Mahua is sacred tree for Adivasis

Adivasi woman with collected Mahua flowers 

The liquor made out of Mahua flowers, known as Ippa Sara, is popular due to its therapeutic, rich nutritional value and various uses in day to day life and sacredness attached to it unlike Gudumba (illicitly distilled liquor).

But, rarely is Mahua liquor available these days in Adilabad as even Adivasis have stopped making liquor out of Mahua flowers. Sometimes the Ippa Sara cost is on par with the foreign liquor brands as people gets it rarely.   

Few Adivasis prepare liquor with Mahua flowers they collect during the summer for their own consumption and to use it in their traditional rituals. Liquor made out of Mahua flowers is costly as generally Adivasis will not sell it to others.     

Mahua flowers collection is in full swing in the Adilabad now which is considered to be minor forest produce. Mostly Adivasi women and girls collect Mahua from the jungles. 

Adivasis prepare Kudumulu (laddus) and roti mixed with the glue of Mahua flowers. They also extract Oil by crushing the Mahua flowers. The Adivasis offer the Mahua liquor to their traditional gods and goddesses during the rituals as it is considered sacred.

Mahua trees are popular in the Central India which is the natural habitat of the Adivasis for centuries in the country. The Adivasis worship the Mahua tree and they will not cut these trees as this was sacred for them and this practice is seen everywhere in the tribal belt.

The Mahua trees remained to stand proudly when other trees were cleared and converted the area into agriculture fields in the jungles by the Adivasis.

Adivasis place the Mahua flowers in the sun and use the dried Mahua flowers for various purposes.

Women and children collect them from jungles in the wee hours for collection of Mahua flowers and sometimes they have to even confront with the wild animals like bear and others before completing their work.  

There are incidents where forest animals attacked the Adivasis when they were collecting Mahua flowers in the forests.

Atram Laxmibai of Kolamguda in Narnoor mandal said they collect Mahua flowers every season and use them for their own use as Mahua tree,  Mahua flowers and its liquor considered sacred.