At 4, July 30 -- 30 am, long before daybreak, Vindesh sets out into the forest. His goal - to find 'olmi' - the elusive, earthy wild mushrooms that sprout like secrets between moss-covered roots and under leaf litter.

For Vindesh, a 42-year-old local farmer, this ritual is older than memory. It is a thread that ties him to his father, and his grandfather before him - all of whom once trekked the same trails during the rains. But this year, his steps are uncertain.

Last week, the Forest Department announced a ban on wild mushroom collection, citing irreversible ecological damage, soil disruption and biodiversity loss. Overnight, a tradition carefully handed down for generations became illegal.

"We don't go to destroy the forest," Vindes...