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Desi Heater For Winter: Cold has knocked in Surguja, Chhattisgarh. With this, the traditional rustic heater ‘Gorsi’ is once again in the news in the villages. While people in cities depend on gas and electric heaters, in Surguja this indigenous heater made of mud, straw and tubers provides warmth for hours.
As soon as the cold season starts in Surguja division of Chhattisgarh, people in the cities are seen resorting to electric and gas heaters, but many villages of Surguja still rely on the traditional rural heater ‘Gorsi’. This unique indigenous instrument is being used in villages for generations. Gorsi is made from clay in a circular shape. After it is ready, it is filled with crop residues and burnt. In some places people also use cow dung.
This indigenous clay heater provides warmth for hours after cooking, whereas the electric heater cools down as soon as the power goes out. This is the reason that even today in North Surguja of Chhattisgarh, people form groups in the courtyard of their houses and sit around Gorsi, warm themselves by the fire and create an atmosphere of social solidarity. The traditional Gorsi rustic heater is not only a means of providing warmth, but is also a symbol of village culture and collectivity.
Traditional rustic heater made from clay
Sikandar Prajapati local Jankar told Local 18 that Gorsi is a round traditional instrument, which is made from clay in the villages. After the shape is ready, it is filled with straw and cooked by lighting a fire. When it is cooked, it starts giving steady and deep warmth like a rustic heater. During the cold season, people of rural and hilly areas take warmth by sitting around Gorsi in the morning and evening. In many places it also has social importance, people sit near it and talk and spend time.
Traditional way of roasting tubers and roots
According to Sikandar Prajapati, the slow and constant flame of Gorsi is also used in cooking. The villagers add tubers and roots like sweet potatoes and roast them, which gets cooked deliciously in about an hour. The big difference between Gorsi and ordinary wood firewood is that the wood burns out quickly, whereas Gorsi gives continuous heat for two to four hours. This is the reason why it is called ‘rustic heater’.
Straw is also useful instead of straw.
When straw is not available, villagers fill it with dried cow dung cakes. The flame of the tubers also provides stable heat for about an hour, which is sufficient for local needs.
