Witnessing the changing food traditions of the mountains, Sashi Bahuguna Raturi from Uttarakhand decided to preserve the food and culture of the hill state. In 2018, she started Namakwali, a brand to introduce the state’s traditional recipes of the age-old pisyu loon salt to the world, while taking her family legacy forward.
A flavoured salt with Himalayan herbs, pisyu loon is made by combining rock salt, fresh herbs and spices in a traditional grinding slab called sil-batta. The salt is prepared in various flavours such as ginger, garlic, hemp, etc.
Apart from being tasty, the colourful salt also acts as a survival food when vegetable supplies are lean.
Sashi employs 10-11 women who are earning lakhs by making salt. The team of Namakwalis handpick every ingredient from the foothills. They sit together in the courtyard of their homes and grind the salt with a pinch of laughter as they sing traditional songs.
Today, these women ship over 35 kg of salt to consumers in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. Some of their bestsellers are garlic-flavoured salt and authentic mix-flavoured salt.
Watch the video to know how these Namakwalis are taking pahadi namak across the country:
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