D is for Dung Cakes

Travelling along the highways and byways near Dausa, Rajasthan, we saw quite a lot of dung cake production. The dung cakes are made from buffalo dung or cow dung. Our guide explained that fresh dung is collected by the women, mixed with a little water and, depending on availability, with some straw. The sludge is formed into flat cakes and allowed to dry completely so that they can then be used for household fuel. Once dry, the cakes are stacked and then covered with another layer of the material to form protective fuel huts. The photos below show a pile of dung cakes and a couple of the dung huts – each with its own unique design.

Haiku:
Labour intensive,
though cost-effective fuel –
Dung cakes make cheap heat.