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This Assam family is planning to cultivate Boro rice for people across India
Updated On: 10 May, 2023 08:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Tanishka D’Lyma
A family from the Boro tribe in Assam offers authentic rice straight from their farm in the state’s floodplains
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The Basumatary family; (left to right) Hayensa, Babita, Lambre, Chria Rani, Rangjalu, and (not in frame) Sanen Basumatary— Rangjalu’s father
The Basumatary family, whose landholding lies between the eastern Himalayan range in Bhutan and the Brahmaputra, cultivates rice for their own meals. This year, they’ve decided to share the flavour and richness of the harvest with people across India to introduce them to Boro (also, Bodo) rice. Using a neighbour’s farm to cultivate sufficient amount of rice, they’ve opened orders for two authentic flavours of Boro rice — mai-bra or red rice, and gwswm mairong or black rice.
Speaking to us from Tezpur where he currently works, Rangjalu Basumatary, naturalist and documentary filmmaker tells us, “My family grows the rice for our daily consumption and also during festivals like Magw Bwisagu. It’s a sticky rice with a different taste and aroma from other varieties although it is difficult to explain exactly how.” Basumatary often makes mai-bra homenai where the rice is steamed. “You can eat it with everyday vegetables and dal. You can also make popcorn from the rice. That is called mai-bra sworai,” he adds.
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