Kanha – When the Forest Pauses, and the Mahua Beckons

If you’re like most of us these days, grocery shopping probably means a few lazy taps on a screen — scroll, swipe, click, done. But in Kanha, it’s a weekly affair, a tradition that has been carrying on for centuries.

Every Wednesday, as the Kanha National Park closes its safaris for the afternoon, a different kind of buzz begins to take over. By afternoon, the jeeps retreat, the jungle quietens, and a steady stream of locals start heading toward a little village called Mocha, just 6 kilometres from Khatia Gate (an entry point to the core zone). It’s market day.

Called Madai, this isn’t your typical farmers’ market. It has different names across regions, but the idea is central – it’s part weekly shopping trip, part social gathering and community building, and part sensory overload in the best way possible.

As you get closer to Mocha, you’ll see villagers walking or cycling along the narrow roads in groups — chatting, laughing, excited. The closer you get, the more animated everything becomes. It’s almost like following alarm calls to a tiger sighting!

And then you arrive.

The Mocha market is a burst of energy. Picture low counters crowded with fresh vegetables, piles of vivid red chillies under yellow tarps, sacks of rice, and hand-ground spices that perfume the air. In between the food stalls are colourful displays of bangles, silver tribal jewellery, make-up, and clothing. Along the market paths, you’ll also spot heaps of Mahua, the flower used to make the local spirit. Pungent but smooth, the spirit goes well with lime. (By nightfall, its effects will be evident on the locals.)

It’s easy to lose yourself in the chaos, even for seasoned market goers. But don’t worry — give it 10 minutes and you’ll find your rhythm. Whether you’re bargaining for silver anklets or just browsing, this market is more than a detour. It’s a glimpse into local life.

The Mocha market, a set up that has largely remained unchanged over the decades, is part of our Kanha Tiger Safari Adventure — a thoughtful pause between safaris that offers an intimate peek into the rhythms of the land and the people who call it home.

So if you’re wondering what to do when the park gates close, we say: follow the crowd. Mocha is waiting.