In Ranipur, we couldn’t collect a sufficient amount of honey because, due to the changing weather, the bees had become aggressive and were stinging...!
Anyway, after facing many difficulties, we took the honey and set out with our team toward the Vindhya mountain ranges near the Madhya Pradesh border. The villagers had told us that hundreds of beehives were located on the peaks of the Vindhyas. However, deciding to go there was risky for us, because, according to the villagers, not only were there man-eating wild animals on those hills, but the Vindhya valleys were also full of mysterious caves and water streams.
Anyway! From Ranipur, we set out with our team and three villagers toward the Vindhya valleys.
Since we couldn’t go far by jeep along the hilly paths, we had to leave the jeep on the way and continue on foot. We had to descend into a ravine from the edge of one hill and then climb up another hill. Remembering the villagers’ stories, everyone felt a bit scared and uneasy.
We began climbing the hill with our team, and as we moved forward, the journey became both thrilling and frightening for us.
While climbing the hill, we noticed that the valleys, which from the outside looked dense and beautiful, were not just wild shrubs. Instead, they were home to herbs like Mahua, wild Tulsi, Ashwagandha, and Gond, thriving in nature’s embrace. These Vindhya valleys even today hold the foundations of Indian Ayurveda, revealing nature’s extraordinary secrets to us.
As we continued, we had crossed one edge of the first hill, and now it was time to descend into the ravine and climb the next hill, where the bees had made their hives.
Since the sun and the rocky paths were making us tired, we took a break and rested under the shade of some Mahua trees. There, we noticed that due to the strong winds the previous night, a lot of Mahua flowers had fallen to the ground. Together with our team members, we collected some of the fallen Mahua, which we could later use to make Mahua puris, thekua, and several other delicious dishes!
After resting for a while, we set out toward the ravine. After walking some distance, we came across dense forests of stick bamboo, which is commonly used today to make various craft and decorative items.
In a forest spreading over 630 square kilometers, where according to the villagers there were an estimated 150 tigers, we—about 7 or 8 of us—quietly and cautiously moved forward under the scorching afternoon sun. Amid the eerie sounds piercing the forest’s silence, we were searching for Ayurvedic herbs for your good health, along with pure honey, fully aware that our lives were at risk. Suddenly!
The rustling sound from the bushes made everyone freeze in their tracks and hold their breath. At first, no movement was visible among the shrubs. Then, looking into each other’s eyes, we signaled that everything was fine. Taking a long, calming breath infused with the sweet fragrance of Mahua, we overcame our fear and continued forward…!
The journey ahead was far beyond what our fears had imagined…!!
That’s all for today’s blog. We’ll meet soon with the experiences from the rest of the journey.
