Indian Chilli Varieties: Heat and Colour
The hottest Indian chilli is the ghost pepper (Bhut Jolokia), at about 1,001,304 SHU. Most cooking chillies sold in India are far milder: Guntur is about 36,160 SHU and Kashmiri about 20,800 SHU.
Data checked October 20, 2026 · How we rank and verify
By heat
| Pepper | Typical heat (SHU) | Measured range | vs jalapeño | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raja Mircha | not measured | 272,897–1,037,305 SHU | 200× | Lab tested |
| Ghost Pepper | 1,001,304 | 855,000–1,041,427 SHU | 200× | Lab tested |
| Naga Morich | 1,000,000 | 800,000–1,500,000 SHU | 200× | Breeder claim |
| Dalle Khursani | 393,950 | 304,863–456,636 SHU | 79× | Lab tested |
| Kanthari | 80,640 | 80,640 SHU | 16× | Lab tested |
| Guntur Chilli | 36,160 | 35,000–40,000 SHU | 7.2× | Lab tested |
| Kashmiri Chilli | 20,800 | 20,800–52,000 SHU | 4.2× | Lab tested |
| Byadgi Chilli | 10,000 | 5,000–15,000 SHU | 2× | Lab tested |
Indian comparisons
- Carolina Reaper vs Ghost PepperCarolina Reaper 1.6×
- Pepper X vs Ghost PepperPepper X 2.7×
- Ghost Pepper vs Trinidad Moruga ScorpionTrinidad Moruga Scorpion 1.2×
- Ghost Pepper vs HabaneroGhost Pepper 4.5×
- Naga Morich vs Ghost Pepperabout the same
- Dorset Naga vs Naga Morichabout the same
- Raja Mircha vs Ghost Peppersame landrace
- Ghost Pepper vs Dalle KhursaniGhost Pepper 2.5×
- Dalle Khursani vs HabaneroDalle Khursani 1.8×
- Byadgi Chilli vs Kashmiri ChilliKashmiri Chilli 2.1×
- Kashmiri Chilli vs Guntur ChilliGuntur Chilli 1.7×
- Guntur Chilli vs Byadgi ChilliGuntur Chilli 3.6×
- Kanthari vs Bird's Eye Chilliabout the same
- Kashmiri Chilli vs CayenneCayenne 1.9×
- Guntur Chilli vs CayenneCayenne 1.1×
Questions
What is the hottest chilli in India?
The ghost pepper (Bhut Jolokia) from Northeast India, at about 1,001,304 SHU in New Mexico State University tests. Sikkim's Dalle Khursani is next among tested Indian chillies at about 393,950 SHU.
Is Kashmiri chilli hot?
Hotter than its reputation. The popular "1,000–2,000 SHU" figure has no source; lab measurements imply about 20,800–52,000 SHU. It is still mild next to Guntur chilli and is mainly used for colour.
Is Raja Mircha the same as Bhut Jolokia?
They belong to the same landrace group. The Nagaland GI application calls the crop Naga Mircha or Raja Mircha, and a 2016 study treats Naga King chilli, Bhut Jolokia and Umorok as one group.
Which Indian chillies have a GI tag?
Naga Mircha (Nagaland, 2008), Guntur Sannam (2010), Byadgi (2011) and Dalle Khursani (2021) are registered geographical indications in the IP India registry. There is no GI for Kashmiri chilli or Kanthari.