Roasted/baked clay is eaten in India too. I am currently in Pune and have seen vendors selling it near the sabzi mandi (mandai, as is popularly called). It looks just the same (as per your image), only that it is not sold in packed pouches but sold and packed loosely at the site itself, according to one’s needs (250 gm, 500 gm, …). Here too, not just pregnant women but women of all ages and children eat it. Of course, not many people in the urban areas know about ‘baked clay’. However, in the ‘peths’ of Pune, which is considered the heart of the city, most people know about it.

I love eating it and it is said that generally people with a calcium deficiency crave it more. I don’t think I have a calcium deficiency but I absolutely LOVE the smell and taste of MUD.

I used to absolutely crave for it when I was in the US for two years. I will be moving to the US again; do you know where in the US it is available? I read on Wikipedia that geophagy is present to some extent in southern US.

Liked your article and the great pictures with it.

Thanks,
Madhuri