character besides setting up of a collection centre in the markets of North East India and beyond. “We are also trying to raise awareness about the volatile status of our age old agricultural plants as the villagers here have started to face continuous invasion by the exotic varieties,” Aphi said.

Though the Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged Assam’s ‘Bhut Jolokia’ as the hottest spice in 2007, Sira-rakhong villagers believe the chilli variety is one of the best varieties of chilli when it comes to health concerns.