“I am Tekam Kamla Bai from Adilabad. Farming is a part of our everyday life. We grow cotton, red gram and soya in our fields. During September and October, another seasonal fruit grows naturally among our crops. We call it Budam Pandu.

We do not use pesticides or fertilisers for these fruits. We simply sow the seeds in our agricultural fields and let the rains do their work. The fruit grows naturally, without any special treatment. As people from the Kolam community, we have grown up with our fields and forests around us. We eat what we grow and enjoy food that comes fresh from our fields.

When the Budam Pandu is ready, we harvest the fruits and bring them to Adilabad town and places along NH-44 to sell. The fruits come in different sizes. They are green when they first grow and slowly turn yellow. As they ripen, the yellow fruits develop cracks and give off a sweet smell. That is when we know they are ready.

We sell them for around ₹20 to ₹30 each, depending on their size. Some people know the fruit and wait for its season, while others stop when they see us by the roadside. It feels good when people recognise and enjoy something that has grown naturally in our fields.

People eat this fruit in different ways. Some like it as it is, while others add sugar to make it softer and sweeter. It can also be used to prepare juice.

Our lives are connected to the seasons. We sow, wait for the rains, work in our fields and harvest whatever the land gives us. We work hard, but we also know how to enjoy life. We sit with our families and friends, share our food, talk and return to our work the next day. What makes me happiest is seeing our children study.”