India, Oct. 16 -- In Himachali folklore, finding an unbroken taradi root is considered a sign of divine luck and favour from forest spirits, a reward for the gatherer's persistence. The wild tuber can penetrate deep into the ground, making it laborious to extract. Known locally as tardi or tarunkand and scientifically as Dioscorea belophylla, this slender climbing vine grows naturally in the forests of the western Himalayas. According to studies, the species grows in shady forest habitats at elevations of 600-1,000 metres. But that has not deterred its popularity among communities in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, which prize the tuber as a winter delicacy.

It is commonly boiled and prepared as a vegetable. Those wi...