ME TODAY: Up the hill with Van-Gujjar women!

Nov 1, 2022 2:09PM EDT

Ita Mehrotra is a comics maker and illustrator based out of New Delhi, India. She often focuses on non-fiction stories, with a feminist lens. Her comics have been published in 'First Hand 1: Graphic Non Fiction from India' (Yoda Press), 'Drawing the Line' (Zubaan Books), 'City Script' (Goethe Institute), thewire.in, AdAstra Comix, KHOJ Artists Association, among others. Ita also heads the programmes of 'Artreach India', working with marginalised communities across India through art. http://instagram.com/ita_mehrotra

THE VAN-GUJJARS are traditionally a forest-dwelling nomadic community in the Uttarakhand Himalayas. They and their buffaloes are now at constant odds with state “development” and “conservation” policies. Amla is a sweet-sour wild berry, often eaten with a pinch of salt and much sought after for its rich vitamin C content.