Monsoon's special delicacy

Times of India, Sept, 21, 2013
Bikash Khemka, TNN | Sep 21, 2013, 05.32 AM IST
BHAWANIPATNA: The monsoon springs up a special delicacy in Kalahandi. The moment rains come, tribal families here get together to collect bamboo shoots and prepare kardi and handua, which have emerged as popular delicacies.

Kardi is produced by bamboo shoots after cutting it into pieces, while handua is prepared after drying and grinding it. Once the bamboo shoots are cut into round pieces, it is dried on the hills under the sun and then crushed after placing it on an iron pot. These delicious dished are rich in nutrients.

Ten families of Kabanjhaju village under Gundri Panchayat of Lanjigarh block, about 20 km from Bhawanipatana, have made the bamboo shoots their livelihood, especially during the rainy season. The bamboo shoots grow up in the rainy season in the forest area. In other parts of the year, these families are engaged as daily labourers.

"With eight family members, we remain engaged in preparing handua at home. Besides selling it to traders, we have it ourselves as well. This helps us earn about Rs 3,000 during the rainy season," said Gurubaru, the head of a family engaged in making handua.

The tribals sell handua at a very low cost to traders, who then earn huge amounts of money after selling it in the market.

"It is being sold at a cost of Rs 200-250 per kg to the traders but they (traders) sell it at Rs 500-600 in the market," said Ajay Bohidar, a school teacher.

Most of the tribal families engaged in the work of making handua and khardi said they consume almost half of what they prepare. People from all age groups love this delicacy, the demand of which has been rising in the past few years, the families revealed.

"We put in a lot of effort to prepare these delicacies and so we have some of it. It is evenly distributed among all the family members. At the end of it, almost half of the total food itme is consumed, while the rest is sold to the traders, who then go on to sell it in the retail market," said a tribal woman Bhuti Dei.

One can find kardi and handua in hotel menu these days. Besides the men, even women and children join in to prepare the delicacies.