Palash and mahua: Setting the forests on fire

These flowers have a special significance for the people of central India

On a morning safari in the buffer zone of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve this week, our jeep approached a camp within the forest. At the turn, a beautiful big mahua tree was in full bloom and under it, two children were collecting the freshly fallen flowers in a small metal pot.

The sight is common across the Gondwana lands (central India). It reminded me of when we played Holi in Santiniketan, in West Bengal, collecting Palash flowers to make colours for "Basanta Utsav."

For centuries, the tribal people of this region have worshipped the "Tree of Life," commonly known as mahua (Madhuca longifolia), for its various utilities and a mythological connection to gods and goddesses. The mahua plant is known for its medicinal and astringent properties, and its flowers are used as food and as a sweetener. The plant finds mention in the Charaka Samhitha written sometime between the 4th and 2nd century BC.

Also Read | Tempted by Tempeh

India, in the past, has restricted mass production of mahua products with stringent tax laws because of the intoxicating drink that the flower produces upon distilling. A cloudy, pungent-smelling toddy-like substance is made by mixing the musky flower extract with grained molasses to create "fulli," the purest form of mahua spirit.

Desmond Nazareth, the Founder of Agave India, produces India's only commercially available Mahua liqueur. He has been a solid advocate for recognising Mahua as a heritage liquor and helping the trade enter a formal economy.

"Mahua is an ingrained part of the Gond culture and traditions. Not just the spirit, but also the dried flowers as food, sweetener and medicine," said Archana Rawat, who was raised near the forests of Panna in Madhya Pradesh. Rawat told us about an array of mahua products like infused tea, chutney, oil extracted from dry flowers, and mahua ki pakodi (batter fried flowers) that are consumed in the region.

"First, the annual stock is kept at home for making liquor, and the extra finds its way to village haats," said Pankaj Fulera, head chef at Pench Tree Lodge. "Now it can be sold as heritage liquor, and at our lodges, we keep experimenting with it to come up with unique drinks and flavouring for dishes."

Meena Singh from Bandhavgarh comes from a village that has seen attacks on mahua collectors by wild animals.

Also Read | Matcha: The versatile ancient Japanese superfood

"Wild animals often take mahua pickers as a threat and attack from behind. This makes it a high-risk, life-threatening trade," said Joydeep Mondal, a wildlife photographer who spends the season in the jungles of central India.

"The medley of mahua and palash (known as the sacred tree or 'flame of the forest') makes it worth spending time in the beautiful forests, enjoying the landscape as if nature is playing Holi with you," quips Mondal.

The red palash flower (Butea monosperma) grows aplenty in dry deciduous conditions, making it a sight to behold from Jharkhand to Gujarat. The flower is a known source of natural colour used during Holi. "It too is a multi-use flower, and the sights they offer in the forests is something that wildlife photographers pine for," adds Mondal.

"Meena made a kheer (milk-based pudding) with mahua for a group of international visitors who loved it," said Bhavana Menon. Menon works with the women of the tribal forest lands through her NGO Last Wilderness Foundation. "It is incredible just how many uses the flower has for these people."

Mahua cocktail recipe by Pankaj Fulera

Ingredients

Mahua liquor 150 ml

Orange juice 150 ml

Ginger juice 1 tsp

Fresh juice extracted from one lime

Sugar syrup to taste

Soda (optional)

Method

Add mahua, orange juice, ginger juice, lime juice, sugar syrup, and ice in a glass. If desired, top with soda. Stir and serve.

(Chandreyi Bandyopadhyay is a marketing communications professional and a freelance writer, an avid traveller and food lover.)