Natural dye-yielding plants and indigenous knowledge of dye preparation in Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve, Central India

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1 Natural Product Radiance, Vol. 7(1), 2008, pp Explorer:Research Paper Natural dye-yielding plants and indigenous knowledge of dye preparation in Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve, Central India Introduction The tribes live in this area from ancient times and they had been accepted as an integral part of the surrounding ecosystem. Main tribes include Gond, Kanwar, Uraon, Baiga, Bharia and Pahadi korwa 1. These aborigines live mainly in the hilly areas of the Achanakmar, Marwahi and Gaurella region. The main occupation of the tribes of the reserve is farming, collection of non-wood forest products, animal husbandry and labouring in forest department works 2. The focus of the present study is to know about diversity of dye yielding plants of Achanakmar-Amarkantak region, plant parts from which the colours are extracted, habit of plants, colour produced by them, ethnic uses and S C Tiwari* and Ajay Bharat Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Environmental Science, Guru Ghasidas University Bilaspur , Chhattisgarh, India *Correspondent author, sct_in@yahoo.com; Phone: (Mob.) Received 18 January 2007; Accepted 10 October 2007 Abstract The Chhattisgarh state, in the heart of India, is very rich in biodiversity as well as in the forest cover. Forests of Chhattisgarh have a number of dye yielding plants which produce different colours. The tribal folks of this region locally use different colours obtained from plants for different purposes such as ornamentation, cosmetics, decorating houses and colouring home utensils made up of mud. The present study was undertaken to assess the diversity of dye-yielding plants of Chhattisgarh, the indigenous method of dye extraction and ethnic uses of dyes. This will be a step towards the biodiversity and ethnic conservation and will also be helpful in understanding the social and cultural life of tribes of this region. Keywords: Dye-yielding plants, Indigenous knowledge, Tribals, Chhattisgarh. IPC code; Int. cl. 8 C09B 61/00 methods of dye extraction. They live in natural forests and learned different properties of local plant and have used them for different purposes including various uses of dye-yielding plants. Study area A study was conducted on dyeyielding plants found in the newly formed Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve (BR). This is situated between the parallels of latitude North and North and the meridians of longitude East and 82 5 East. Total area of the BR is 3, sq km, out of which, 1, sq km falls in Madhya Pradesh State and the remaining area of 2, sq km falls in Chhattisgarh State 3. It has a very rich floral diversity and biotic interference in the area have been very less. This area is also rich in ethnic population (6,616,596; 31.8% of state population) 4. Many local tribes live here by deriving all that they need from forest for sustaining life 5. T h e altitude of the region is in between 362 to 721 m above sea level 6 and has typical monsoon climate having short rainy season. The mean Curcuma aromatica (Ban haldi) Mallotus philippensis (Kamela) Curcuma angustifolia (Tikhur) Berberis aristata (Daru haldi) 82 Natural Product Radiance

2 Explorer:Research Paper daily maximum temperature ranges from 24 to 39 C and minimum from 10 to 25 C depending upon the season. The rainfall occurs due to South-western monsoon from mid June to September. The forests of the state fall under two major forest types, i.e., Tropical Moist Deciduous forest and the Tropical Dry Deciduous forest 7, 8. From the management point of view, there are four types of forests in the state of Chhattisgarh. These are Teak, Sal, Miscellaneous and Bamboo forests. Methodology The study was conducted in forest villages namely, Achanakmar, Bindawal, Lamni, Tilaidabra, Birarpani, Chhaparawa, Surhi, Ataria, Pataita, Shivatarai, Sihawal, Navagaon and Amadob. These forest villages are tribal dominated areas and come under biosphere reserve. The study has been conducted following the methodology of Jain and Rao 9. Specimens of different dye yielding plants were collected and taken photographs. The information recorded during this study was through direct observation and discussions with tribal villagers. Consultation with tribal religious persons likes "Ojhas and Baigas" of these villages was done to know about the local customs and social life. Each species is arranged alphabetically and is provided with correct botanical name, local name, family, general description, phenology and dye yielding plant part 10 (Table 1). Results and Discussion Total 33 species belonging to 18 angiosperm families have been recorded in the present work (Table 1). Fabaceae is found to be dominant with 5 species followed by Combretaceae having 4 species and Mimosaceae and Zingiberaceae each having 3 species. Moraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lythraceae and Rhamnaceae have 2 species each and rest of the families having one species each (Fig. 1). In terms of plant parts utilized for dye extraction it was found that mostly bark has been utilized for dye extraction constituting 21 per cent of total plant recorded followed by leaves 16 per cent, fruits constituting 14 per cent, flowers and seeds 12 per cent each, wood, roots and tubers 9 per cent each and rhizomes 7 per cent (Fig. 2.). The species recorded are mostly trees which constitute 64 per cent of the total species recorded followed by shrubs having 18 per cent, climbers 9 per cent and herbs 9 per cent (Fig. 3). Rubiaceae Rhamnaceae Punicaceae Myrtaceae Magnoliaceae Myricaceae Moraceae Rhizomes 7% Climbers Shrubs 18% Zingiberaceae Sapotaceae Mimosaceae Herbs Anacardiaceae Apocynaceae Berberidaceae Bixaceae Combretaceae 12% Euphorbiaceae Fabaceae 18% Lythraceae Fig. 1: Family wise presentation of dye yielding plants Seeds 12% Roots and Tubers Leaves 1 For extraction of dye local Baigas and other tribes use different methods. For extraction of dyes from Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kunze flowers and Syzygium cuminii (Linn.) Bark 21% Flowers 12% Fruits 14% Trees 64% Fig. 3 : Habit wise presentation of dye-yielding plants Anacardiaceae Apocynaceae Berberidaceae Bixaceae Combretaceae Euphorbiaceae Fabaceae Lythraceae Mimosaceae Moraceae Myricaceae Magnoliaceae Myrtaceae Punicaceae Rhamnaceae Rubiaceae Sapotaceae Zingiberaceae Wood Bark Fruits Flowers Leaves Roots and Tubers Rhizomes Seeds Wood Fig. 2 : Percentage wise presentation of dye-yielding plant parts Trees Shrubs Climbers Herbs Vol 7(1) January-February

3 Explorer:Research Paper Skeels leaves they perform following procedure: freshly collected flowers along with water are placed in a small copper pot and kept in dark condition for few days for fermentation. After 2-3 days material is taken out from the dark and heated indirectly by placing this small copper pot inside a large pot (Handi) filled with water. Heating is continued for 2-3 hours. Little water is added in between if it tends to get dry. The obtained liquid is filtered and some fresh cow dung is added to it and mixed for rapid drying of colour and to fix the colour. Same method is applied for the leaves but it is not necessary that leaves are fresh. For extracting dye from fruits of Myrobalans (Terminalia chebula Retz.) and bark of T. arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. these plant parts are cleaned by water and soaked in water for 5-6 days for softening. Thereafter, they are crushed with stone to split up fibres. Again the split fibre parts are placed in water for few days then placed in an earthen or copper pot. Water is added and the mixture is heated and boiled. After 7-8 hours when colour starts coming out again water is added and heated concentrated. The obtained dye is crude in nature hence filtered through a cloth before use. Water is added to decrease the concentration. Many times ash, clay, lime stone, cow urine, cow dung are also added for different purposes e.g., ash and clay are added as mordant. Cow urine gives fast drying property to the dye. Cow dung acts as fixing agent. The fresh dung is collected and dried, then put in boiling water, stirred and strained through a simple filter to add it at the time of colouring the objects. The locally extracted dyes are used for different purposes such as cosmetic purpose by Baiga women to colour feet and hands. The local Rauat families use dyes for colouring the clothes. They also use colour for decorating walls of house and the earthen pots, which is known as Sawnahi art. The colours are also used for colouring the ox, cows and buffalos horns. Dhanwar tribe uses dyes for beautifying of weapons like bow, arrows and axes. Thus, it is observed from the present study that different dye-yielding plants have important role in the social and cultural life of the local tribes. However, it is matter of concern that the local tribes are fast loosing their such great heritage and knowledge about dye plants, their uses and the methods of extraction. Now-a-days only the old persons of local tribes have knowledge about such plants and their young generations are not keen to know and conserve their knowledge. There is a need of serious attempts to document the traditional knowledge of tribes of this region about dye-yielding plants and the different extraction methods. 84 Table 1: Different dye-yielding plants of Achanakmar-Amarkantak biosphere reserve Species Local Family General Phenology Dye Dye name description yielding produced plant part Acacia catechu Khair Mimosaceae Small moderate sized, Leaf shedding February-March, new leaves Bark Brown (Linn. f.) Willd. xerophytic tree, 12-15m in April-May, whitish flowers during same Black high, girth cm period, pods develop up to July-August Acacia Safed Mimosaceae Moderate sized deciduous Leafless in February-March, new leaves Bark and Red leucophloea kikar tree, 15 m in height, in April. Yellowish flower appear from leaves (Roxb.) Willd. ordinarily 90 cm in girth July to November. Pod ripens during April to June Acacia nilotica Babool Mimosaceae Almost evergreen in moist Seldom leafless, leaf shed in March-June, Seeds Brown (Linn.) Willd. locality, m in height, flowering irregular from April- June, Black ex Delile girth up to 3m pod fully developed in May-June Artocarpus Kathal Moraceae Large ever green tree, 15m Numerous yellowish flowers in December- Wood Yellow heterophyllus Lam. in height, girth 1-3 m March, fruits in March-April which ripens in rainy season Natural Product Radiance

4 Explorer:Research Paper Species Local Family General Phenology Dye Dye name description yielding produced plant part Artocarpus Barhal Moraceae Evergreen tree, 10-15m Flowers December-March; fruits Wood Yellow lakoocha Roxb. in height March-April Berberis Daru Berberidaceae Stout erect spinous shrub, Flowering and fruiting, March-April Root and Yellow aristata DC. haldi up to 3m in height, leaves tubers foliated, flower in short corymbose, nectary gland Bixa orellana Sinduri Bixaceae 6-10 m high tree Flowering September-April Seeds Red and Linn. Pink Butea Palash Fabaceae Medium sized deciduous Leaf shedding in November- Flowers Yellow monosperma tree, 6-12m in height, December, new leaves in April, (Lam.) Kuntze girth 2m flower buds in January-April and flowers gregariously Butea superba Palash Fabaceae Deciduous liana, Flowering April; fruiting in June Root tubers Red Roxb. lata 12m in height Curcuma Tikhur Zingiberaceae Herbaceous rhizomatous Flowering July-November Tubers Yellow angustifolia Roxb. plant, 1m in height Curcuma Ban Zingiberaceae Herbaceous rhizomatous Flowering July-November Tubers Yellow aromatica Salisb. haldi plant, 1m in height Curcuma Haldi Zingiberaceae Perennial herb Flowering July-November Tuber Yellow longa Linn. Emblica Aonla Euphorbiaceae Medium sized deciduous Flowering March-May; Fruits Brown officinalis tree, 10m high fruiting in July-December Gaertn. syn. Phyllanthus emblica Linn. Indigofera Neel Fabaceae Shrub, cultivated, Flowering September; Leaves and Blue cassioides Rottl. 1m in height fruiting in February flowers ex DC. Indigofera Neel Fabaceae Perennial shrub, Flowering September; Leaves and Blue tinctoria Linn. cultivated, 1m in fruiting February flowers height Lawsonia Mehndi Lythraceae Much branched Flowering April; Leaves Red and inermis Linn. shrubs 2-3 m in fruiting December Orange height Mallotus Kamela Euphorbiaceae Evergreen tree, Flowering October- Fruit capsules Orange philippensis (Lam.) 8 m in height November; fruiting in Muell. - Arg. February-May Michelia Champa Magnoliaceae Evergreen tree 35 m Flowers April onwards, Wood Yellow champaca in height, girth 2-3.5m fruits ripen in August- Linn. November Vol 7(1) January-February

5 Ex,lorer:Resear,h Paur Species Local Family General Phenology Dye Dye name description yielding produced plant part Mimusops Maulshri Sapotaceae Evergreen tree, Flowering March-July; Seed Yellow elengi Linn. 8-12m in height fruiting January-February Myrica esculenta Kay Myricaceae Deciduous tree, Flowering April; Bark Yellow Buch.-Ham. phal 8m in height fruiting December ex D. Don Pterocarpus Beejasal Fabaceae Tall deciduous tree, Flowering July-October; Bark Red marsupium 30 m height, girth 5 m pods ripens in Roxb. December-March Punica Anar Punicaceae Shrub, m in Flowering in March-June; Rind and Yellow granatum Linn. height fruiting in July-October flowers Rubia Maddar Rubiaceae Herbaceous plant, Flowering in February Whole plant Red cordifolia Linn. height 1 m and fruiting in December Semecarpus Bhilwa Anacardiaceae Deciduous tree, Flowering in July-October; Fruits Black anacardium m in height pods ripens in Linn. f. December-March Syzygium cuminii Jamun Myrlaceae Large evergreen tree, Flower March -April; fruit Bark and Red (Linn.) Skeels 30m in height, girth 4m ripens in June - August leaves Terminalia Saja Combretaceae Deciduous tree, 30 m in Leaf fall January-February, Bark Red and alata height new leaves III March-April; Brown Heyne ex flowers in July; fruits ripens in Roth March-July Terminalia Arjuna Combretaceae Large evergreen tree White flower in April-May Bark Red arjuna (Roxb.) 25m in height, girth 3m and fruits ripen in Feb-May Wight & Arn. Terminalia Bahera Combretaceae Deciduous tree, 30 m Leave fall in November- January, Fruits Black bellirica Roxb. in height, girth 2.4 m new foliage in April; flower in April to June; fruits in November-February Terminalia Harra Combretaceae Deciduous tree, 24 m Old leaves fall in February-March, Fruit Yellow and chebula Retz. in height, girth 2.4m new leaves in March-May; flowering Black in July-August; fruits ripen in October-March Ventilago Kyoti Rharnnaceae Climber m Flowering in December; Bark and Violet denticulata Willd. fruiting in April roots Woodfordia Dhawai Lythraceae Shrub, 3-4 m in Flowering January; Flowers Red - fruticosa height fruiting in May yellow (Linn.) Kurz Wrightia Indrajan Apocynaceae Small deciduous tree, Flowering March-May; Seeds Blue tinctoria R. Br. 10 m in height fruiting in June-February Ziziphus Ber Rhamnaceae Xerophytic tree, Flowering January; Leaves and Pink-red mauritiana Lam. 12m in height fruiting May bark m Natural Product Radiance

6 Explorer:Researlh Paper Conclusion 2. Oommachan M, Masih SKand ShrivastavaJL, 7. Roy Gp,Shukla BKand Dutt B, Flora of Madhya Ethnobotanical studies in certain forest areas Pradesh, Ashish Publication House, NewDelhi, It is quite clear from the present of Madhya Pradesh, J Trap For, 1989, 5, study that Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve is a storehouse of floral 8. Champion HGand Seth SK,General Silviculture biodiversity and economically important 3. Achanakmar-Amarkantak biosphere reserve for India, Manager of Publications, Delhi, project report of Bilaspur forest division, plants particularly dye yielding plants. 2005, pp Preliminary study has been made about 9. Jain SKand Rao RR, Handbook of Field and such biodiversity rich region. 4. Primary census abstract, Census of India, Herbarium Methods, Today and Tomorrow Comprehensive study about the assessment Printers, \few Delhi, of biodiversity of dye yielding plants is 5. Ram Prasad and Pandey RK, Ethno-medico- io. Mahanta D and Tiwari SC,Natural dye-yielding needed to document knowledge of current botanical studies on indigenous medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge on dye status of these plants in this region. plants of Lamni and Achanakmar forests of preparation in Arunachal Pradesh, North-East Bilaspur district of Madhya Pradesh, J Trap India, Curr Sci, 2005, 88, For, 1993,9, References 1. Rai R, Nath Vand Shukla PK, Plants in magico- 6. Achanakmar sanctuary project report of religious beliefs of baiga tribe in central Bilaspur forest division, 1992, pp.i2-52. India, J Trap For, 2004, 20, Vol 7(1) January-February 2008 ~m