Forest Frontlines: Our Team’s Tendu Leaf Story
We walked with Tendu leaf collectors before sunrise to see how unpredictable rains are making their lives harder this season.
It was the first day of May. Our team was discussing heatwave story ideas, expecting the usual summer heat. But unseasonal rain changed the scene. So we shifted our focus. That’s how reporting works—stay flexible, follow what’s real, and cover what matters.
In this edition, we take you behind the scenes of our Tendu Leaf story.
In this edition, we take you behind the scenes of our Tendu Leaf report. Our Managing Editor, Pallav Jain and Correspondent Chandrapratap Tiwari left for the site at 4 AM. They wanted to see the process firsthand—how leaf collection begins before sunrise, how workers cope with the weather, and the daily challenges they face. Their early morning visit helped shape the story we brought to you.
Anyway, let’s begin..
At 4 AM in the forests of Madhya Pradesh, millions begin their desperate race against time. They’re not hunting for gold or precious stones—they’re collecting leaves from the humble tendu tree, the backbone of India’s most overlooked billion-rupee industry.
The tendu leaf wraps bidi, famously called the “poor man’s cigarette.” What’s ironic? The very people who make this possible are themselves trapped in poverty. In Khari village, Sehore district, our team went there to see the reality these collectors face every May.
Our team stayed overnight near the Rata Pani Tiger Reserve buffer zone, about 30 km from Bhopal. At 4:15 AM, we joined a large group of collectors leaving for the forest. Men, women, and even teenagers travelled together on bikes and on foot. The forest was still dark, but they entered anyway.
Officially, forest guards should accompany collectors. But after a quick notice to the guard, they went in on their own. Immediately, it became clear the leaves were not good. Continuous rains this May have damaged the leaf quality. Some collectors stayed behind, while most moved 40-45 km deeper into the forest to find better leaves.
We walked alongside them, listening to stories of wild animals they faced—bears, Tigers, and other dangers. Many had witnessed animal attacks, but fear didn’t stop them. Their work is their only income during the lean months. Tendu collection supports 7.5 million families in central India, including 3.5 million in Madhya Pradesh alone. Among them, over 2 million are tribal, and 40% are women.
The industry is worth ₹2,000 crore, with Madhya Pradesh producing 25% of India’s tendu leaves. But the earnings tell a different story. Despite government claims that pay has increased from ₹1,250 in 2017 to ₹4,000 today, collectors say they earn barely enough to survive. Many complained their earnings wouldn’t even cover travel costs.
Back in the village, we saw families sorting leaves late into the night. One elderly woman told us this work takes all their time, leaving no space for other tasks. Three generations often work together, showing how this labour defines their lives.
The government promises bonuses from tendu revenues and community development funds, but these rarely reach the collectors. For millions who light bidis every day, few know the hardship behind each leaf.
Our team witnessed this struggle up close—walking beside the collectors, hearing their fears of wild animals, feeling their disappointment over poor leaf quality, and seeing the exhaustion on their faces.
What stood out was the resilience of these families. Despite challenges from changing weather, low pay, and forest dangers, they continue to rely on this work to feed their families.
Their story shows how small changes in climate, like this year’s unseasonal rains, affect vulnerable communities directly. It also raises questions about whether more support and fair pay will reach those who do the hardest work in this billion-rupee industry.
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