India, March 18 -- This story began quietly during my daily journey to school. Ten of us teachers travelled together in a pooled vehicle, sharing small conversations between busy schedules. One December day, a colleague mentioned she was going home for a short break and casually asked if anyone wanted her to bring something local. She mentioned Bhanjeeri, a traditional seed from her village.

Without thinking much, I asked her to bring some for me. When she returned, she handed me two small packets-one filled with tiny white seeds and the other grey. Smiling, she said, "Yeh hamare gaon ka hai." I brought them home and kept them in my kitchen without realising how special they were.

A few days later, while cooking for my daughters, my eye...