This is the best time for collecting date palm sap, a tradition of rural Bengal, and pre-dawn fog is announcing winter's arrival. But in Kalia upazila of Narail, the winter tradition of pitha made with date palm sap and molasses is close to disappearing. The number of trees has fallen and there is an acute shortage of gachhis, the tappers who collect the sap, so a well-loved winter food culture is at risk of being lost.

According to the upazila agriculture office, there is strong demand for date palm patali and molasses in villages and markets across Kalia, so sap and molasses survive as popular local foods. To revive the tradition, local journalist Md Khairul Islam Chowdhury took the initiative of bringing three experienced gachhis from Rajshahi, encouraging locals to have their trees cut and sap collected. Sap has already started coming. On learning of this, Kalia upazila agriculture officer Md Jahangir Alam visited the site and promised training for local gachhis.

Azizur Rahman, a gachhi from Rajshahi, told Jago News: "Four years ago I came to Lahuria in Lohagara to cut date palms and met journalist Khairul bhai. After talking with him I came to Mahajan village in Naragati thana of Kalia upazila. He helped a lot by introducing us to the tree owners. We have now cut about 200 date palms in Mahajan Uttarpara and Kathadura villages of Naragati thana. Our wish is to give people here pure date palm sap and molasses."

Tree owner Nazrul Islam told Jago News: "I couldn't get my date palms cut for lack of gachhis. After talking with the journalist, I asked the gachhis to cut the trees. This way we can have sap and molasses and also get money for the trees."

Mehedi Hasan Tushar of Kathadura village told Jago News: "Kalia was once famous for date palm sap. Now there are fewer trees and no gachhis. With journalist Khairul bhai's initiative, we see a ray of hope."

Local journalist Md Khairul Islam Chowdhury told Jago News: "My initiative is to bring back a village tradition that has been disappearing."

Upazila agriculture officer Jahangir Alam told Jago News: "Date palm sap and molasses are an important part of rural tradition. I welcome the journalist's initiative. The agriculture office will arrange training for local gachhis so that they become interested in this profession again."

He said: "The training will begin during the winter season. If the initiative succeeds, winter mornings in Kalia will again be filled with the aroma of date palm sap and pitha. This will revive not only tradition but also the local economy, and bring new opportunities for rural livelihoods."

Kalia upazila nirbahi officer Md Rasheduzzaman told Jago News: "Rural traditions are the roots of our culture, and amid modernity they are being lost. Through initiatives like this, lost traditions including date palm sap and pottery must be brought back to life so that the new generation can know and hold on to this pride of our culture."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.