Earth Focus Kanha

Rain & Ritual by the Baiga Tribe of Madhya Pradesh Over time, people have taken up several practices to attract rain. In India, especially in Madhya Pradesh, after the dry summers, on the first shower that quenches the thirst of their lands, the Baiga tribes perform their sacred ritual, called the ‘Bada Dev Pooja’. Many Baiga tribes still perform the ritual today, and similar beliefs about praying to the rain gods can be seen in several parts of India. On the big day, men and women gathered together around the Saja tree, wearing jewels and clothing that have special significance, including patterns that indicate tribal art and their relationship with nature, which they view as an extension of their own existence. This Saja tree signifies life and fertility. It helps people feel connected to something greater than themselves. Women contribute through pre and post ritual practices, while the men perform the ritual. The Baiga believe in the protective and nurturing powers of the seven Thakur Devs. To connect with these gods, they offer seven chickens, one for each Dev. When the Baiga representative starts the prayers, they chant and creating a mystical atmosphere. They respectfully sacrifice chickens for their blood, which represents the tribe's request for fertile lands, good crops, livelihood, and well-being. Every family member takes part by saying their own prayers for protection and prosperity. Doing this together shows the tribe's unity, and collective dependence on nature. Writeup and Visuals by Shikha Nain

The choices we make about the food we eat impact our health, our ecosystems, and our people. Over the last year, travelling across the country — from Madhya Pradesh to Odisha — I’ve seen how tribal communities are losing contact with the ancient grains they once relied on. At the same time, millets have been skyrocketed to popularity on the international stage. There is much to be done in building the bridge between these two realities; and in this article, we argue for the creation of an ecosystem around millet processing, harvesting, and storage. But the truth is that we need to also build demand — and, as complex as it may seem, it’s a space where we all can play a part. We’ve got great organisations and FPOs working across the country to take millets to the public — find your local farmers and show your support! Earth Focus Kanha also sells farm-fresh millets online, with profits going directly to the community: https://lnkd.in/dhh4Riih Stuck for recipes? The Locavore is a great resource on the millet landscape in India and hosts a variety of local recipes from across the country’s culinary expanse. Dolly Aswani has also documented several traditional recipes from tribal families living in Kanha. A big thank you to Vipul Gupta for his insights, our incredible photographers Aaran Patel, Anurag Baruah, Raoul-Ross D'souza, and the team at IDR Shreya Adhikari Debojit Dutta for all of their support!

Special to celebrate Republic Day 🇮🇳 across primary schools at Earth Focus! We were reminded how the Indian Constitution creates an interplay between our place in and mandate to protect nature. According to the Fundamental Duties, “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.” A few months into the implementation of our biodiversity curriculum (that is being designed by ankita Rajasekharan along with our team of educators), we are already hearing encouraging reflections from parents and teachers. They are noticing shifts in students' relationship with the natural world ranging from small practices at home like nurturing the plants and trees in their badis to stopping people from causing harm to flora and fauna. We hope that our efforts on biodiversity education foster an idea of stewardship between Kanha’s youth and this wondrous ecosystem. #RepublicDay #Biodiversity #BiodiversityEducation #Stewardship #Constitution #FundamentalDuties #Kanha #EarthFocusKanha 📷 : Aaran Patel