Chyanu or Gucchi – Bunch mushroom a mine of miraculous medicinal properties
By SP Jairath
The world’s most expensive vegetable bunch mushroom is a unique gift of nature that grows with a touch of nature. Famous by the folk name Chyanu or Gucchi has botanical nomenclature or the scientific name “Morchella esculenta”.
This High-priced fungus is used for soup and another recipe in the hills today. Thunderstorm and lightning are the weather conditions which is suitable for bumper production in the wild. It is germinated in the high-altitude areas of Sirmaur, Shimla, Chamba, and Manali.
The bunches are found in abundance and are also popular as Chenu, Rontu, Chhatri, Chatmor, and Dungru. It could be found in the walls of the forest and germinates on the dead woods from March to May as spring is considered Gucchi mushroom season in the hills.
Local people rush to their nearby forests in search of this wild mushroom soon after the spring showers accompanied with lightning. The flashes of lightning spurt the seeds or spores of Cheun after the rain. If more is strong rays of lightning and the thunder of the clouds, bunches are found in abundance in the forests. The most important thing is that the bunch grows without fertilizers and in the wild.
According to agricultural experts, bunches are found at an altitude of 1500 to 3500 meters above sea level. For which 14 to 17 degree Celsius temperature is required.
Suresh Thakur of Ritb village states that the right time for bunch growing according to the Indian calendar is the month of Falgun to Baisakh every year.
Bunch mushrooms grow more in a forest scorched by fire, in the middle of moisture and grass. He also said that these days people are camping in the forest to collect the bunches for the whole day, taking the day’s food with them. For many days, the villagers live in the forest in search of bunches, that is, finding bunches is a very difficult task.
People eagerly wait for strong lightning and thunder, especially in the month of Falgun. They say that everyone does not see bunches in the forest, it is found only by the lucky ones. The bunch is brought from the forest and dried at home and its garland is strung and hung in the house.
After drying, the weight of the bunch remains very less. The high price of Gucchi in the open market is catching a price band of 30 to 35 thousand per kilogram. Apart from India, it is in great demand in countries like America, Europe, Italy, etc.
The mystery remained unresolved as to how a bunch could grow in the mountains with the flashes of natural light and how spores or seeds scattered in Nature as so far no study has been done on it by any scientists.
Ayurveda expert Dr. Anu Sharma told that bunches are full of miraculous and medicinal properties. In addition to iron, vitamins B and C, amino acids, and minerals are found in plenty. It contains low fat and high anti-oxidant fiber. Bunch mushroom is especially beneficial for heart patients. According to a report, research is being done by the scientists at Directorate Mushroom Research Center Chambadhat Solan on Gucchi mushrooms so that Gucchi can be produced at home.
