The thought of a hot cup of coffee gazing at the pouring rain still remains a dream for the city’s residents as the monsoon delays its arrival. Exacerbating the situation are the temperatures touching the 40 degree Celsius mark. With the rain gods playing truant, it is important to keep yourself well hydrated and the juice shops in the city help in doing so. Prepared with a mix of seasonal fruits, herbs and spices, these drinks provide a perfect way to cool off in the sizzling summer heat. Instead of guzzling bottled beverages, people prefer to have fresh juices, traditional drinks like sugandhi (Indian sarsaparilla), maaredu (wood apple juice) and ice golas .
Stationed at short distances on carts or in kiosks, fresh fruit juices or shakes can be found at every nook and corner of the city. N Kumar has been selling tender coconut on Beach Road for the past 20 years. Despite summers being the peak tourist season, the vendor claims a 60 % drop in his business in the past two weeks. All thanks to the prolonged summer spell and a steep rise in temperatures. Though summers are considered good for business, he says temperatures soaring this high is not a good news. It just keeps everything away — people and business.
“The whole day is spent waiting for customers and there is not one soul on the streets for most part of the day. Whatever little business happens is just during the latter part of the day,” he says.
A similar feeling is shared by D Ravikumar of Sips and Shake, a juice centre on Beach Road which sells fresh fruit juices and milkshakes. “When the temperatures are within the 30-degree mark people still stop for refreshments but at this temperature, people avoid stepping out. The business is a little better for those with air conditioned outlets,” he says.
Adding to Ravikumar, Manjushree Gopal who stopped at his store for a milkshake says, “It has been a harsh summer, especially the last week. No one would step out voluntarily,” she laughs. Gopal says that fresh juices and traditional drinks like shikanji (lemonade) are a better way of hydrating rather than the bottled drinks. Sugandhi juice helps purify blood, is also considered to be a cooling agent and an effective remedy to counter a sunstroke. The footpath of the road leading to Satyam Junction is lined with vendors selling sugarcane juices and freshly-cut fruits. The stretch is a delight for those bearing the intense heat.
Nutritionist Anjali Dange advises that the best way to stay hydrated is the intake of seasonal fruits and juices like watermelon, pineapple and kiwi. “Even for the fresh juices, avoid adding sugar and other sweetening agents. However, just fruit juices will not be enough. Due to perspiration, we lose a lot of salt from their body; so a glass of spiced buttermilk helps to maintain balance. This applies even to the people who stay indoors. Usually people think they are safe in the AC. But even during these times having a minimum of two litres of water is necessary,” she says.
