R Udayagiri: Despite multiple health benefits and medicinal uses, ‘Mahula’ or ‘Mahua’ flower is looked down as a curse as it is used in making country-made liquor. However, things are changing for the better in tribal-dominated villages under R Udayagiri block in Gajapati district, where Tribal women and children are using this ‘dreadful’ flower to generate some income. Every morning tribal women, children and elders go into the forest to collect ‘Mahua’ flowers.
Once they return home, they dry the flowers under the sun. Once properly dried the flowers are ready for sale. Selling ‘Mahua’ flowers generates income for the forest dwellers for three to four months. The tribal people use the flowers as a food item also. They make delicious cakes with these flowers. Some also fry the flowers and use it as a side dish with the main course. Tribals from villages like Kankadaguda and Lubusingh under R Udayagiri block, Birikota, Adaba under Mohana block, Saralapadar, Parimal, Anuguru, Kirama, Puturupada and Betarasing under Nuagada block depend on these yellow flowers for livelihood.
However, the income from the sale of dried ‘Mahua’ flowers are affected due to the interference of middlemen. These touts force the tribals to go for distress selling as the latter are not aware about the price fixed by the Panchayat department for the flowers. As a result, they suffer huge losses. They have no option as they do not have the knowledge about the prices. On this meagre amount they have to run their annual livelihood.
If the labour the tribals put in to gather ‘Mahua’ flowers is compared to the earnings, it can be termed ‘inadequate’ to say the least. So it is high time that officials conduct an awareness campaign among the tribals who sell Mahua flowers as a source of livelihood. It must be ensured that they get a fair price. On many occasions, flowers are collected illegally and smuggled.
This apart, due to rampant forest fires and mining activity, the number of ‘Mahua’ trees is also decreasing. There may come a time when ‘Mahua’ trees will completely disappear from the district.