Nayagarh Dhenkanal Sal Leaf Plate NTFP Forest Odisha

Nayagarh and Dhenkanal districts in central Odisha are densely forested with sal (Shorea robusta) trees, from which tribal and backward caste communities harvest sal leaves during winter (December-March) to press and stitch into round leaf plates (khali) and cups (dona) for ritual food serving and commercial sale as eco-friendly disposables. Sal leaf plates are made by stitching fresh leaves with thin splints of bamboo or date-palm spine on hand-operated plate stitching machines or manually, producing biodegradable disposable plates that have gained popularity as a sustainable alternative to plastic in urban markets. Nayagarh's Tikarpada wildlife sanctuary on the Mahanadi hosts the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) — India's most endangered crocodilian — in one of the few remaining viable wild populations in the Mahanadi river system.