What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘kulhad’? Chai, right. These desi cups give the utmost desi vibes and are best known for serving tea, coffee and hot milk. You may have had chai in these kulhads a lot of time, but have you ever got a chance to eat these kulhads? Well, now you can. A group of farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria have made kulhads using millets. First, you can drink tea or coffee or milk in these kulhads and then, you can eat them as a healthy snack. Amazing, isn’t it?
Millets have been getting a lot of recognition since last few years and in a great move, the year ‘2023’ has also been declared as the ‘International Year of Millets’ by the United Nations following India’s proposal in 2019. And why not? Millets are not just environment friendly but a boon for health. Besides, millets are very affordable and are easily available. These millet kulhads could be a great initiative towards its promotion and usage.
Named ‘Chai Piyo Aur Kulhad Khao’, these healthy millet kulhads are made up of coarse ragi grains and maize flour. These cups grabbed the attention of people during the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj. As per a report published in Deccan Herald, a group member, Ankit Rai claimed that the demand for these 'kulhads' has been increasing manifold in rural as well as urban areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh. "To promote the benefits of millets, we created edible kulhads made of millets about two years ago. We have a special mould wherein we can make 24 cups in one go." He added that they connected with tea vendors in small villages of east UP, including Deoria, Gorakhpur, Siddharth Nagar and Kushinagar and managed to win hearts in other parts as well. Their demand has now spread to Prayagraj, Varanasi, Lucknow and other districts. Women are primarily involved in making 'kulhads' of millet for health benefits, he added.
As per some reports, it costs Rs 5 to shape such kulhads, and with tea, it costs Rs 10. The 'kulhads' are also eco-friendly and are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Mission as there is zero wastage, told Rai.
Isn’t it a great initiative? Do let us know what you think about it.