Sal Leaf Plate Dona Pattal Making Raigarh Chhattisgarh

Sal (Shorea robusta) leaf plates and bowls called dona and pattal are biodegradable single-use food containers made from the large dried leaves of the Sal tree — the dominant tree species of the central Indian moist deciduous forest belt. Making sal leaf plates is a traditional forest livelihood of tribal communities (Oraon, Munda, Kamar, Kanwar) across Raigarh, Korba, and Bilaspur districts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Sal leaves are collected in autumn after they have naturally fallen or are harvested green and dried. Dried leaves are soaked in water briefly to restore pliability. Three to four leaves are stacked and stitched together at the rim using thin kher (bamboo) pins inserted through the stacked leaves at close intervals to create a rigid laminated plate. Bowls (dona) are shaped by pressing the leaf stack over a hemispherical clay mold. The finished plates are 100 percent natural — no adhesive, no bleach, no synthetic materials — and decompose completely within 30 days. Growing consumer preference for natural alternatives to plastic disposable tableware has created significant commercial demand. Chhattisgarh state MFPF (Minor Forest Produce Federation) procures sal leaf plates at MSP through tribal self-help group networks. Export to Germany and the UK as plastic-free event catering tableware. Training in machine-press plate production (for uniform size) and FSSAI food-contact safety certification provided at district SHG resource centers.