Who Is Shashi Bahuguna Raturi, The Founder Of Namakwali Brand

"Namakwali" means "girl/women with salt". It is a project that Shashi Bahuguna Raturi started with a paln to raise awareness of the (Pahadi) Mountain cuisine while empowering women through their culinary skills. She decided to produce and distribute her salt in all of its flavours across the nation by collaborating with a Dehradun-based NGO called Mahila Nav Jagran Samiti.

Namakwali Brand Aim

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Namakwali wants to give people all across the world access to the organic, nutritious flavours of Himalayan villages. Shashi Bahuguna Raturi, the unique brand's founder, was concerned about the loss of the traditional eating customs of the hill state when she created it. She began this project by bringing women from various parts of Uttarakhand on board. To serve their customers, they still do so using a traditional stone grinder (known as silbatta). All of the herbs and spices are hand-picked from the hills. The brand sells products without the use of chemicals using traditional techniques.

She noticed that the distinctive and regional elements used daily in the traditional cookery were included in the local salt (known as "Pisyu Loon"). She, therefore, began this project in 2017, using social media, mainly Instagram and Facebook, to highlight the many local salts and generate interest.

How It Helped Women?

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She shared the artistic and culinary talents that are traditionally associated with women because of the prevailing patriarchal social structure. Through the use of social media and digital storytelling, women can create their livelihoods and employment.

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How Did This Brand Grow?

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Pisyu Loon, a well-known traditional salt from Uttrakhand, is made by hand-grinding ingredients using a "sil batta" (traditional grindstone). This brand's slogan, "If Tata Salt is the Salt of the Nation, then Pisyu Loon is the Salt of Uttarakhand," connects with consumers since it refers to the main salt producer in India, Tata Salt. This initiative rapidly expanded to a network of 10 to 12 women who produce a variety of salts and spices with the main flavours of cannabis, ginger, mint, coriander, turmeric, garlic, and chilli. Their market has expanded dramatically across India, including in the major cities of Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune, using digital storytelling as a key strategy for reaching wider audiences.

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The majority of these salts are made by women in the villages of Tehri and Garhwal. They now use the internet to meet demand from across the country. Also, it is a means of preserving regional cuisine and culture. Today, not only in the hills but also in major metropolises like Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Pune, these salts are becoming more and more popular.

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