Mushrooming Trend

From Sikkim's misty hills to Delhi's green pockets, 'shroom spotting' is growing as the most unexpected foraging experience

- By TANISHA SAXENA

On a damp Sunday morning in Sikkim, Pramod Hingmang and his partner Bharati Gurung set out for a short walk in the forest. It was raining and the hills were glistening in green.

They weren't heading anywhere in particular, just following instinct. Soon, in the mossy undergrowth, a flash of ochre caught Hingmang's eye. It was a Cordyceps or commonly known as the caterpillar fungus—a rare, and expensive parasitic fungus that grows on insects and is coveted for its unique medicinal properties. “This is why every trip to the forest is different,” Hingmang says, looking at the rare fungus. “We don't go looking for anything in particular. We walk, we observe, we learn.”