Sal Leaf Plates (Pattal-Dona) — Jharkhand's Edible Forestry Product

In the sal forests of Jharkhand and Odisha, tribal communities — particularly Santhali, Munda, and Ho — collect fallen sal (Shorea robusta) leaves and stitch or press them into pattal plates and dona cups using twigs as staples. These biodegradable plates are used at community feasts, temples, and increasingly as eco-friendly alternatives to plastic disposables. Women's SHGs operating TRIFED-linked sal leaf enterprises have transformed this forest livelihood.