This morning was very pleasant, with clear weather and the sun shining brightly. We prepared to travel from Mandla to Bichhiya, feeling excited at the thought of honey harvesting. The distance from Mandla to Bichhiya is 44 kilometers, and the route passes through dense forests and rivers. By the time we reached Bichhiya, the weather had changed, and heavy rain began, making it clear that honey harvesting would not be possible today.
Upon asking the locals, we learned that a market is held here where tribal people bring forest products such as herbs, dried flowers, Mahua, and honey to sell, and purchase essentials for their daily lives. Knowing this filled us with excitement to visit the market.
We traveled along a small, clean road, passing many tiny villages, forests, and small river ponds, and even spotted some birds. Along the way, we saw several tribal people carrying goods to sell at the market. We tried talking to a few, but they seemed shy. Later, an auto-rickshaw driver told us that this area is inhabited by the Gond Turbine tribes, who generally do not mingle much with outsiders.
So absorbed in the beautiful scenery, we hardly noticed the time until we reached the forest department office, where we inquired about the market timing. We learned that the market opens at 3:00 p.m., while we had arrived at 11:00 a.m. Talking to a forest guard, we were informed that a Banga tribal settlement lies a little further away, and they are very open to interacting with outsiders. Excited to meet them, we headed in that direction.
On the way, we saw numerous nests of red ants used to make chapra chutney on a mango tree. These ants twist and stick their saliva to construct the nests, which seemed like a marvel of nature. Upon asking locals, we learned that people here do not make chapra chutney; it is produced by tribal communities about 250 kilometers away in Chhattisgarh.
A little further ahead, we saw that the villagers had gone into the forest to collect tendu leaves. An elderly grandmother sitting at the doorway explained that at this time of the year, no farming can be done. Under the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana, the villagers gather to pluck tendu leaves, bundle them in sets of 50 leaves, dry them, and send them to the Forest Department. They earn four rupees per bundle. Thanks to this scheme, they do not have to migrate from their village and can earn a livelihood while staying in their own community.
The grandmother served us tea in a black earthen pot, which had a wonderful smoky flavor. She suggested that we rest there for a while. After about half an hour, the villagers returned, carrying thick bundles on their heads—children, young adults, and elders alike. They placed the bundles down and asked the reason for our visit.
We explained that we had come to Bichhiya for wild honey harvesting, but due to bad weather, we couldn’t do it today and had come to explore the area instead. During the conversation, time seemed to fly by. Many layers of their lives unfolded before us, and we felt immersed in their everyday world.
After a while, they told us about a tree that hosts a large colony of bats and offered to take us to see it. Excited, we readily agreed. Upon reaching the tree, we saw not 10, not 20, not 50, but 200–400 bats resting on a single tree.
On the same tree, there was also a device brought from Australia, installed by a team of scientists for research purposes. When we tried to inquire with the locals, we couldn’t get any information, so we decided to check with the Forest Department later. As we were returning toward the forest office, we learned that a sudden forest fire had broken out, and the entire forest department team had gone there. With no officials available for information, we had no choice but to leave disappointed. By that time, it was already 2:30 p.m.
We decided to explore the market a bit. Upon arriving, we saw many colorful and beautifully arranged sweets such as jalebis, gulab jamuns, and shakkarpare, along with shops selling soap, spices, and vegetables. About 100 meters further inside the market, we found shops buying Mahua, honey, and herbs, with many tribal people coming to sell their products. Even today, a barter-like system operates here, where tribal people exchange forest produce for daily necessities.
We tried talking to some tribal people, including the Borne tribe. The women of this tribe are very shy, tattoo their hands and feet, avoid mingling with outsiders, fold their saris up to the knees, and wear silver bangles on hands and feet, making them easy to identify in a crowd. Further along, we came across a potter’s settlement of the Gond tribe. The Gond people live on the outskirts of the forest and are very sociable, whereas the Borne tribe lives deep in the forest and is less communicative.
In the market, we also met some Borne tribe members who shared that they worship a “Bada Devta” by placing a special wooden stick in their courtyard. We learned that this deity is actually a form of Lord Shiva. When we asked how they treat illnesses, they said a person in the village is knowledgeable in herbs and provides remedies. They also shared that pregnant women resume work the day after childbirth and bathe themselves and the baby in the river.
When we asked if they found their life difficult, they said this was the best life for them. Some had gone to Mandla for work a few times but did not feel satisfied. They said their lives are closely connected to the forest and river, and whenever they move away from them, they feel internally drained.
At that moment, another villager arrived and invited us to a wedding ceremony taking place the next day, saying we should definitely attend. We told him that traveling to Bichhiya and back tomorrow would be difficult. He suggested we stay that night and watch glimpses of the wedding. We immediately agreed.
Since this area has been Naxalite-affected, we informed our hotel that we would not return that night, so they wouldn’t worry. Under the starry sky, the night felt magical. The cool night air and the moonlight after a long, hot day made the evening very enchanting. There is no electricity here, so no artificial lights were present. The villagers shared stories late into the night by the moonlight. They mentioned that with the new roads and three-wheelers, life has become easier; otherwise, they would have to walk 10 kilometers just to reach the market.
For dinner that night, we had simple food: rotis made with raw mustard oil, topped with chopped onions, potatoes, salt, and chili. Though very basic, the meal was extremely tasty. By 8:00 p.m., everyone had finished their work. Talking with the villagers, we learned that normally they finish eating and go to bed by 7:00 p.m., so our conversation had delayed them a little. Hearing this, we decided to sleep as well.
The next morning, we were woken up at 4:00 a.m. and went with everyone to the river for bathing. A small ritual was performed, in which wildflowers were placed in the water as an offering to the forest goddess. Afterward, we returned home, where a canopy decorated with leaves had been set up for the wedding rituals. The bulls outside were ready, and the walls displayed glimpses of wedding decorations and welcome messages. By then, it was 8:00 a.m. We bid farewell to the villagers and set off for Bichhiya, feeling a deep regret for not being able to participate in the wedding.
