Jharkhand's 'Rugda' has taken over the market in Asansol, with wild mushroom vegetable being sold for Rs 1200 per kilo

Asansol, With the monsoon, Rugra, the precious gift of the forests of Jharkhand, has now become popular in the markets of Asansol also. The price of this rare indigenous species of mushroom has reached Rs 1200 per kg, but despite this the crowd of buyers is continuously increasing. People are giving up chicken and mutton and giving preference to buying rugra along with other green vegetables. Rugra is a wild mushroom, which grows naturally during the rainy season mainly in the Sal forests of Jharkhand. Local people also know it as 'Putu'. It is produced inside the soil and appears white round shape from outside. To extract it, the soil has to be removed carefully, hence its availability is very limited. The taste of Rugra is its biggest specialty. After cooking, its outer part becomes slightly crisp and the inner part becomes very soft. Due to its taste it is often compared to chicken and mutton. In the month of Sawan, when a large number of people abstain from non-vegetarian food, Rugra emerges as a tasty and nutritious vegetarian option. In West Bengal, Rugra is known as 'Chhaatu'. Here it is cooked in a spicy manner in the style of chicken and mutton, which people eat with great gusto. Gradually, it is becoming a favorite seasonal dish of the people of Bengal also. According to experts, Rugra grows inside the soil, so it is important to clean it thoroughly before cooking it. While buying, one should definitely check the freshness of the rugra by cutting one or two of it, so that spoiled or rotten rugra does not reach home. Due to taste, nutrition and limited availability, Rugra is also called the 'priceless treasure' of Jharkhand. It is not cultivated in the fields, rather it grows naturally in the forests only during monsoon. This is the reason why every year as soon as it comes in the market, both its demand and price increase. Today, Rugra has become the first choice of people even in the markets of Asansol.