Common, unassuming, unpretentious, and yet, paramount. Nations have waged wars over it, governments have fallen, thousands have died, and many have rebelled — all over this white, grainy substance.
Salt.
One of the earliest seasonings discovered by humankind. Thanks to its diverse uses and preservative qualities, salt quickly became a necessity, vital to everyday life.
And so, it was weaponised time and again. For Indians and Pakistanis, who will celebrate Independence Day on August 15 and 14, respectively, salt was a crucial symbol of resistance during the non-cooperation movement against British colonial rule.
“Next to air and water, salt is perhaps the greatest
necessity of life,” Mahatma Gandhi once explained to a sceptical Congress Working Committee, justifying his choice of the salt tax as the first target of the Satyagraha movement.
It was after the Battle of Plassey that the British acquired their first tract of land producing salt. Soon, the East India Company moved to monopolise its production. By 1882, the India Salt Act was enacted, granting the British government exclusive rights over the collection and manufacture of salt. From then on, this everyday seasoning could only be produced and distributed at official government salt depots.
Then came the historic Dandi March in 1930, inspiring the common people to join hands with the Indian National Congress. It began with 78 of Gandhi’s trusted followers, and over 24 days, that number swelled. By the time Gandhi broke the Salt Act on 6 April 1930, around 1,00,000 people had joined the movement.
To the surprise of many, especially the British, salt had become a unifying force for a diverse population. And not just in India. Across the world, salt has long been an integral part, essential to health. So, in the week leading up to Independence Day, let’s take a closer look at the story of this humble yet powerful ingredient.
Common but precious
History tells us that humans were producing salt as early as 6,000 BC. One of the earliest known records shows people in what is now Romania boiling spring water to extract salt. Around the same time, the Chinese were also producing it.
Salt was cherished by Indians, Hebrews, Egyptians, Byzantines and more. It quickly became an important article of trade, with prehistoric salt roads connecting civilisations. One such road ran between Tibet and Nepal, winding through the Himalayas. In ancient Rome, the Via Salaria served a similar purpose.
Because salt was the best-known preservative of its time, it became a valuable bartering tool. It was also used in religious ceremonies, weddings, and even to ‘ward off evil’.
The English word ‘salary’ itself is rooted in salt — from the Latin sal. Some say Roman soldiers were paid in salt, giving rise to the term salarium, and the expression ‘worth your salt’.
Many civilisations flourished thanks to this ‘magical substance’ that shaped economies and powered trade routes. Naturally, it also became a cause for conflict. History is full of Salt Wars — such as the one between Venice and Padua in 1304.
Salt was also a key issue in both the French and American Revolutions. In France, the salt tax was one of the grievances that led to the Revolution. And in America, it was the British monopoly over salt that became a point of resistance.
In every instance, this humble ingredient played a pivotal role in shaping the course of history. And even as countries clashed, salt continued to be an everyday essential.
Various salts
The salt we use most commonly is sodium chloride (NaCl), which supplies the sodium essential for human health. It supports the nervous system, fluid balance, muscle function and more.
More importantly, fortified salt has become a key source of iodine — an essential nutrient. Iodine deficiency affects around two billion people worldwide and can lead to preventable illnesses and developmental disabilities. Hence, iodised salt was introduced as an effective, affordable solution. In India, the sale of non-iodised salt is now banned.
Beyond fortified salt, the world offers a fascinating variety of salts, each with its own origin, properties, and uses.
Pink salt
Himalayan salt is a type of rock salt and is pink in colour. Mined from the Punjab region of Pakistan, this salt gets its unique hue due to the presence of some minerals. Apart from cooking, it is also for decorations, spa treatments, etc.
Crystal salt
This salt is not powdered and appears as slightly large crystals compared to table salt. This is a naturally occurring mineral which has been used by people since prehistoric times and is used to cure meats, flavour food, in pickles and for seasoning. Crystal salt, also called rock salt, is obtained by mining underground salt deposits.
Sea salt
Sea salt is produced by the evaporation of seawater. Other than cooking and flavouring, it is also used in cosmetics. Like rock salt, sea salt has also been used since prehistoric times.
Black salt
Kala namak or black salt has an intense, sulphurous, pungent smell. The salt is produced when rock salt is heated with charcoal and some other components. It is mainly used for consumption in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The much-beloved chaat masala is made using black salt.
Table salt
This is the most common salt used for cooking across cultures. This is highly refined, powdered, and free of impurities. It is this table salt that often comes as iodised.
Fleur de sel
When salt becomes expensive, you get fleur de sal. It is a salt that forms on the surface of seawater when it evaporates. It appears as a thin, delicate crust. This salt is highly sought after by chefs in high-end kitchens due to its unique flavour.
Korean bamboo salt (Jugyom)
Well, as the name suggests, this salt is prepared by repeatedly roasting salt at high temperatures within bamboo cylinders. After the process, minerals from the bamboo will be infused into the sea salt. The making process, entirely by hand, takes around 45 days. Its price in India is over D30,000 per kilogram.