Nahari: Enterprising Tribal Women Popularise Tribal Cuisine

To create pride in indigenous cuisine and boost the confidence of these tribal women, some enterprising women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) were encouraged to sell catered meals at food festivals, a major tribal festival at Dang the ‘Dang Darbar,’ and other local fairs. Buoyed by the success of their maiden ventures, the SHGs were encouraged to set up permanent stalls called Nahari, aimed at serving traditional food and cuisine influenced by the culture and traditions of the region. Nahari means ‘food’ in the Kukna dialect, which is spoken locally in the tribal belt of South Gujarat. Starting from one Nahari in 2006, today, there are 12 such outlets spread across different districts of Gujarat. Located at strategic locations, they are managed by tribal women SHGs.