Chef on the Road: Jharkhand

Nine travellers came together for an immersive 4-day travel experience, savouring freshly-harvested Mahua flowers, trekking through lush landscapes, and sharing meals with local communities.

One evening this March, we touched down at Ranchi airport for the much-awaited Chef on the Road (#COTR) trip to Jharkhand. Joined by nine fellow travellers, all eagerly awaiting an immersive four-day travel experience, this edition of #COTR went beyond a run-of-the-mill itinerary. It particularly highlighted the work of Wild Harvest, a social enterprise in Jonha, about 50 kilometres from Ranchi, that ethically harvests Mahua flowers and creates sustainable livelihoods for local forest-dwelling communities. 

 

Over the next four days, we tasted the sweetness of freshly harvested Mahua flowers, prepared meals with foraged ingredients, and enjoyed a community cookout under the stars. We also explored the intricate stories behind the GI-tagged Sohrai and Khovar art in Hazaribagh, trekked through lush landscapes, and shared meals with local communities in Deepa Toli, Hazaribagh, Aamdoh, and Ranchi—all guided by Chef TZac, who brought his passion for India’s diverse food systems to life.

 

The trip was planned to coincide with the Mahua harvest in early summer. However, upon our arrival, the city greeted us with a dense cloud cover, followed by an unexpected spell of rain. There was something more concerning in the air too—a bandh, a protest against the building of a bridge that would potentially destroy a sacred grove. Welcome to Jharkhand!

Our Itinerary

  • Arrival at Birsa Munda Airport
  • Head to the Ranchi Gymkhana Club
  • An introduction to Jharkhand through Sarhul—an evening of discovery and celebration at The Open Field with Dr. Manisha and Abhishek Oraon 
  • Visiting Sanskriti Foundation in Hazaribagh for breakfast with Bullu Imam, a Padma Shri recipient
  • Touring the museum and the painted mud homes of the region
  • Partaking in a workshop on Sohrai and Khovar art forms
  • A dinner by chef Aruna Tikrey at Ajam Emba, a restaurant that put Jharkhandi food on the map
  • Exploring Ranchi’s street food—sampling local favourites like litti chokha, sattu kachori, jalebi, and dhuska for breakfast 
  • Journeying to Deepa Toli to meet the local community and witness the seasonal Mahua bloom being harvested and dried 
  • A foraging trek with the Koynardih and Deepa Toli communities through dense forests to a campsite by the river 
  • Gathering under the stars for a community-cooked dinner, accompanied by folk music and storytelling that brings to life the region’s lesser-known legends 
  • Overnight stay at the campsite
  • A refreshing morning dip in the river, followed by a trek up to Koynardih village
  • Lunch at Mandi Eddpa, a local favourite in Ranchi, to savour dishes like dumbu, snails, and chhilka roti 
  • Heading back to the airport, marking the end of this rich journey through Jharkhand

Day 1: Discovering Jharkhandi Cuisine

Luckily for us, the weather—and the protests—began to ease up as we made our way to The Open Field. Located in Khunti, around 40 kilometres from Ranchi, this agro-tourism project supports indigenous food culture as well as local farmers in the region. Here, we had our first dinner themed around Sarhul, Jharkhand’s spring harvest festival observed by Adivasi communities like the Oraon, Munda, and Santhal.

In true Locavore fashion, we kicked off the trip with a round of #TLShuffle! A staple at our events, the Shuffle saw travellers come together for one-on-one conversations on kitchens, memory, identity, and local markets, among a range of other prompts.

Performance of Chhau, a traditional folk dance in Jharkhand, by dancers from Silli who trained at the Manbhum Chhau Academy.

Day 2: Hazaribagh’s Art, History, and Forgotten Caves

Our first morning began with a visit to the Sanskriti Museum and Art Gallery in Hazaribagh, a couple of hours from Ranchi. Headed by Bulu Imam, a Padma Shri recipient, and his son Gustav Imam, the space houses displays of Palaeo-Neolithic stone tools of the region, archaeological antiquities, and a gallery with Khovar (marriage art) and Sohrai (harvest art) paintings of Hazaribagh, a continuing tradition of the region’s rock-art. Thereafter, we headed to Ajam Emba, one of the first restaurants to explore and feature local Jharkhandi cuisine in the state. Founded by Chef Aruna Tikrey, we sampled dishes like dhuska ghugni, Mahua chana, khasi mutton, freshwater prawns, and futkal saag at the restaurant, accompanied by Aruna’s expert storytelling.

From stories of the British Raj to ancient Buddhist monasteries, pre-historic wedding rituals and the intricacies of Khovar art, nothing matches the storytelling prowess and experiences that Bulu Imam has to share.

As lunch was being set up in a beautiful mud house painted with Khovar art, Gustav Imam told us about the historical connection of this art form and the ancient cave art of the region, the materials and local soils used to create it, and how women are now incorporating newer mediums like paper and modern plastered walls.

The lunch was unforgettable, featuring local rice along with corn rotis, desi chicken, and tender jackfruit, as well as a tomato chutney and local mushroom achar.

Putli Ganju, one of the artists-in-residence, showed us her beautifully painted mud house, explaining the meaning and story behind every motif she drew. Here, for example, Putli is pointing to an owl, poised for a fight with the snake. Below, a jackal carries off a chicken.

After observing the experts at work, it was our turn to try our hand at painting with mud paints, guided by local artists including Putli Ganju and Rudhan Devi.

What does a group of food enthusiasts do when sitting down to a hearty meal of seasonal ingredients? Well, we spoke about our favourite controversial food pairings: Pepsi-doodh, Kurkure bread and butter, and mango sandwich among others!

Day 3: A Trek to the Source

The third day of our trip began with a foray into Ranchi’s famous street food scene. We explored must-visit eateries like Churuwala, known for its sattu kachori, jalebi, and chai. Later, we indulged in Jharkhandi dishes like dhuska ghugni, bel sharbat, and freshly-made litti chokha and sattu. With our hearts and bellies full, we headed off to the next leg of our journey, the Mahua harvest in Deepa Toli, followed by lunch with the community, a foraging trek, and a stay at the campsite of Aamdoh by the Rarhu river.

Upper Bazar's famous bhola dhuska was the highlight of our breakfast walk. Fried in mustard oil, the crisp and light dhuska paired beautifully with the spicy and wholesome ghugni prepared from kaala chana.

As concrete gave way to ancient trees and tiled roofs, we realised we had reached Jonha. Inching towards Deepa Toli, we began noticing Mahua trees surrounded by green nets meant to catch the falling flowers.

We were given a grand welcome in Deepa Toli, replete with song-and-dance as well as a procession of people that took us to a gathering area in the village. Most are members of the Bek family who live in the eight houses of the village, where Wild Harvest's drying unit is located. Other members of Wild Harvest including Kailash Bhakat, Chef Harshita Kakwani, and Ashali Bhandari also welcomed us.

We were handed bouquets made from local, seasonal flowers—palash, sal, jirhul, sal leaves. Some of us even joined in the dance and singing.

Wild Harvest aims to introduce the country to food-grade Mahua, which they collect, dry, and process scientifically, with almost no external contamination. The net moving gently in the wind, with Mahua flowers showering down, made for a pretty sight.

Once painstakingly collected off the ground by hand, Mahua flowers now fall into the nets. They are collected within minutes and sent to Wild Harvest on racks, under regulated conditions.

We were treated to a hearty snack comprising varieties of thekuas and dumbus made from ragi, rice, and corn, all starring Mahua as the main ingredient. Our lunch was prepared lovingly by the Deepa Toli community, featuring Mahua pickle, Mahua Laddoo, kurthi dal, khasi mutton, jirhul saag, and futkal saag, along with locally-grown rice.

After seeing the harvest, we set off on a foraging trek through the wilderness. Guides Chamru and Saheb from Koynardih introduced us to wild foods such as futkal, kendu, jirhul, sal, Mahua, and beng that they were harvesting for our dinner, even sharing insights into the relationship they share with the forest.

Our path was marked by sweeping views of the horizon and beautifully intimate spaces, like this cool stream.

As we approached the campsite at dusk, the Ekastha Trails team greeted us with refreshing lemonade and crisp guavas. While learning to make plates out of sal leaves, also known as pattal, we were introduced to the different styles used to create these plates and bowls.

The night sky in Jonha was dotted with stars and the forest punctuated with fireflies, almost making it seem like the stars have descended to the ground.

Day 4: Back to the City

Our last morning started off with a hearty breakfast, followed by a refreshing dip in the river. Then, we made a stop at the Jonha market. After enjoying the early morning sights and sounds of the market, we headed back to Ranchi for a meal at Manddi Eddpa. Founded by Kapil Toppo, this local eatery showcases the culinary traditions of the Santhal tribe. As it was Sarhul season, we were treated to specialities like suri bhaat and chicken paatpora, prepared by roasting marinated chicken wrapped in sal leaves on an open flame. After this final meal, it was time to head to the airport and bid adieu to Jharkhand. 

(L) The kendu fruit is a cross between sapota and lychee in terms of flavour. It is only found in forests and not farmed or cultivated. (R) The campsite of Aamdoh treated us to a breathtaking sunrise.

Before heading, we had to take a photo of the wonderful team that set up the campsite at Aamdoh and took such great care of us.

Our last meal in Ranchi was marked with warmth and hospitality that we had experienced across Jharkhand. The people we met and befriended continued to awe us with their warmth, kindness, resilience, and optimism for the future. We ended the trip with our hearts full, and nothing else but gratitude for Jharkhand. And a yearning to come back.

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. 

 

The Ekastha Foundation is a grassroots organisation committed to supporting marginalised communities in Jharkhand through music, education, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental conservation. Their initiatives range from providing music education to differently-abled individuals to promoting eco-tourism and environmental stewardship through forest trails.