India, July 23 -- This monsoon, rugda mushroom, also known as putu, boda or rugra, is finding a new audience online. Instagram recipe Reels featuring the rare wild mushroom have racked up millions of views, with several videos crossing the 5-million mark as creators share everything from heirloom family recipes to rustic village-style curries. The viral buzz has introduced many Indians to a seasonal delicacy that has long been cherished by indigenous communities across eastern India.

Found in the sal forests of Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and parts of West Bengal, rugda (Astraeus hygrometricus) appears beneath the forest floor after the first monsoon showers and is hand-foraged for only a few weeks each year. Its rarity has made it o...