Cordyceps mushroom and Kongthong

Dear Reader,
Have you ever heard of cordyceps? They are a type of mushroom in high demand due to their antioxidant and medicinal properties. But do you know where they grow? They are found in the Himalayas, growing on the back of dead caterpillars!
Not surprisingly, cordyceps are becoming rare due to over-harvesting. So lab-grown cordyceps are now replacing the natural ones.
I spoke to one such grower last week. Suman Sakhija, a homemaker who had free time when her children grew up, began cultivating cordyceps in a 200 sq ft room in her house in 2018. Today, from that small set-up, she earns Rs30 lakh annually by selling dehydrated cordyceps at Rs93,000 per kg. She also trains others in indoor cordyceps farming. You can read about indoor cordyceps farming here.
My colleague Chandhini spoke to SM Ganesh and his son, who are keeping alive their family legacy of handcrafting harmonium and organs.  In a world of machine-made musical instruments, they are among the last artisans continuing the tradition. Social media has given a fillip to their work, and they are firm about growing their craftsmanship without using machines.
It is interesting how they repair antique musical instruments from across India and sell their harmoniums for up to Rs1 lakh!
Last week, I also interacted with Arun Sharma, a mushroom entrepreneur from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir. He has found another income opportunity apart from growing button mushrooms – making compost that forms the base of mushroom cultivation. So annually, he earns Rs 45 lakh from compost and a similar amount from button mushrooms, resulting in a turnover of Rs90 lakh.
Our Sunday story is on Kongthong, the whistling village of Meghalaya where mothers give a unique tune to every newborn instead of a regular name. Do look up this one!
In the Money section, Karan has listed ten high dividend-paying blue-chip stocks that are a good alternative to savings bank accounts that yield low interest.
Happy Reading!
Warmly,
Rashmi