A labourer transferring seeds from his basket. Each plant yields between 75 and 125 seeds
A farm labourer harvests fox nuts, the seeds of prickly waterlilies, in Purnea, in India's eastern Bihar state. All photos: Taniya Dutta / The National
Labourers work waist-deep in murky water collecting the black seeds from ponds
A labourer with a handful of the fox nuts. They are roasted and puffed and then eaten as snacks
The labourers collect the seeds in horn-shaped cane baskets
A labourer pours the seeds of prickly water lilies, or Euryale ferox, from his basket into a sack
The seeds form in pods under the big circular leaves of the lily plant, hidden under the water
Labourer Dilip Kumar says the work is tedious and the thorns prick his hands but he earns more than if he was working in a paddy or maize field
Seeds are bought from farms and roasted at makeshift stations across Purnea
The seeds are dried and then sifted to get rid of dirt and stones before they are roasted in iron woks on clay ovens
Santosh Shani sieves the seeds to get rid of any stones
Whole families, including children, are involved in roasting the seeds
The seeds are roasted and the outer shell broken with a mallet for the puffy part to pop
A labourer using his stick to collect the seeds
A labourer transferring seeds from his basket. Each plant yields between 75 and 125 seeds
A farm labourer harvests fox nuts, the seeds of prickly waterlilies, in Purnea, in India's eastern Bihar state. All photos: Taniya Dutta / The National
Labourers work waist-deep in murky water collecting the black seeds from ponds
A labourer with a handful of the fox nuts. They are roasted and puffed and then eaten as snacks
The labourers collect the seeds in horn-shaped cane baskets
A labourer pours the seeds of prickly water lilies, or Euryale ferox, from his basket into a sack
The seeds form in pods under the big circular leaves of the lily plant, hidden under the water
Labourer Dilip Kumar says the work is tedious and the thorns prick his hands but he earns more than if he was working in a paddy or maize field
Seeds are bought from farms and roasted at makeshift stations across Purnea
The seeds are dried and then sifted to get rid of dirt and stones before they are roasted in iron woks on clay ovens
Santosh Shani sieves the seeds to get rid of any stones
Whole families, including children, are involved in roasting the seeds
The seeds are roasted and the outer shell broken with a mallet for the puffy part to pop
A labourer using his stick to collect the seeds
A labourer transferring seeds from his basket. Each plant yields between 75 and 125 seeds
