Varagu is kodo millet, kodon in Hindi, a very hardy grain domesticated in India about three thousand years ago. It is grown mainly in the tribal belts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and on poor soils of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Its grain sits in a hard husk that is tough to remove. Kodo grain spoiled by fungi can cause kodo poisoning, so storage matters.
- Botanical name
- Paspalum scrobiculatum L.
- Family
- Poaceae
- Tamil
- Varagu
- Hindi
- Kodon
- Sanskrit
- Kodravā
- Parts used
- Grain after cooking
- Habit
- Kodo millet; English millet is a shop word
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Varagu
It is a tufted annual grass, usually knee- to waist-high, with narrow, smooth leaves.
The head has two to four short, stiff, one-sided branches spaced along the stem.
Round, flat spikelets sit in two neat rows along the underside of each branch.
The grains are small, rounded and enclosed in a hard, shiny brown husk.
Wild forms, often called ditch millet, grow in wet places across the tropics.
Traditional use of Varagu
Kitchen
Husked varagu is cooked like rice, into pongal, kichadi and upma, in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil food practice
Kitchen
Gond and Baiga communities of central India cook kodo as a daily staple, often as pej, a thin gruel.
Central Indian tribal food practice
Farming
It is grown with almost no inputs on poor, stony upland soils, and the grain stores for years in the husk.
Central Indian farm practice
Modern notes on Varagu
Kodo poisoning is caused by cyclopiazonic acid and related toxins from fungi that infect the grain, especially after rain at harvest.
Symptoms include dizziness, vomiting, confusion and unconsciousness.
In 2024, ten wild elephants died in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve after eating a kodo crop, and fungal toxins were suspected.
Clean, well-dried grain is a gluten-free, high-fibre food.
Varagu safety
Do not eat kodo that tastes bitter, smells musty, or has been stored damp. Buy cleaned grain from a reliable source, and stop eating and seek care if you feel dizzy or sick after a meal of it.
Ecology and sourcing
It grows wild across tropical Asia and Africa.
It tolerates drought, poor soil and some waterlogging.
It is a long-duration millet, taking about four months to ripen.
Related plants
Also in Poaceae
Questions about Varagu
What is varagu in English?
Kodo millet.
What is kodo poisoning?
Illness from fungal toxins in spoiled kodo grain.
How can I avoid Varagu?
Buy clean, dry grain and discard any that is bitter or musty.
Is kodo gluten-free?
Yes.
Where is kodo grown in India?
Mainly Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Sources
- Paspalum scrobiculatum L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q3510828 (Paspalum scrobiculatum)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.