Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 4(3), July 2005, pp. 246-252

Wild tribal food of Orissa

Rekha Sinha* and Valeria Lakra Directorate of Extension Education, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi 834006, Jharkhand Received 9 June 2004; revised 23 August 2004

Three tribal dominated districts of Orissa, Kheonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Dhenkenal were studied for consumption pattern in five tribal groups. Data were collected through PRA exercises and interview schedules. The study identifies (50 types), fruits (46 types), flowers (11 types), tubers (14 types) and gums (5 types) consumed by the tribal population. The potential nutritive value of these plants has been discussed.

Keywords: Ethnobotany, Tribals, Orissa, Wild Food Plants IPC Int. Cl.7: A10G1/00, AO1G17/00

Tribals constitute an important segment of the Methodology population of , representing about 8 % of the The study was conducted in Kheonjhar, total population; it is about 22 % of the total Mayurbhanj and Dhenkenal district of Orissa, population of Orissa. Orissa is the home of as many as covering six villages in three community development 62 different tribal communities and in terms of blocks (Fig 1). 25 families from each selected villages concentration of tribal population; it ranks second in inhabited by 5 types of tribal groups, Gond, Sounti, the country. Majority of tribal population of Orissa Bhumiz, Kol and Juang were selected randomly for lives in forest ecosystem and has its own socio- data collection. Data was collected through a cultural pattern, tradition and typical food practices. combination of tools and technique of questionnaire, Most of these tribals have small or marginal land PRA, focused group interview and discussion. holdings. They grow food grains for 8-10 months, however, for rest, they depend on the forest. Mostly Observations and Discussion their diet comprises variety of unconventional foods, The study has identified that 50 types of leaves, 46 viz., edible forms of flowers, fruits, tubers, leaves, types of fruits, 15 types of flowers, 14 types of tubers, stems, seeds and wild mushrooms.1 Tribals mostly eat 11 types of seeds and 5 types of gums form part of vegetables of leafy varieties, which grow as wild tribal diet in one form or the other (Figs 2-8). weeds2 and depend on such natural products for their Leaves:⎯Varieties of leaves are collected in food. In times of scarcity or when the staple food is in different seasons, cooked and eaten along with boiled short supply, people are mostly dependent upon rice. Out of 50 types of leaves, 32 types are very various species of wild plants. According to one popular among all tribes and frequently eaten in their estimate, 80 % of forest dwellers in , Orissa, respective season (Table 1). These leaves are either , and collected from the forest or found as weed in their depend on forest for 25 to 50 %of their annual food cultivated or in open village fields. Among them, requirements3. There is some report on the general Katai, Chakor, Marmuri, Kikim, Phandri Patra, Ban food habits and dietary pattern of various tribal Poi, Kankodo, Lotni, Mansaru are brought from the populations but no authentic literature on such forest. From the agricultural field they collect uncultivated wild tribal plant foods is available. Baramashi, Budhidhataran, Bansolotia , Bathua, Keeping this in mind, an investigation was Daliara, Bilikhuji, Marshi sag, Kansaree, Kointho, undertaken to document such wild tribal foods with Kachoa, Lahenga, Madranga, Pimpari, Purni, food security orientation. Siramo, Suni ara, Zanumare, etc. Surplus leaves of some plant species i.e. Katai, Chakor, Marmuri,

______Phandri patra are sun dried and preserved for use in *Corresponding author off-season. SINHA & LAKRA: WILD TRIBAL FOOD PLANTS OF ORISSA 247

Table 1⎯Wild plant foods: Leaves S No Plant Name Scientific Name Habit Season of availability 1 Ban Kundri Melothria heterophylla(Lour.) Cogn. Herb Rainy 2 Bathua Chenopodium album Linn. Herb Rainy 3 Ban-Poi Basella alba Linn. Herb Rainy 4 Chakor Casssia tora Linn. Herb Rainy 5 Daliara/ Balbalia Portulaca oleracea Linn. Herb Rainy 6 Bilikhuji/ Chamani Cleome isosandra Linn. Herb Rainy 7 Marshi sag Amaranthus viridis Linn. Herb Rainy 8 Kansaree Commelina benghalensis Linn. Herb Rainy 9 Katai Menya laxiflora Robyns. Shrub Winter 10 Kankodo Momordica dioica Roxb.ex Willd. Herb Rainy 11 Kointho/ Pitta Leucas cephalotes Spreng Herb Rainy 12 Sing aa / Kurul Bauhinia purpurea Linn. Summer 13 Kachoa Trianthema portulacastrum Linn. Herb Rainy 14 Kalmi Ipomoea aquatica Forck. Herb Whole year 15 Koilkhara Asteracantha longifolia Nees. Herb Rainy 16 Lahenga /Sirgitti Celosia argentea Linn. Herb Rainy 17 Lapung Aerva lanata Juss. Ex Schult. Herb Rainy 18 Madranga Alternanthera amoena (Lemaire) Voss. Herb Rainy 19 Marmuri Antidesma diandrum Heyne ex Roth Tree Rainy 20 Pimpari Polygonum plebeium R. Br. Herb Rainy 21 Purni Trianthema decandra Linn. Herb Rainy 22 Sunsunia Marsieia minuta Linn. Herb Rainy 23 Siramo Gynandropsis gynandra (Linn.) Briq. Herb Rainy 24 Mansaru Colocasia sp. Herb Rainy 25 Suni ara Portulaca quadrifida Linn. Herb Rainy 26 Zanumare Amaranthus spinosus Linn. Herb Rainy

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Besides above, leaves of Bheru, Bhadaria, Ban- Fruits:⎯There is large number of wild edible fruits Kansuria, Ban Baitharua, Bhadbhadaria (Olax plants. Some are eaten raw either ripe or unripe while scandens Roxb.), Ban-ole (Amorphophallus sp.), Dhela others are consumed after cooking as curries. Some of (Alangium salviifolium (Linn.f.) Wang), Karwah the fruits are pickled and some are made into chutney. (Carissa paucinervia A.DC.), Kongot (Dregea sp.), Out of 46 identified fruits, 30 are popular among Kolhan (Ixora arborea Roxb.), Neem (Azadirachta all five tribes and eaten frequently in different seasons indica A.Juss.), Onsuria, Pita ginari, Sukuwa, Sankho, (Table 2). Among these, Badru, Bankundri, Kankodo, Somla (Moringa oleifera Lam.) and Tamarind Lawa, Karmata, Korkotta, Kongat Pinder, Oserwa (Tamarindus indica Linn.) are also eaten by these tribals and Pakare are cooked and eaten as vegetable, while as per their availability in their respective season. others are eaten ripe.

Table 2⎯Wild plant foods: Fruits S No Plant Name Scientific Name Habit Season of availability 1 Anzeer Ficus carica Linn. Tree Rainy 2 Amuta Antidesma ghaesembilla Gaertn. Tree Winter 3 Badru Olax scandens Roxb. Shrub Rainy 4 Gururu / Ghunti Gardenia gummifera Linn. f. Tree Rainy 5 Baincha Kuri Flacourtia jangomas Raeusch. Tree Spring 6 Bankundri Melothria heterophylla (Lour.) Cogn. Herb Rainy 7 Ban karaila Momordica dioica Roxb. ex Willd Herb Rainy 8 Bhawarkuri Cordia macleodii Hook. f.Thomas. Tree Summer 9 Benchi graveolens Dalz. Tree Summer 10 Bhadoo Vitex glabrata R. Br. Tree Summer 11 Lawa Ficus glomerata Roxb. Tree Rainy 12 Joraikuli Erycibe paniculata Roxb. Shrub Summer 13 Dhamna Grewia subinaeqnalis DC. Tree Summer 14 Terrel Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb. Tree Summer 15 Kadiweer Garuga pinnata Roxb. Tree Rainy 16 Kukrakari Gelonium multiflorum Juss. Tree Spring 17 Karmata Dillenia aurea Sm. Tree Summer 18 Korkotta Dillenia indica Linn. Tree Winter 19 Kashiphal Bridelia retusa Spreng. Tree Summer 20 Kongat Dregea sp. Herb Winter 21 Kowa/Sarbara Garcinia cowa Roxb. Tree Rainy 22 Nanunia Emblica robusta Tree Winter 23 Oserwa Capparis zeylanica Linn. Tree Rainy 24 Char / tarop Buchanania lanzan Spreng. Tree Summer 25 Pinder Randia uliginosa DC. Tree Winter 26 Puinjamala Syzygium cerasoideum (Roxb.) Raizada Tree Summer 27 Pakare Ficus lucescens Blume Tree Rainy 28 Rai Dillenia pentagyna Roxb. Tree Summer 29 Soso Semecarpus anacardium Linn. f. Tree Spring 30 Thedu Ficus hispida Linn. f. Tree Winter

Table 3⎯Wild plant foods: Flowers S No Plant Name Scientific Name Habit Season of availability 1 Agasti phool Sesbania grandiflora Pers. Tree Winter 2 Jerhul / Hutar Indigofera pulchella Roxb. in part Tree Spring 3 Hupu Cochlospermum religiosum (Linn.) Alstm Tree Summer 4 Kujri Celastrus paniculatus Willd. Herb Summer 5 Kongat Dregea sp. Herb Rainy 6 Kurchi Holarrhena antidysenterica (Linn.) Wall. Tree Summer 7 Mahua Madhuca indica J.F.Gmel. Tree Summer 8 Pinder Randia uliginosa DC. Tree Rainy 9 Phutkuli Phyllochlamys taxoides Koorders Tree Summer 10 Sahar baha Dillenia pentagyna Roxb. Tree Rainy 11 Sahada Baha Streblus asper Lour. Tree Summer 12 Tetul Tamarindus indica Linn. Tree Winter

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SINHA & LAKRA: WILD TRIBAL FOOD PLANTS OF ORISSA 251

Beside above fruits, Aonla (Emblica officinalis racemes. Flowers are first boiled and then fried by Gaertn.), Amera (Spondias pinnata (Linn.f.) Kurz), adding salt and spices. The fleshy thalamus of Mahua Ber (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), Barakuri (Ficus flowers is sweet and used for various purposes and benghalensis Linn.), Bir Ghangra (Vigna vexillata eaten in various forms. It is collected from the forest (Benth.) A. Rich.), Bislambhi (Cucumis trigonus and also from plain areas, dried and kept for lean Roxx.), Gauduni, Jamun (Syzygium cuminii (Linn.) season. During food scarcity, dried Mahua flowers are Skeels), Khajur (Phoenix sylvestris Roxb.), Karonda boiled either with tamarind seeds or sal seeds and (Protium serratum Engl.), Kholan (Ixora arborea form an important part of tribal diet. Kongat is a Roxb.), Marmuri (Flacourtia ramontchi L’Herit), twining shrub with flowers in umbeliform cymes. Its Peepal (Ficus religiosa Linn.), Porayani, Kusum flowers are eaten as such by Kol and Juang tribes. (Schleichera oleosa (Lour.) Oken.) and Sal (Shorea Seeds:⎯Eleven types of seeds consumed by these robusta Gaertn. f.), are also eaten according to their tribal groups have been identified (Table 4). Some of availability in different seasons. them have a high market value. Seeds of Char are Flowers:⎯Flowers of several plant species are also highly prized and considered very nutritive. cooked and eaten. Wild plants producing edible Seeds of Kongra fall during March- April, which flowers are given in Table 3. are roasted and eaten by Kol and Juang tribes. Sal and Gauduni, Hupu, Kujri, Kurchi, Mahua, Phutkuli, tamarind seeds are popular among all tribes and Rayu and Sahada yield flowers in summer season, widely eaten. These seeds are mixed with dried while flowers of Chika Kuludh, Kongat, Pinder, Mahua flowers, boiled and consumed. It is thus very Sahar occur during rains. Jerhul / Hutar flowers important foodstuff for the poor tribal group as major available in spring season is very popular among all source of energy for some families during lean period. tribes. The flowers are violet, numerous & dense Seeds yield edible oil, which is used as a substitute for

Table 4⎯Wild plant foods: Seeds S No Plant Name Scientific Name Habit Season of availability 1 Lopong Terminalia bellirica Roxb. Tree Summer 2 Ber Ziziphus jujuba Mill. Tree Winter 3 Bhelwa Semecarpus anacardium Linn. f. Tree Winter 4 Char Buchanania lanzan Spreng. Tree Summer 5 Kongra Xylia xylocarpa (Roxb.)Taub. Tree Summer 6 Kend Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb. Tree Winter 7 Makarkendo Diospyros peregrina (Gaertn.) Gurke Tree Winter 8 Mahua Madhuca indica J.F.Gmel. Tree Rainy 9 Siyari Bauhinia vahlii Wight & Arn. Shrub Summer 10 Sal Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. Tree Summer 11 Tamarind Tamarindus indica Linn. Tree Summer

Table 5⎯Wild plant foods: Tubers S No Plant Name Scientific Name Habit Season of availability 1 Bowla Dioscorea bulbifera Linn. Tuberous climber Rainy 2 Ban kundri Melothria heterophylla Tuberous climber Rainy (Lour.) Cogn. 3 Bonda Dioscorea sp. Tuberous climber Summer 4 Ban ole Amorphophallus sp. Herb Winter 5 Chun aru Dioscorea sp. Tuberous climber Spring 6 Churka Dioscorea sp. Tuberous climber Spring 7 Kosa aru Dioscorea puber Blume. Tuberous climber Spring 8 Kanta aru/ Baiyang Dioscorea glabra Roxb. Tuberous climber Winter 9 Karondi aru Dioscorea bellophylla Tuberous climber Rainy 10 Baiom- Sanga Dioscorea pentaphylla Linn. Tuberous climber Winter 11 Mahu aru Dioscorea sp. Tuberous climber Winter 12 Pani aru Dioscorea oppositifolia Linn. Tuberous climber Winter 13 Ranja aru Dioscorea sp. Tuberous climber Spring 14 Tunga aru Dioscorea wallichii Hook. f. Tuberous climber Winter

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Table 6⎯Wild plant foods: Gum S No Plant Name Scientific Name Habit Season of availability 1 Asan Terminalia alata Heyne ex Roth. Tree Whole year 2 Barha Ficus benghalensis Linn. Tree Summer 3 Lupung Terminalia bellirica Roxb. Tree Rainy

Vanaspati. Seeds of tender and immature fruits of Gum:⎯The study has also documented five edible Kend and Makarkendo are eaten. Seed coat are also gum (Table 6). Gum of Asan is roasted, which eaten raw by all tribes. swells like papad, ground and eaten by Gond and Kol

Tuber:⎯During the crucial months, the tribals tribes. Gum of Barha and Gurdehi is available during collect tubers to supplement their meager food summer season and eaten by Bhumiz and Gond tribes. available at home4. Tubers of certain species are eaten Gum of Lopang is available during rainy season and as curries. Some tubers are boiled and eaten, while eaten after drying by all tribes. Similarly Bhumiz, some are cut, dried and made into flour and cooked. Gond and Kol tribes eat gum of Dohra. It is burnt and Most of the tubers, except Banole and Bankundri, eaten as diet. belong to Dioscoreaceae family (Table 5). The study has identified 141 types of wild plant foods, which are integral part of tribal diet. Many of Tubers like Kanta aru, Baiom-sanga, Mahu aru, this unknown food can be exploited to meet the food Pani aru, Tunga aru are available during the months and nutrition security of the nation. of August- October, while Chun aru, Churka aru, Koasa aru and Ranja aru are available during spring Acknowledgement season. One of the tuber, locally known as Bowala / Financial help rendered by Gramin Vikas Trust, Pit aru is acrid in taste. Its hairy coat is removed; Eastern India Rainfed Farming Project, Ranchi is duly whole tuber is sliced and left in the running water for acknowledged. a day or two to remove the bitterness and harmful Reference elements. It acts as a solid food during lean months. 1 Saxena R, Tribes of central India, Nutrition, 30(2) (1996) 14. 2 Nutrition News, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, Tubers of Kosa aru and Kanta aru are cylindrical 17 (1996) 2. and about 45-90 cm long. Karondi aru is found 3 Tiwari D N, Tropical forest produce, (International Book Distributors, Dehradoon), 1994, 87. among the fissures of rocks. This is one of the 4 Vidyarthi L P, Role of Forest in Tribal Life in: Tribals and excellent yams. Pani aru is very popular among all Forest by Sinha S P, (Bihar Tribal Welfare Research tribes, sweet in taste and eaten as such. Institute, Ranchi), 1987, 323.