Bengal: Locals risk their lives to find mahul fruits in Bankura forest for a living

Mahul is a fruit from the Bankura area of West Bengal that runs the livelihood of hundreds of families. The local people risk their lives to get the fruit from the jungles so that they can sell it and earn money.

Mahul is a famous fruit that is not just rich in sugars, minerals, vitamins and calcium, but also responsible for building a livelihood for several families in areas like Bishnupur, Jaipur, Raipur and Sarenga.

Locals collect this fruit by putting a basket under the trees. Although the cultivation in the jungle is less.

But, with time, locals have started to face numerous issues, especially due to the deforestation of the Mahul trees.

These villagers go to the forest to get the fruit. This includes two daring women named Kajul and Kalu Roy, who dwell in the jungles of Sonamukhi to find the fruit, which they sell to local wholesalers, to sustain their livelihood.

But not just deforestation, but the terror of elephants in the area has also led to the decrease of sales in Mahul.

The locals have demanded the government to fix a price for the forest resources to increase the sale.

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