Barkagaon, Sanjay Sagar: These two Sakhua or Sarai flowers are blooming in the valleys of Barkagaon block of Hazaribagh district. These flowers are captivating everyone’s mind. These flowers have decorated the forest and the land of Barkagaon like a bride, with the fragrance of which the bhanwars are humming. The birds have also started chirping.
These flowers are not only to attract people’s mind but Sakhua fruit is an important means of employment for the villagers. The importance of Sakhua flowers increases during Sarhul festival. Worship is also done with this flower. From the last month of March to the month of July, villagers pick and sell Sakhua flowers and fruits.
Brokers earn huge amount by sending Sakhua fruits to Chhattisgarh, UP
Brokers earn huge amount by buying these Sakhua fruits and sending them to Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. At the same time, the villagers get money only to fill their stomach. If the Jharkhand government makes its market available, then the migration of people from rural areas of Barkagaon block of Hazaribagh district will stop. The people here will look for employment in the forests of their village itself.
Sakhua flowers are available from March-April and fruits from May to mid-July. The villagers break them and sell them. As soon as the season of Sakhua fruit arrives, the Mahadi forest of Barkagaon, Budhwa Mahadev, Laukura, Barkagaon- Hazaribagh Road, Tandwa Road, Uri Mari Road, Jugra Forest, Gondalpura become buzzing.
Also Read: Why only Sakhua tree is worshiped in Sarhul festival, the story is related to the period of Mahabharata.
Crowds gather in the forests to pluck Sakhua fruits.
Crowds of villagers gather in these forests to pluck fruits. This earns so much income that people of this area do not go to work in other cities during the Sakhua fruit season. Barkagaon block forest area of Hazaribagh district has maximum number of Sakhua trees.
The price of Sakhua fruit in the market is Rs 15 per kg. Dalda and soap are not only made from Sakhua fruits, they are also exported to foreign countries for making oil. Middlemen buy these fruits and send them to solvent plants in Raipur of Chhattisgarh and Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh and earn huge amount.
Also Read: Jharkhand News: Resolved to maintain the rural, natural beauty in Chaibasa by installing Sakhua flowers and branches and dancing vigorously.
Sakhua flowers and fruits are sold expensively in other states
The village people pluck fruits from trees in the forests from May to July, after which the fruits are dried in courtyards, houses, rooftops, barns, roads.
After drying the fruits are burnt in fire
After that, the peels from the upper part of the fruit are removed and sold in the market. Villagers sell it at the rate of Rs 15 per kg. Brokers buy them and sell them at expensive prices to factories in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh for making oil-dalda and other items.