Ogla, the blushing buckwheat blossom

Buckwheat, aka ogla, is mostly known for its grain-like seeds used in cooking. But take a look at its flower! When ogla fields blossom in one of the few places it grows in India, the whole Sangla Valley in Himachal Pradesh blushes pink.

Rakchham village, Sangla Valley, Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh

Rakchham is a small village situated in the Sangla Valley of the Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh. It falls in between Sangla village and Chitkul, the last village of the state. Sangla is a farming village of just 600 people.

Blooming happy – local Kirtan Devi ji beams with satisfaction in her fields in Kinnaur, which is a tribal district. Here ogla blushes with pink blossoms, but buckwheat flowers also can be white, cream and even bright yellow elsewhere.

The delicate flowers blossom around mid-August and remain only a few weeks into September. Seeds mature about ten days after flowering then fall off the plant soon after. After that the buckwheat is harvested.

By mid-September as the flower turns black, the harvest time begins. Buckwheat is used locally and given to government centres that process it into buckwheat flour to sell.

Once the grain is harvested, farmers weed out the waste (the black particles). Kinnaur is known for its organic hill products globally. In addition to Kinnauri apples, it is also famous for pine nuts, walnuts, almonds and rajma (kidney beans).

Once the weeding out process is done, the farmers are left with the ogla flour. As in most places, the traditional crops of Kinnaur are witnessing a decline due to newer varieties that have taken over the market.

They further grind the white powder to make it more refined. It is very helpful for those dealing with diabetes and extremely nutritional. Ogla flour is one such unique offering from Kinnaur amongst many that is great for a healthy lifestyle.

Harvest from one season is stored in sacks and is enough for their consumption till the next season. The many benefits of ogla make it great for those with high cholesterol and those suffering from diabetes.

Ogla is used to make chilta (hod in the local Kinnauri dialect), which is like the Indian roti (bread). It is also used by some to make local sweets.

If you can brave the Kinnauri monsoons, then visiting Rakchham village is highly recommended during this time to see the blushing buckwheat. Never mind the stunning mountains, open skies, gushing river and friendly locals. 

The lead image on top shows a stunning view of Sangla Valley in Himachal Pradesh, where the blooming buckwheat (Ogla) fields paint the landscape pink.

Photography and reporting by Atiqur Rahman, a Delhi-based photographer who hails from Nagaland.