Jata Sattu – An Old Tradition Making Its Way Into The Modern India

Have you ever tasted the desi food cooked in mitti ka chulha. It tastes so different and delicious.
Anything that is made traditionally gives you an another flavour that touches your soul. Sattu is a
traditional food of Bihar. Even in the cuisine of Bihar, sattu is used in litti-chokha, kachori, and sattu
paratha. Even sattu sherbet is used by most people, especially during Summer to beat the heat. Mostly,
the sattu we used is grind in Mills, very few people grind this in jata, which is a stone utensil. It is used
for grinding rice, wheat and other grains. Sattu which grinded in jata known as jata sattu.
Sattu is being sold for Rs150 per kilo which is expensive for rural and poor people. In such a situation,
jata sattu is much more affordable for these people. Also, it is made in the traditional manner, which is
much healthier.

Sunita Devi, a lady from Nehusa village, Harnaut, Nalanda District, works almost 6 hours a day using jata
to grind sattu and earning money with prestige. Like her, Veena Devi, Sudha Devi, and Manju Devi are
among the other 30 women who are working at the Common facility centre of Khistiz Agrotech Pvt Ltd.,
making sattu using jata. One of them said that they earn Rs 200 to Rs 250 per day by grinding sattu on
jata. According to Manager of Khistiz Agro, more than 30 jata has been produced.
In Nehusa, Many women are trained to grind sattu using jata. Most of them are from Sherpur and some
of them are from neighbouring village kheuari closed to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s village
Kalyan Bigha. Women who worked there, they are members of a self-help group (SHGs) known as
Jeevika Didi. Hundred of jeevika didis have been trained in Nehusa since last year.

“The main reason behind making jata sattu is to provide a livelihood to the rural women and supply pure
and fresh sattu in urban areas. This will create more and more opportunities for villagers also.” Said
Uma Shankar Bhagat, Jeevika district project manager in Nalanda District.

Sunita told “ During winter, we earn more in comparison to summer , it is difficult for us To work
continuously in summer.” “Before coming here, I was dependent on my husband and evn for Rs 10, I
had to ask him but after working myself, I can save money for myself as well as for my kids too.” said

How, beneficial it is?
An agriculture scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, N.K Singh said “sattu made on jata has more nutrients
than sattu grind in the machine.” “when sattu is made in the machine, more heat is released but not in
the jata which preserves the real aroma and taste.
According to an honourable physician and former union health minister, C.K Singh “ using jata sattu is
good for diabetes and constipation patients. It is also good for those who have weaknesses. It gives
instant energy at low rates.” “Making jata sattu is the best way to exercise for those women who have
gastric or pain-related problems.” Said Kundan Kumar, District Magistrate of Banka District. “After
UNESCO declared Nalanda University as World Heritage Site, jata sattu will branded as Nalanda sattu.”
he added.