Found in high altitude forests, lichens are an important ingredient of almost all spice mixes of India
A COUPLE OF years ago, I went to Narayan Bagar, a small hamlet in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand to look for a vehicle to take me to Ghesh village, one of the last villages that lead to the alpine pastures of Bagji. It was a pleasant cold evening in western Himalayas and I saw residents returning back from forests with fuelwood, fodder and leaf litter. They also had sacks full of something that they were very possessive about. Responding to my curious enquiries, one resident said, “jhula hai madam ji”. Jhula is the local name for lichens that grow profusely in the area. Over the next few days I tried to find out more about the extraction and trade of lichens from small mountain hamlets of Garhwal. Lichens are sold in the market under various trade names including jhula, mukku, makku, chadila and dagadphool. In local village haats (small shops), these are sold by spice traders. Lichens are also sold in big grocery stores of small cities as these are an important ingredient of garam masala and other spice mixes. Even spice mandis, including the biggest one in Khari Baoli in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, stock them. Lichens are collected from oak forests from September to March every year.
Denne historien er fra June 16, 2018-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra June 16, 2018-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
