New Delhi
In the central Indian landscape, the summer season interlinked with Mahua is hard to miss. During this period, a gentle breeze lulls the senses. A sweet but heavy smell wafts in the air which signals the flower’s arrival.
The name Mahua rings like music to the ears and evokes a romantic feeling. In reality, however, the flower’s association with life is much more prosaic. Unlike flowers which define love and poetry, the usage of Mahua is steeped in practicality in the tribal society.
In village after village dominated by tribal communities, the small, juicy and pale-yellow flowers are carefully collected. One such collection moment is etched in the memory. Four years back while in Latehar district of Jharkhand, when it was an ideal time for afternoon repose, a couple worked on despite the heat under a clump of trees by the main road. With bent backs, the man and his wife picked up the flowers from the ground and kept them in bamboo baskets.
During the peak Mahua season, it is not only the adults who are found at work. Sometimes, adolescents and even children collect and carry the flowers home on roads flanked by tall Sal trees. Despite the heat, people work hard. Mahua promises a good income, as it enjoys a minimum support price declared by the Centre.
Sweet-Smelling Summers
While in places like Delhi and elsewhere, flowers like the Amaltas and the pink Bougainvillea shrubs in full bloom herald the advent of the summer season, in the Mahua-dominated areas, it is hard to miss the sight of these sweet-smelling flowers.
Right from March to May, the grounds are covered with yellow flowers. They lie half hidden amidst leaves and twigs. At times, due to controlled burning of the undergrowth, the flowers are found on a blackened surface. This helps gatherers spot the miniature flowers easily, and saves time and effort. Sometimes, nets or sarees tied to trees are used to collect the flowers.
In Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, a part of the Bastar sub-division, families gather under huge Mahua trees to collect the prized flowers that fall on the ground. Collection starts at dawn and continues till afternoon. Tired by the activity, families take rest under the shade of trees and partake of meals. It is not uncommon to find children sleeping in the vicinity while mothers collect the flowers. It is a hectic season, just like when paddy is sown and harvested.
Post collection, a portion of the juicy flowers is sold at local markets which fetches a good rate. A perishable item, the fresh flowers are rid of quickly. But a considerable amount gathered during the season is sundried for days until they change colour and then stored. The dried flowers are sold at Rs 30 per kg.
Brownish in colour, dried Mahua is used throughout the year to brew Mahua liquor called mand. In Bastar, it is customary to greet guests with Mahua liquor in the same way tea and coffee are served to visitors elsewhere.
Cultural Connection
An important minor forest produce across Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand, Mahua is not only a source of livelihood for tribals, but is also an intrinsic part of their culture.
At tribal markets, the sight of dried Mahua flowers underlines its importance. In its dried form, it can be always kept close to one’s body and even the heart. In such places, traders wait for customers as they sit near heaps of dried Mahua flowers stacked on the ground. They resemble raisins. Dried Mahua flowers are spotted at markets throughout the year and can be consumed directly.
Flowers like the Rose and the Lily are prized across cultures. But they end up in bins once they shrivel up and dry. Orchids last longer, but eventually meet the same fate. The Mahua, however, goes on and takes a new form as an intoxicating brew in bottles. Mahua liquor is enjoyed throughout the year. The Mahua’s story is deep. Its connection is intimate and everlasting. The cycle continues.
In Chhattisgarh, tribal families prepare Mahua liquor in their houses. A simple process involving fermentation, it is essential to the tribal lifestyle. Mahua liquor is even served to deities during important festivals in Bastar. Conventionally, served in leaf bowls, it is sold in glass bottles too. At tribal markets, women also enjoy Mahua liquor.
Bastar resident Budhram Kawasi informed The Indian Tribal that though the dried flowers are mostly used to make liquor, there is another item made, known as the Mahua ras, which is somewhat reddish in colour. “The dried flowers are boiled in water and squeezed with hand to make the ras which is consumed. It is believed to fight anaemia. But mostly, the liquor is preferred,” he pointed out.
Apart from the fresh flowers and their dried forms, Mahua seeds, known as tora, are also important. The Mahua or tora oil, which is good for the skin and also used in cooking, is extracted from the seeds. The removal of the seed coat is carried out manually.
“Mahua, often referred to as the tree of life, is sacred to the tribals of Chhattisgarh. Its branches are used to decorate mandaps during weddings,” said B. Bindu, who runs a travel start-up in Jagdalpur, Bastar.
With forest loss happening on an alarming scale due to a number of factors, it is essential that mahua trees central to the tribal consciousness, life and economy do not fall prey to human greed. The deep connection must survive so that year after year the flowers can be gathered, nurtured and revered.
