Interestingly, these kulhads come at a time when the United Nations declared 2023 the "International Year of Millets" following a proposal from India in 2019.
These nutritious kulhads, made of coarse grains of ragi and maize flour, have captured the attention of tea lovers at the ongoing Magh Mela in Prayagraj. According to Ankit Rai, a member of the group, the demand for these 'kulhads' is growing rapidly in both rural and urban areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
"About two years ago, we created edible kulhads made of millets to promote the benefits of millets," he explained. We have a special mould that allows us to make 24 cups at once."
"Initially, we connected with tea vendors in small villages of east UP, including Deoria, Gorakhpur, Siddharth Nagar and Kushinagar, but we managed to win hearts in other parts as well. Prayagraj, Varanasi, Lucknow, and other districts are now seeing increased demand."
When asked about the cost of these 'kulhads,' he stated, "It costs Rs 5 to make such kulhads, and Rs 10 to serve tea in them. The kulhads are also environmentally friendly. As there is no waste, they are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Mission."
“Since ancient times, millets have been a staple of our diet. Millets have a wealth of health advantages in addition to having a low water requirement that is good for the environment,” he added.
The union government is also encouraging millets among citizens due to their health benefits in an effort to raise awareness and increase the production and consumption of millets.
