Chidya Ghar , one of the best bars in Rishikesh becomes a hive of mixological creativity — serving a limited-edition menu where every drink is stirred with Himalayan honey.

Every refreshing drink- honey spritzers, ginger-honey martinis, or mocktails laced with wild basil and lime- shaken with citrus or layered with spices, is designed to bring out the best of summer — all naturally!

A Taste That Belongs to This Place
What makes a drink unforgettable isn’t always the alcohol but also the ambience, the ingredients, the connection to where you are, and at The Roseate Ganges, your luxurious summer wellness retreat in Rishikesh, we believe in grounding indulgence in local beauty, and in honouring what grows near us.

A quiet weekend, a riverside escape, or a post-yoga aperitif, With Love, from the Honey Bee at Chidya Ghar this May is your invitation to sip consciously, and savour every golden drop!

To know more or book your table: +91 8800024304 | [email protected]