No electricity, no bills. Rajasthan’s 100-year-old natural cooling system is made from clay, cow dung, and grass. It can keep food fresh even in hot summers

In metro cities, it is almost impossible to imagine spending summer months without a fridge. How else can you reach out for refreshing cold beverages, chilled ice cream, cold milk, or even a glass of plain, chilled water? But in many rural areas where access to electricity can be limited or inconsistent, people have long relied on simple, ingenious alternatives to keep their food fresh. Drawing from traditional knowledge and locally available materials, these methods offer a sustainable way to beat the heat without depending on modern appliances. One such example is Rajasthan’s rapidly disappearing ‘desi fridge’.

Rajasthan’s desi fridge

Rajasthan is known for its dry and humid weather conditions, with temperatures reaching almost 50 degrees Celcius in peak summer months. But even before electricity reached every home, Rajasthan had already found a way to keep food and drinks naturally cool without modern, electric-operated refrigerators. But sadly, this century-old method is now slipping back into oblivion due to new tech-savvy inventions.




According to a report by The Better India, in parts of Rajasthan, the elderly people would make a natural fridge from locally sourced materials like clay, cow dung, and grass. They required no wires, and hence there was no worrying about paying hefty electricity bills. The process of building this fridge was passed down through generations.

India’s natural cooling methods

The striking aspect about this fridge is that it can keep milk and curd fresh for long durations. Even rotis can remain soft for hours if kept inside, even in the harsh and scorching summer temperatures. It is the material that takes all the credit. Porous clay allows slow evaporation, cooling the air within, while the khipra grass roof adds insulation.


India has long been using eco-friendly and natural practices. Another similar example is that of Kerala’s 300-year-old way of making floors, a technique known as kaavi flooring that helps homes stay cool even in the summer heat. This type of method does not use cement or chemicals but water, iron oxide and lime. Artisans mix them with their bare hands, allowing them to cool naturally. The surface is polished for several hours with coconut oil to give it a mirror-like shine.