Bhaderwah: Damp weather conditions over the past fortnight have transformed Bhaderwah’s coniferous forests in Doda district into a harvesting cluster for a seasonal wild mushroom, opening an earning avenue for local women and offering a delicious culinary experience for others.
Kundi mushroom, or earth cup fungus, which had largely disappeared from Himalayan forests over the past few years due to prolonged dry weather, has made a strong comeback this season, growing in abundance amid the prevailing damp weather conditions.
Collecting the mushrooms from the forest and selling them to local vegetable markets fetch up to Rs 3,000 a day each for a large number of women from the Bhaderwah valley along the dense cedar forest.
Women living in villages of Bhudda, Chinta, Duggi, Kansar, Ghuraka, Chinchora, Jatani, Thubba, Dhumanda, Sartingal, Katyara, Mathola, Hanga and Shankhoja make it their routine, harvesting the fungi at dawn and selling them in the market by the dust on a daily basis.
Selling the mushrooms would fetch them Rs 400 to 700 per kg during the entire season.
“Kundi, the season’s most cherished harvest that we used to collect from forests soon after the snow melted, had been missing for the past two to three years. Its absence was deeply felt across the village, as many families traditionally depend on it during early spring,” said 67-year-old Kalyana of village Bhudda.
She said its abundant return this year has brought immense joy. “Our group has been collecting Kundi for the past 20 days, and it is not only reviving a tradition but also providing us with a good source of income.”
According to Ajay Kumar of village Chinta, the incessant rains in the recent past have turned the forests into a treasure trove of Kundi, making the otherwise quiet forests lively and vibrant.
The sale of Kundi provides livelihood for many families, while most of the vegetable vendors display it as a key attraction during the season.
“This year, I have recorded my highest-ever sales of Kundi since starting my business a decade ago. Most of the stock in my shop is already pre-booked, with orders coming not only from locals but also from Delhi,” said Anil Kumar, a vegetable vendor from Jaie Road, Bhaderwah.
He said over the past 20 days, he has sold Kundi mushrooms worth around Rs 5 lakh, and women are earning around Rs 3,000 a day by collecting and supplying them to his shop.
Kundi is often found growing in shaded, humid areas after the melting of snow in the post-winter and a spell of rain during spring.
Apart from being a tasty seasonal kitchen staple, Kundi is also known for its medicinal properties.
