The Khejri tree provides food and shelter to birds and animals and is used by humans for its fruit and leaves. The Khejri leaves, locally called luk, are used as nutritious animal feed for camels, goats, sheep, etc. They are also an easy source of abundant energy for herbivorous wild animals like the black buck, chinkara and nilgai. Many insects also thrive on the khejri tree.
The tree bears small pods (called sangri) that are 5-8 cm long and 1 cm wide. Sangri is a good source of income for rural farmers, especially women and children, in summer. The slender pods, sold for about Rs 1,200 per kg, are edible and used to prepare local delicacies like panchakutta or ker sangri.
The famous sangri vegetable of Rajasthan is an important part of the regional cuisine. It is eaten as a staple food in summer along with ghee-topped millet rotis. It is in great demand in Germany, where it is sold for around Rs.5,000 per kg.
Salim Attar is a freelance journalist based in Barmer Rajasthan.
Edited by: Novita Singh
