NEW DELHI: In a compelling new episode of The New Indian Podcast, Executive Editor Rohan Dua explored the formative influences on Ayurvedic chef and author Divya Alter, whose life journey spans communist Bulgaria, spiritual searching, and her eventual immersion in Indian philosophy.
During the conversation, Rohan asked her a simple yet profound question:
“Which culture influenced you sharply over the years?”
Divya’s answer unveiled a powerful personal history.
“Well, I grew up in communist Bulgaria,” she began. “So for the first 18 years of my life, I was brought up as an atheist because the doctrine of communism rejects God.”
She recalled an atmosphere where religious expression was actively discouraged.
“We didn’t have temples… We did have Orthodox churches, but they were not encouraged. No, we were actually forbidden to go to church,” she said, describing how the state imposed surveillance on students. “There would be people spying to see if students go to church.”
A turning point came when she was 17, studying in a school located right next to a church that she was not allowed to enter.
“I felt that something was missing. I was an excellent school student, and I started searching,” Divya shared.
Her search for meaning led her to world literature and Indian philosophy.
“I read Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse and learned about ancient Indian philosophy, and I was so drawn to it,” she said.
At an age when most teens look forward to celebrations, Divya took a radically different path.
“I decided I’m not going to prom. I told my parents this is vanity,” she recounted with a laugh. “I don’t want you to spend money on prom.”
Instead, she immersed herself in spiritual learning.
“I started studying yoga with whatever books were available,” she said, describing the early seeds of a journey that would eventually take her to India, Vrindavan, Ayurveda, and the establishment of her globally renowned restaurant, Divya’s Kitchen.
The episode adds a deeply personal layer to Divya Alter’s public persona, revealing how a young girl raised under an anti-religious regime became one of the world’s most influential voices in Ayurvedic cooking and philosophy.
