The Hindu-Hindi cultural region spans much of North India, just south of the Himalayas. It contains India’s capital and oldest city, Delhi. Delhi consists of two components Old Delhi, the historic city, and New Delhi, the capital of British India. It has historically been the site of many important battles. The Bhagavad Gita. part of the great Hindu epic The Mahabharata, takes place on the site of a great battle that took place in Kurukshetra, which today is 170 kilometers north of Delhi. The Bhagavad Gita discusses reincarnation among many other important pillars of Hinduism.

Aloo gobi is an incredibly basic dish, with variations found in almost every North Indian state. Gobi, or cauliflower, is a winter vegetable that grows abundantly in India, especially in the northern more elevated regions near the Himalayas. It grows in cooler temperatures and is therefore an essential staple food for the winter months when very few other vegetables can grow. Potato (aloo) is also a very simple and forgiving vegetable to grow, making it another staple for long winters. It requires few resources and grows abundantly. When considering the growing conditions, it makes sense that aloo and gobi together are such a common combination. Many North Indians likely survived on some form of potatoes and cauliflower to last them through the winter.