One legacy of British colonial rule in India is a ban on making and selling an Indigenous spirit called mahua, made from a native flower. The ban was initially meant to encourage locals to buy imported booze. But it’s resulted in a stigma attached to the Indigenous drink. Now that entrepreneurs have found a legal loophole to get Mahua to market, some celebrate the overdue recognition, while others worry that the community that’s historically made the drink won’t reap the benefits.
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