Tourist Back In Scenic Less Polluted Keonjhar

KEONJHAR: When winter sets in, the vast hinterland of Keonjhar turns yellow. The tribals cultivate mustard and sesame, whose flowers are yellow, in large tracts, overlooking hills and forests.

The crops are a tourist's delight. No vehicle passes through Kanjipani Ghat on NH-49 or through the roads of Telkoi, Bansapal and Harichandanpur without a halt to enjoy the breathtaking beauty. It seems the vast neighbourhood dons a yellow jacket.

For the tribals, majority of whom live below poverty line, mustard and sesame crops fetch a handsome income. "The pleasant fragrance of the mustard and sesame flowers draws bees from the forest and honey collection picks up. Honey prepared from extract of mustard and sesame flower is very tasty," said ayurvedic practitioner Harekrushna Mohanta. People cultivate the crops through a traditional method called podu (shifting) cultivation. They set fire to bushes and small plants on hilly slopes and leave the place for some months for the burnt leaves to decompose before sowing seeds post-ploughing.