Nallamalai Forest Products and Pith Craft of Vizianagaram Tribes

The forest-dwelling Kondh and Gadaba tribal communities of Vizianagaram district gather and process non-timber forest products including lac (resin from lac insects on Butea monosperma), pith (from Aeschynomene aspera, the sola plant), and beeswax. Sola pith was traditionally used for making lightweight decorative items — temple flower arrangements, auspicious symbols (mangalakarams), and ceremonial headpieces worn at weddings. The pith material is easily carved with simple tools into intricate shapes and coloured with natural dyes. While sola pith craft is more prominently associated with West Bengal, the Vizianagaram tradition represents an independent parallel development using the same plant material. Tribal cooperatives in Vizianagaram district market NTFP products through ITDA and forest cooperative channels.