Have you ever had lunch, dinner or breakfast on Sal Leaf Plate (Odia: ଶାଳପତ୍ର ଥାଳି)? Do you know sal leaf plates are healthier because they are chemical-free, toxin-free, and fully biodegradable. Unlike plastic or styrofoam alternatives, they do not leach microplastics or hazardous hormone-disrupting chemicals into your food.
In Balasore, Mayurbhanj, and Kendujhara side, you would definitely find such raw leaf plates in small shops, thela, dhaba, etc. It's because, there are many tribal families depending on this plate making business. They use to collect leaves and prepare plates with bio-degradable small sticks and dry them on sun-light.
Apart from this northern side, you will find these in western Odisha like Kalahandi and neighboring districts. Yes, you can find on other places also, but I have personally visited these districts and eaten on such plates, so I have mentioned about these districts.
The photographs shared here was taken in 2022, when I had attended the thread ceremony of a cousin brother. Their village is very close to the Nilagiri Hills of Balasore, so they use to collect such plates easily with affordable price.
Here is another snap taken inside the Jagannath Mandir of Anandapur, Kendujhara, Odisha in March 2022 during a literature meetup.
- Sangram
