Foraging in Urban India: Finding Food and Cure

Communities the world over have been foraging since time immemorial. More so in the global South. As cities developed so did urban foraging. In India, foraging to meet nutritional needs has always been the norm. The authors through this paper bring to fore the need to understand urban foraging through the lens of community storying, sharing, and thereby sensitising lay persons of its benefits. They, along with an urban ecologist, lead fellow walkers through Sundar Nursery (an arboretum) which lies at the heart of India’s capital Delhi. During this walk, they are also accompanied by an unschooled young man, who carries with him knowledge of plants and their medicinal properties. Generational memories of food and foraging are exchanged with the community that joins in, while on this walk. The paper also delves into the need for open green spaces while planning cities. Urban foraging is important to build this community where foraging is understood by city bred populace and determines how and what they eat. As the community of responsible foragers increases, it will meet the food needs of the increased population. Some food stories and recipes have been shared in this paper too.