JOIN USA touch of forest life
Visitors got a feel of forest life and a taste of nomadic food.
Green Haat 2012’, an exhibition at Dilli Haat attracted huge crowds throughout its duration. Hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests from March 1 till March 15, the stalls at the exhibition sold forest-based handicrafts and even authentic food items such as bajra roti and jaggery.
The exhibition featured India’s forest heritage by means of setting up of around 50 stalls displaying forest handicraft, herbal and medicinal products and forest based food recipes from places like Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Visitors were truly spoilt for choice. The eco-friendly products available at the ‘Haat’ comprised forest based handicrafts made of bamboo, cane, and grass, herbal medicines, health supplements, and natural cosmetics, and food items like spices, grains, and pickles. There were various oils from Orissa for preventing hairfall, dandruff, acne and even joint pain.
Bright, embroidered dupattas from Haryana, multi-grain ladoos and sugar-free cookies from Himachal Pradesh and pure honey from Rajasthan turned out to be huge crowd pullers. Horticultural products from Maharashtra and organic food crops from Uttar Pradesh were also available. At few stalls, there were even samples of different herbal tea. An interesting item at the ‘Haat’ was a jacket made from the cannabis plant, popularly known as bhang in India.
Ravinder Singh, at the Uttar Pradesh stall, said that all his items were completely organic. “No chemical has been used in growing these crops. They are very hygienic and really good for health. We have flour, dalia, rajma and dal urad kali, all grown without chemicals,” he explained.
A stall from Kerala sold sandalwood and its oil. Sri Kumar, the manager of the stall, said, “The sandalwood oil is pure – but the price is quite high, which is why people are not buying it that much. On the other hand, they are rather going for the sandalwood, since it costs less.”
At another stall from Kerala, items made from bamboo were sold. Candle stands made from coconut shell and jackfruit wood were also available.
Another unique concept ar the ‘Haat’ was the availability nomadic food items. This initiative was taken by an organisation called ‘Chinh’. The food was prepared and sold by the nomadic communities from Haryana and Rajasthan. These communities are predominantly engaged in farming, and the ingredients used in cooking were naturally grown without any use of chemicals and pesticides. They served bajra roti, gatta kadhi, rice, lahsun chatni, raita and jaggery.
Meenakshi Vinay Rai, the founder of ‘Chinh’, said, “It is a rare opportunity for these people to come and make a mark in this world. These bawariya are always known as hunters, but it’s not true.
They are a rare community from near Sariska in Rajasthan. They do not even have the right to cast their votes as they are nomads and move from one place to another. We are just trying to revive this community by helping them.”
He also added, “One bajra roti takes 20 minutes to cook, as it cooked in a tawa made from sand. Food is a very helpful medium in connecting people and that is why we have come out with this concept.”
The ultimate objective of the Green Haat was to make people aware towards sustainable use of nature and its products.