This group of women has done wonders by making Mahua products… Bastar Foods became a brand today

In today’s time, many people may not be aware of Mahua, but people living in the villages are still well acquainted with Mahua and are also using it. Similarly, it is being used as many types of Mahua products. The name of Mahua has been infamous, that is because in the olden times it was used only for liquor and people think that eating it causes intoxication. But the reality is that Mahua has many medicinal properties and it is also very beneficial for health. 

Now gradually awareness about the medicinal properties of Mahua has increased, due to which farmers have been inspired to cultivate Mahua. Guleshwari Thakur of Bastar district of Chhattisgarh has also broken the traditional notions of people about Mahua and she is making and selling various types of products from Mahua. Not only this, due to this work of hers, she has also given employment to many women. Guleshwari Thakur discussed her journey in detail with Kisan of India correspondent Akshay Dubey. 

Mahua became a source of income 

Like other states, in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, liquor was earlier made from Mahua, but now the picture has changed. There are many self-help groups here who are teaching women to become self-reliant from forest produce. Under this, many types of products are being prepared from Mahua and sold in the market. People are also being made aware of its medicinal properties. Guleshwari Thakur of Bastar district is also doing something similar.

What is made from Mahua? 

Her company Bastar Foods is making many Mahua products like laddus, cookies, tea etc. She laid the foundation of this company in 2019. Apart from this, she is also selling Mahua in raw form. Talking about her journey, Guleshwari Thakur says that only liquor was made from Mahua in her area. No one knew about its medicinal properties, so when she started making products from it, people protested. But she kept moving forward and initially started work with 10 women of the village with just Rs 200.

First of all, she got Mahua laddus made and brought them to the village market. She says that initially people bought it thinking that eating it would cause intoxication, so they were ready to pay more than the fixed price of Rs 10 and started buying it for Rs 50, 100.

But when he used it the second time, he started saying that there is no intoxication in it, so we explained that it is not just for intoxication and intoxication is not good in any way. Then in 2019, he formed a company named Bastar Food along with his colleagues.

Special type of masala jaggery 

Guleshwari Thakur’s company focuses on other products along with Mahua. Her company is also making a special type of masala jaggery, which can be used in tea and decoction. The specialty of this jaggery is that the tea does not burst when added to it. She tells that to make masala jaggery, she gets sugarcane from the farmers and gets it processed in front of her and herbs like Harada, Baheda and some dry fruits are also added to it, which increases both its nutrition and taste. Apart from this, her company also makes tamarind sauce, in which tamarind of Bastar is specially used.

What are the benefits of eating Mahua? 

Guleshwari Thakur says that the demand for products made from Mahua is gradually increasing. Therefore, now farmers are also getting attracted towards Mahua cultivation. Guleshwari says that about 600 farmers are associated with her company who are from Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

She tells that initially people thought that liquor is made from Mahua, so the products made from it will not be good, in such a situation it was a bit difficult to convince people. Guleshwari told people to try it once, and then gradually people started liking it and the business started growing. She tells that actually, Mahua has a very high amount of iron, due to which laddus made from it are very beneficial for people with anemia.

Tikhur Sharbat is very beneficial in summers 

Along with Mahua, jaggery and tamarind sauce, another product that Guleshwari’s company is making on a large scale is Tikhur powder. Guleshwari tells that its plant is like turmeric, but unlike turmeric, its effect is very cold. That is why its syrup is consumed in summers. Even women use it during fasting. Tikhur is cultivated especially in Bastar district. Tikhur halwa is also made. Although things like Mahua and Tikhur mostly come from the forest, but now farmers have started cultivating them and are selling them in lakhs. 

Help to farmers producing Tikhur crop 

Guleshwari Thakur says that many farmers are already associated with her company, but if a farmer comes to her and says that he has grown Tikhur crop in large quantity, and she cannot take the product, then she creates such a marketing chain for the farmers that they can sell their own product.

Products from the forest 

Guleshwari Thakur advises today’s youth that along with bookish education, it is important for them to learn ground level work. Along with degree, definitely learn hand skills. She says that there are many things in the forest which can be brought forward as a business.

Like earlier no one had thought that so much can be made from Mahua, but now Mahua products are being made and sold on a large scale. Similarly, millets or other things are also found in the forest, whose products can be made and sold and in this way the youth can set up their business.