Chef on the Road | Jharkhand 2.0: Exploring Mahua Harvesting, Forest Foods, and Community Kitchens with Wild Harvest
Our arrival in Ranchi with six travellers on a Wednesday afternoon in March was met with uncharacteristically cool weather and clear skies, owing to unseasonal rains in the region. Over the next four days, we explored farms and markets, museums and forest streams, and learnt plenty from researchers, field workers, community members, farmers, and foragers along the way.
The trip was hosted by Rishabh Lohia, co-founder of Wild Harvest; Abhishek and Dr. Manisha Oraon, founders of The Open Field; Padmashree Bulu Imam and Gustav Imam, founders and curators of the Sanskriti Foundation and museum in Hazaribagh; and community members from Koynardih, Dipa Toli and Hararibagh, who welcomed us into their neighborhoods and homes with warmth and generosity.
We learned about how Wild Harvest focuses on ethically harvesting and processing Mahua flowers in the region. Their aim is to introduce Mahua flowers as a viable food for urban consumers, while supporting communities in Jillingsering, Dipa Toli, Gautamdhara, Koynardih, and Hapatbeda villages.
We also trekked down to the Rahru river in Jonha to camp on its banks and savour foraged food featuring dishes like paatpora, futkal chutney, and jirhul saag. By the end of the trip, participants—for most of whom, it was their first visit to Jharkhand—had discovered an entirely new cuisine, learned how Jharkhand’s communities are preserving foodways and traditions in the modern age, and made meaningful new friendships too.
Our Itinerary
Day 1 - Satranji Market and Sarhul Puja: Discovering Jharkhand
Once we settled down into the Ranchi Gymkhana Club, the trip began with a visit to the bustling weekly Satranji market with a walkthrough and an introduction to Jharkhand’s food and communities by partner hosts Dr. Manisha and Abhishek Oraon.
After picking up seasonal produce like jirhul and futkal, and trying our first Hadiya with local pork and chhilka roti, we headed to The Open Field, an experiential farm and kitchen run by the couple, to partake in Sarhul festivities and a seven-course themed dinner.
Day 2 - Sanskriti Museum and Ajam Emba: Modern Pioneers of Ancient Traditions
On the second day, we headed to the Sanskriti Museum in Hazaribagh where founder Padmashree Bulu Imam and curator Gustav Imam took us through thousands of years of Hazaribagh’s history and how modern folk art can be traced back to its paleolithic origins. We also met National Award-winning artist Putli Ganju, whose house was adorned with Ganju-style Sohrai paintings. In the evening, we headed to Ajam Emba, one of the first restaurants to offer traditional cuisine in Jharkhand. Here, we tried favourites like mutton curry and dhuska along with ghugni, red rice chai, and getu river fish.
Day 3 Jonha and Amdoh: Looking for Mahua and Finding Fireflies
As we headed out to the densely forested Jonha region on day three, we could feel the fast approaching summer heat. Entering into Jillingsering, Rishabh, the founder of Wild Harvest, shared some sad news with us: the village of Deepa Toli, which we had planned to go to, hasn’t seen a single Mahua tree blooming—a direct result of the climate crisis. We then headed to the neighbouring Dipugarha village where the flowering was enough to be able to harvest Mahua.
After sharing lunch with the community in Deepa Toli, we headed down to the Amdoh campsite on the Rahru riverbank for the night.
Day 4 Ranchi: What the city eats and wears
The last day of the trip involved exploring Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. We started the day with a food walk around the city’s favourite street food spots featuring Churuwala’s famous jalebi, mishti doi, bel sharbat, and the famous litti chokha. We then headed to Johargram, a boutique showcasing traditional Jharkhandi weaves in a modern avatar.
Day 1 - Satranji Market and Sarhul Puja: Discovering Jharkhand
A guided walk through the weekly market in Satranji on the outskirts of Ranchi with Dr. Manisha and Abhishek Oraon.
(L) The evening began with TL Shuffle, an ice-breaker where participants get to know each other through questions like “What was your favourite dish growing up?” or “What’s an unforgettable ingredient you’ve stumbled upon at the market?” (R) As we moved on to the festivities for the day, a ritual was carried out to thank the Oraon ancestors on the occasion of Sarhul, or the spring festival.
Accompanied by housemade hadiya, the meal began with a plate of katnausi, a snack of chicken organs cooked with whole chana and spices. It was a fitting introduction to Jharkhand’s culture and food traditions, accompanied by storytelling from Dr. Manisha and Abhishek Oraon.
As we bid farewell to our friends, we had nothing but gratitude for the evening and curiosity for what was in store for the next few days.
Day 2 - Sanskriti Museum and Ajam Emba: Modern Pioneers of Ancient Traditions
(L) Chhilka roti, aloo sabji, chhua roti, and tomato and dhaniya chutneys for breakfast. (R) Lunch featured kurthi dal, desi chicken, palak roti, aloo chokha, kathal achar, salad, and tomato chutney.
Gustav and Bulu Imam introduced us to Sohrai art while sharing their experiences advocating for Sohrai and Khovar art on a global platform.
Chef on the Road is definitely an experience for anyone who wants to understand India better. Be it experiencing the flavours of food sourced organically or the use of green utensils made from fresh sal leaves, the trip was a window to connect better with the locals against cultural differences. As Indians, it also enabled me to understand how ingredients, flavours, names of food, and philosophies connect us all.
Putli Didi regaled us with stories from her childhood and things she’s observed in nature as she took us through her exquisitely painted house.
Inspired by Putli Didi’s house, we tried our hand at making artworks using natural paints, guided by the Sohrai artist herself.
Proud artists with their works.
(L) At Ajam Emba, the freshly made dhuska was a perfect match for hearty ghugni. (R) Ajam Emba’s seasonal menu featured getu fish stir-fried in mustard oil with onion and green chillies.
Day 3 Jonha and Amdoh: Looking for Mahua and Finding Fireflies
(L) Nets erected by community members in Dipugarha to ease the Mahua harvest. (R) Fresh Mahua flowers from the nets are unbruised and retain all their moisture.
Traditionally, Mahua is dried on surfaces directly exposed to the sun, including roofs of homes and sides of streets.
Upon arriving in Deepa Toli, we were greeted with hadiya and a vegetarian version of katnausi.
(L) Jogeshwar Munda, Wild Harvest partner, shows us the racks used for drying Mahua in Dipugarha. Made of bamboo and wire mesh, they help dry the flowers evenly in a hygienic environment. (R) Prepared by the Jillingsering and Deepa Toli communities, lunch featured rice, dal, kathal saag, futkal saag, and Mahua.
The COTR team outside Wild Harvest’s storage and processing unit in Deepa Toli.
(L) As we headed down into the valley, we crossed streams via makeshift bridges. (R) The valley greeted us with a cloudy sky, wind, and rain. There was a hint of a rainbow too.
Day 4 Ranchi: What the city eats and wears
Our street food walk started with lassi at Churuwala, one of the oldest sweet shops in Ranchi.
Chef on the Road gave me the rare opportunity to learn from multiple Indigenous communities. We camped, hiked in the rain, and swam in pristine waters. The skies were so clear on our last night that the fireflies put on a Coldplay-inspired light show before stargazing. Ishani, Neil, Rishabh, and Dr. Manisha were such gracious hosts, and made sure Jharkhand 2.0 was a trip of a lifetime.
We also stopped for popular street food dishes like litti chokha (L) and bel sharbat (R) on Kutchery Road.
We then headed to Johargram, a label working with the various tribes in Jharkhand to develop and promote traditional weaving practices. We met founder Ashish Sahu, who narrated the story of Jharkhand’s crafts—like the iconic red-and-white panchi weave and dhokra metal work—and how the brand is helping them stay alive through modern design.
Happy travellers before heading to the airport with our driver Manish.
Chef on the Road (COTR) is Chef Thomas Zacharias’ deeply personal exploration of India’s regional cuisines and food traditions. Want to organise one with The Locavore? Write to us at connect@thelocavore.in.
Founded in 2024 by Rishabh Lohia, Wild Harvest is a social enterprise in Jharkhand’s Jonha region. Working with 40 households across villages, it focuses on reintroducing the Mahua flower as a versatile ingredient in modern diets, while preserving traditional knowledge and supporting local communities.
Explore the previous edition of COTR Jharkhand.
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