This is a traditional iron digging implement possessed by the Baiga tribe. It is used specially to harvest wild roots and tubers, even though it has a flat, sharp working end for cutting into soil and a pointed posterior end for breaking hard earth precisely. This tool is made by local blacksmiths that are very common in the thick forests of Kabirdham (Kawardha) and Bilaspur districts.
Foraging is an important part of Baiga livelihood, this tool is useful and handy for efficient gathering of food and medicinal plants from forests. It is often carried by women during seasonal forest walks, combining indigenous knowledge with sustainable practices. This digging tool is, therefore, a lifeline for the Baigas, connecting them to their historical land as well as forest-based identity rather than only being a farm implement in a state like Chhattisgarh, where minute forest produce is meaningful in the tribal economy.