Almora/Haldwani: The country's first Himalayan Spice Garden has come into existence at Sauni in Tarikhet block in Uttarakhand's Almora district. The Himalayan Spice Garden, the first of its kind in the entire Indian Himalayan region and the country, was inaugurated by renowned historian and Padma Shri awardee Shekhar Pathak.
The garden showcases everything from Kashmir's saffron to the famous bay leaf (which was the first spice from Uttarakhand to be given the Geographical Indication tag), timur, wild asafoetida and major Himalayan spices found in the Bhaironghati region of Uttarkashi district.
The spice garden has been set up over an area of about four acres in Ranikhet, with funding from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) over a period of two years. It has been developed by the Research Wing of Uttarakhand Forest Department. It currently has more than 30 different spices. Of these, there are eight spices of the Allium family (onion) of the Himalayan region.
The developed species include Jambu, Black Cumin, Forest Ajwain, Cinnamon, Curry Leaves, Timur, Badri Tulsi, Chakri Phool, Kesar, Cardamom, Almora Patti, Lakhori Mirch, Wild Asafoetida, Himalayan Asafoetida, Alum, Van Haldi, Tejpat, Dolu etc.
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Chief Conservator of Forests Sanjeev Chaturvedi said that the main objective of establishing this spice garden is to popularize various spices of Indian Himalayan region and to create awareness about them. These spices are highly nutritious, delicious and a part of Himalayan cuisine since ancient times. However, due to various sectors, they could not be made as popular in other parts of the country. It will also enhance livelihood opportunities by connecting with women's self-help groups (SHGs).
The garden also includes black cumin (which grows in a very high altitude region and is a more nutritious/spicy one), jakhya (one of the most popular spices of the Garhwal region, used for tempering pulses and vegetables), Gandharayani (a pungent vegetable and spice used as a flavoring agent in lentils) are being grown there.
Along with these, there are Badri Tulsi (Orignam vulgare), Almora's Lakhori Mirchi (a very distinctive yellow colored and unique to Almora, this chilli is extremely hot and is rich in anti-diabetic, antibacterial properties and is rich vitamins) and Jambu (spice and the leaves are also used as a vegetable and soup). There is also an interpretation centre in the garden, where there is information about them.
