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Mahua: The Tree of Life and Livelihoods

Text by Benoy Peter, Liby Johnson
Images by Benoy Peter



Older than the Himalayan ranges, the eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along India’s eastern coast that spread from northern Odisha to Tamil Nadu through Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Ecologically sensitive and rich in biodiversity, the Eastern Ghats are sanctuary to several rare, endemic, and endangered taxa, including species such as the Red sanders tree (Pterocarpus santalinus), Indian Golden Gecko (Calodactylodes aureus) and Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus).

Shifting Terrains: Map of the Eastern Ghats, showing Rayagada block in Odisha, a predominantly Indigenous region where forest-based livelihoods, especially the mahua harvest, are closely tied to the region’s ecology and cultural heritage. Credit: Divyanshi Vyas

The Eastern Ghats region of Odisha is predominantly rural and home to a significant Indigenous population, including several Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) such as the Kandha and Langia Soura. Gajapati is one such district where one in every two persons belongs to a Scheduled Tribe community. In the Rayagada block of Gajapati, three out of every four households are Indigenous.

For Adivasi families in Rayagada, collecting mahua flowers (mahula or ମହୁଲ in Odiya) during summer is a crucial livelihood opportunity, and an essential part of the cultural fabric. The community recognises that climate change is severely impacting their livelihoods. In October 2018, Cyclone Titli caused substantial damage in the Mahendragiri mountain on the Eastern Ghats. Unprecedented rainfall accompanied by a severe cyclonic storm caused landslides all along the hills. Fifty people are estimated to have lost their lives. 

A damage assessment in three Gram Panchayats of Rayagada block, covering 57 habitations with 2,224 households, showed loss of more than 5 lakh trees in a land cover of 8,800 acres. Mahua trees suffered heavily, with an estimated 56% trees lost.

The Giving Tree: Known as the Kalpavriksha or tree of life, Mahua (Madhuca longifolia) holds deep cultural and economic significance for India’s Indigenous populations. It provides food, medicine and a livelihood to these communities. Nearly every part of the tree is used—its flower for liquor, fruits and seeds for oil, wood for timber, and leaves and bark for medicinal purposes.
A Seasonal Lifeline: Mahua blossoms from March to May and the flowers are a vital source of income for Indigenous women.
Harvest of Hope: Dried mahua flowers fetch between Rs. 30 and Rs. 50 per kg, supplementing household incomes and strengthening resilience.
The Giving Tree: Known as the Kalpavriksha or tree of life, Mahua (Madhuca longifolia) holds deep cultural and economic significance for India’s Indigenous populations. It provides food, medicine and a livelihood to these communities. Nearly every part of the tree is used—its flower for liquor, fruits and seeds for oil, wood for timber, and leaves and bark for medicinal purposes.
A Seasonal Lifeline: Mahua blossoms from March to May and the flowers are a vital source of income for Indigenous women.
Harvest of Hope: Dried mahua flowers fetch between Rs. 30 and Rs. 50 per kg, supplementing household incomes and strengthening resilience.
Harvest before Sunrise: Indigenous communities leave home around 4 am to gather freshly fallen Mahua flowers, which are then sun-dried and sold.
Gathering More Than Flowers: While collecting mahua flowers, women also gather firewood and other forest produce.
Changing Seasons, Changing Future: The blossoming of Mahua and the quality of the flower are sensitive to temperature and rainfall variations, and the livelihoods of those who depend on forest produce such as Mahua are under threat.