Traditional Wild Foods

We used to gather forest products like mahua, cook them, make cakes, and eat them in the forest. Even now, we will learn from our ancestors.

— Gitanjali Bhoi · Karamdihi, Sundargarh, Odisha

Before, we used to eat saag roti, kurthi dal, urad dal, and mahua saag. Sometimes we would find amla and bael from the forest, and that's how we used to sustain our lives.

— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

People will now bring and eat mahua char kendu found in the forests that they had lost in the past, preparing it as food.

— Priti Majhi

People will now bring mahul char kendu found in the forests that they had lost in the past, prepare it as food, and eat it.

— Priti Majhi

We are the people of earlier times who used to eat mahua from the forest, eat chakad shak, eat millet bread, eat corn bread. Now people eat good food, and because they eat good food, they catch so many diseases.

— Sunita Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Our people still want to eat the old food and forest products that were cooked, whether by forest dwellers or Mughals.

— Gitanjali Bhoi · Sundargarh, Odisha

I remember we have been frying and eating Mahula, the food of the forest.

— Priti majhi

Yes, I remember we have been frying and eating mahua, the forest food.

— Priti majhi

We used to eat sitha saga since ancient times. Even now we wish to eat sitha saga, and we will. The forest is being destroyed now.

— swornalata nayak · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

We get our nutritious diet from the forest, such as Mahua fruit Doli oil in the form of fat, Kodo, Bhaddi, Kulthia, Mahua flowers, Jamun, Mahua kheer, Bhaji, etc.

— Surajsingh Parmar · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh

Currently, we are seeing that people are gradually obtaining the fruits, medicinal plants, greens, and nutritious food that were available in the forest.

— Ramadas Badanayak · Udulibeda, Malkangiri, Odisha

In the olden days, our parents and we used to gather and eat a lot of Barada Saga (a type of leafy green) from the forest. But now, due to deforestation, we no longer find Barada Saga. We hope to eat Barada Saga again.

— swornalata nayak · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

In ancient times, in previous eras, people collected nutritious foods like ragi, millet, etc., from the forest, ate them to stay healthy and strong, and lived for a long time. If farmers or tribal community people cultivate those essential crops of those ancient times again, it will guide them towards the development of their life's values in the future.

— Dillip pujari · Phiringia, Kandhamal, Odisha

In our ST community, everything has changed for the people of this district. Before, we used to bring tamarind, mahua, and all kinds of forest products to eat and drink.

— Puspanjali Nag

We get various greens and various fruits from the forest.

— Laba Kumar sabar · Bada Baridi, Rayagada, Odisha

We get various types of fruits and roots from the forest.

— Laba Kumar sabar · Bada Baridi, Rayagada, Odisha

We used to eat Mahua before, all kinds of Mahua, Rama Mahua. Because we ate all that, our body used to stay well. If you eat that, you too will stay well again.

— Laxmi Bagh · Sundargarh, Odisha

Earlier, a lot of edible items were found in the forests that could be eaten and added to midday meals, but now, due to damage to the forests, many things have become extinct.

— Kekti Tekam · Dindori, Madhya Pradesh

People want to bring back the lost forest food products.

— Priti Majhi

From the forest, we also get many things as vegetables, such as

— Kekti Tekam

Grains and other food items are included from the forest.

— Sunita Kumari

In ancient times, various types of forest products were available. And many rare fruits, that was very difficult, but now we also try.

— Padmalochan Majhi

Earlier, we used to eat gethi kanda, nekuwa kanda, sarai mahua lata, and all the mahua lata.

— Sunita Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

The edible items found in the forest are Kendu, Chaar, and Mahua, which

— Vijay Kumar bhardwaj · Kasdol, Baloda Bazar, Chhattisgarh

My name is Rashmita Pradhan. Just as our ancestors remained healthy by eating fruits and roots found in the forest, prepared without chemicals, we also wish to eat the same food now. We are from tribal-dominated areas. Our forest is our lifeline. Therefore, our ancient traditions should be restored, and our forest should not be destroyed. Thank you. Raika Kandhamal.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

We can bring the native Kakada found in our forest, cook it, and eat it.

— SINESH PELMAL · SKIP NO LOCATION

I will collect food found in the forest and feed the children, and use it traditionally.

— Anupama Mahanand

Grains, food, and foodstuffs are included from the forest.

— Sunita Kumari

Let the Mahua, Char, and Kendu (products) from the forest be processed for food.

— Priti majhi

Our fathers and grandfathers were healthy and strong by eating plenty of nutritious food from the forest, such as Mahua, Tol, Bhadbhadiya Saag, Mamer Saag, Leper Saag, and Karadi.

— Paradeshi Mirdha · Sambalpur, Odisha

Yes, earlier, we used to eat various kinds of wild fruits and food from the forests. But now, nothing like that remains. The government some.

— Rakesh kumar Kumar

Forest products such as Jharakunduru, Pitalu Konda, and various other types of edible forest produce are available. These also serve as food for animals and birds, and consuming them provides nourishment.

— Anirudha Marai

From the forest, we collect ruguda mushrooms, mudhi saag, kuiler saag, girel flowers, bhindua kadi, and so on. If all these are nutritious foods for us, they should be included in the midday meal.

— RINA BEHERA · Hemagiri, Sundargarh, Odisha

From the forest, we bring mahua and mahua seeds.

— Kekti Tekam

Nutritious food found in the forest: Mudhi saga, Chhati saga, Bhadbhadia saga, Koila saga, Munga saga, Ghumi saga, Tartha saga.

— Parsuram Sa · Sundargarh, Odisha

Earlier, we used to eat mahua from the sarai in the jungle and sustain our lives. No fertilizer was used at all. Our bodies also remained healthy. Everyone used to be strong and robust, and lived for a long time.

— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Now, not much food is available in the forest, but our community's traditional grains like Kodo Kutki khichdi, dalia, and Tur, Chana, and Masoor dals should be included in the PDS, and our children should also receive these in their midday meals.

— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

We indigenous people used to eat roots and tubers from the forests and sustained ourselves with them. These also served as medicine, keeping our bodies healthy. Even today, we should use roots and tubers.

— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

We can give fruits found in the forest like :- Tendu, Char, Aonla in our lunch.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

We all fill our stomachs by eating Mahua saag roti, which is our favorite food. Mahua is obtained from trees in the forests, and we also eat roti with bathua saag, which is our favorite food item and is very nutritious.

— Ram Kumari