Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 23: At a time when old traditions are fading, the village of Dudran in Boniyar tehsil of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district houses a cluster of remarkable structures that have quietly defied time and technology.
Known locally as Dodh Khots—literally “milk huts”—these natural refrigerators have been used for generations to make yogurt and preserve milk, meat, and other perishables.
After travelling about 50 kilometres from Baramulla town, one comes across these structures, which are collectively used by several families to store food items.
Ingeniously crafted into small caves, fortified with stone walls and wooden roofs, and protected by wooden fencing, the Dodh Khots are a fine example of sustainable practices adopted by the villagers.
These specially designed huts, as per locals, shield perishable food items from the harsh summer heat and wild animals.
They require no electricity, working in harmony with nature. “These natural fridges help in keeping eatables fresh; we don’t require modern refrigerators,” said Noor u Din Sheikh, a resident of Dudran, pointing towards one of the 20 Dodh Khots around him.
“We store meat for days and it remains fresh. The yogurt we make in these tastes different. Traditionally, these were mainly for yogurt, but now we also store meat. We make cheese, lassi, even ghee—some of it we sell, some we use at home,” he added.
According to villagers, the practice is at least a century old and continues despite rapid technological changes.
“Around 40 households use these natural fridges to make yogurt and store other eatables,” said Ghulam Nabi, another resident. “This has been going on for generations. These are our desi fridges. We don’t rely on market products,” he added.
He added that each structure lasts around 15 years. “They get damaged over time, but we rebuild them using wood and stones.”
For locals, the Dodh Khots are more than relics of a bygone era; they are living proof of ancestral wisdom.
“These structures show that the knowledge of our elders still holds relevance in a modern world dominated by energy guzzling appliances,” a villager remarked.
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