Live With the Forest, Preserve Your Ways

In our heritage, we’ve always known the importance of community, especially during festivals when food items were shared between homes. But for us, our way of life is deeply tied to the forest. People of our caste often choose to live independently, far from cities and villages, building homes in the forests and mountains. We hunt wild animals and consume what the jungle offers, and this distinct connection allows us to live our own lives. It is crucial to preserve our culture for future generations, passing on our food habits, customs, and traditions. We rely on un-irrigated fields for staples like chickpeas and lentils, which we carefully safeguard for future use. And for strength, we turn to powerful traditional foods like Mahua bars and Jaun Hari’s bread. These practices, from living intimately with the jungle to managing our harvests, ensure our resilience and help us adapt to change.