Deep within the verdant embrace of the Jawadhu Hills, in the secluded hamlet of Athipet, a quiet revolution is unfolding. A group of tribal residents, predominantly women, are diligently learning the art of culinary creation. Their focus? Turning the bountiful local red tamarind into a variety of delightful mixed fruit jams, squashes, and juices.
This hands-on training, held in a rustic Forest Department building, saw approximately 100 tribal individuals acquire valuable cookery skills. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the State government’s Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, the Coimbatore-based Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, and the Vivekananda Trust. Its primary goal is to enhance the income-generating capabilities of tribal communities, particularly women, in these hilly regions.
“This training empowers us to create homemade products, offering an additional stream of income beyond our traditional farming,” shared S. Petchiammal, one of the tribal participants. “We’ve even received free mixers, enabling us to produce juices and squashes from tamarind in our own homes for sale.”
Participants hailed from at least ten remote hamlets, falling under the Kovilur and Nammiyampattu village panchayats. Throughout the day-long session, they were introduced to diverse ingredients that can elevate the quality and flavor of these food items, along with learning the precise quantities required for optimal results.
S. Kalaiselvi, Project Director of the Department of Tribal Welfare (Tiruvannamalai), explained the broader vision: “With the support of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), we will assist these tribals in marketing their homemade products in the bustling markets of larger towns in the plains. We are also exploring plans to host exhibitions dedicated to their culinary creations and promote them through online channels.”
Officials from the Tribal Welfare Department highlight that approximately 39,525 hectares of forest land in the hills are currently allocated for tribal farming, where they cultivate crops like paddy, millets, groundnuts, and vegetables for both personal consumption and local markets. Beyond agriculture, tribals are also permitted to gather minor forest produce such as Indian gooseberry, Haritaki (Kadukkai), soapnut (Pundhikottai), tamarind, and honey from designated forest areas.
A departmental study indicates that the hills yield a substantial 200-300 tonnes of red tamarind annually. The peak harvest season for red tamarind falls between February and May, a period when tribal communities, especially women, traditionally rely on this income to manage household expenses during the off-season. D. Balu, chairman of Vivekananda Trust, underscored the strategic importance of this training: “By imparting cookery skills using locally available tamarind, we aim to bridge the income gap experienced by women during the tamarind off-season, enabling them to sustain earnings through the sale of homemade products.”
Furthermore, Tribal Welfare Department officials confirmed that tribals can utilize the Tamarind Processing Unit in Athipet village free of charge for processing their harvested tamarind. They are also provided with large jute mats to dry the processed tamarind before selling it to wholesale merchants across the district.