Indians have used herbs and spices like cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, and black pepper for culinary and medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Native to India, cardamom and turmeric were grown in Babylonian gardens as early as the eighth century BC. Turmeric, often known as the golden yellow spice, has long been well-known among other spices due to its culinary and therapeutic use.
Ancient Herb and Spice
Curcuma longa, a perennial herbaceous plant that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family of gingers, is the source of turmeric. It is essential to Indian traditional medicine, food, and culture. It has been used for hundreds of years, and Indian daily life still revolves around it. Turmeric was first utilized approximately 4,000 years ago in India's Vedic culture, when it was both a culinary spice and a holy herb.
Kandhamal Haldi
The Kandhamal district of Odisha is home to the tribal farmers who produce Kandhamal Haldi, or turmeric, which is historically grown in the district's hills and forests. Turmeric from Kandhamal is entirely organic, has a powerful scent, and has more therapeutic benefits. On April 1, 2019, a geographical indication (GI) tag was applied to it. In the middle of Odisha is the district known as Kandhamal. The physical area of the district is made up of hills and forests to an extent of about 60%. This region is endowed with an abundance of natural resources that create an ideal agro-climatic conditions for the cultivation of a wide range of spices, including tamarind, turmeric, ginger, and mustard.
Scientific Classification of Kandhamal Haladi
Kingdom: Plantae Family: Zingiberaceae Genus: Curcuma Species: LongaBotanicalname: Curcuma Longa L. Plant Description: Stem: Pseudo stem with a medium height of 85‐100cm, yellowish green, medium number of shoots (3‐5), few number of leaves on the main stem (less than 5), semi-erect leaves on the stem Leaf/Leaves: Short petiole, long narrow lamina, light green dorsal side and green ventral side, wavy margin, close venation Flowering: White seed, loose rhizome, light red scale, inner core golden yellow, outer core light yellow, bold rhizomes Fruiting time: September‐October Harvesting time: 8 months Yield (annual) : 11 t/ha Period of use : Turmeric powder and dry turmeric can be used for 10‐12 monthsOther Characteristics:
Macroscopic and Organoleptic Characters:
Uses
Apart from its sentimental significance, turmeric is also used as an affordable and natural cosmetic aid, including in the forms of parani and kumkum. In the spice and ready-to-eat food industries, turmeric is widely used as a primary component in curry powder, meat masala, chicken masala, and related goods. Turmeric is widely used in the cosmetic sector as a key component in the creation of beauty soap, beauty cream, medicinal soap, and other related products because of its strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Many pharmaceutical companies are actively engaged in the extraction of curcumin and oleoresin from turmeric for the production of medicinal medications and ointments because of its strong anti-carcinogenic effects.
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