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On 12th and 13th of September,
2009 'Organic Mela' was organised in Lalbagh, Bangalore. More
than a Mela, it is the celebration of biodiversity and food
culture.
The Mela was formally
inaugurated by performing Rashi pooja by Barama Goudar, Secretary
of Organic farmers Association of India (OFAI). Jaivik Krushik
Society(JKS) and OFAI in collaboration with Sahaja Samrudha,
Annadana, Millet network of India and Samvadha organized two
day's week end organic mela. People from all over Karnataka
participated in this mela and enjoyed organic food.
Dr. Alvaris, Director
of the Farming Association of India, insisted the consumers
to encourage organic farming to ensure safe and healthy food.
Excessive use of pesticides and hybrid farming has created enormous
distress on human and environment.
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Biocenter Hulimavu
displayed Geographical Indication (GI) tagged crops like
Nanjangud rasbale, Coorg orange, Mysore beetlenut leaves,
Mysore jasmine, Madugiri Daalimbe, Mattugulla, Kamalapur
Banana. Farmers from all over Karnataka exhibited around
400 traditional varieties of Millets, Pulses, Rice, Vegetables,
Fruits and Flowers grown organically. Fragrance of flowers,
fresh and colorful fruits and vegetables, long earheads
of paddy, ragi, navane, sajje were displayed in areca
plates, traditional Bommani butties, cane and bamboo baskets
decorated with traditional hase paintings. Millet special
food cuisine were also displayed.
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It was surprising to witness
unheard massive diversity of rare banana varieties like Nanjangood
rasbale, Kamalapur red, Yelakki, Rajbale, Kallu bale and Pachabale.
Varieties of Jasmine like Mysore Mallige, Suji Mallige, Nithya
Mallige, yelu suttina Mallige, Rathri Rani attracted many flower
lovers. Flaunt of Custurd Apple, Devenahalli Chakkotha, Coorg
Orange, Shivanapura Papaya, Cricket ball Sapota are the rare
traditional fruit varieties displayed. Vegetables like sword
bean, bulb tomato, Green zebra, Gaganamuki chilly, Gomuka brinjal,
Mara Bende, Red beans, Madanapalli tomato, Sponge gourd, manthu
kumbal and different Greens was perceiving our native seed legacy.
Celebrating Rice Culture!
Visitors to mela were astonished by witnessing
70 varieties of rice like Red rice, Medicinal, Deep water, Saline
tolerant and Scented Rice. Rice is Life to the people of Asia.
Rice has been grown in Asia for the last 7,000 years. Many rice
varieties which were in the verge of extinct were revived and
conserved in farmers field through traditional agricultural
practices. "Along with conserving 160 rice varieties in farmers'
field, we also document and implement traditional rice culture
associated with rice heritage." says Shanthakumar, coordinator
of 'Save our Rice Campaign'. Rice growers of Karnataka are networked
under the banner 'Save our Rice campaign' in collaboration with
Thanal, Kerala.
Celebrating Millet
Culture!
Millets like Ragi, Jowar, Sajje, Navane,
Same, Araka, Boragu and Koralu are the most fascinating and
striking issue in the mela. Big posters conveying the importance
and need to conserve millets and live millet earheads created
opportunity to the young generation to view unseen heritage
of our grandparents. Apart from ragi, navane and sajje most
interesting was to see Araka (Kodo millet), Boragu (Barn yard
millet) and Koralu (Proso millet) which is absolutely strange
to common people. "Far from ´feeding the hungry´, during Green
Revolution, an introduction of hybrid seeds and monoculture
is the main cause for neglecting these precious seeds. It is
a good diet for Diabetic, Blood pressure and constipation patients.
Doctors are advising to consume millets. Now people are in search
of these nutritious millets." says R. Ravi, convener of 'Millet
Network of India' (MINI). A leaflet stating the usage, availability
and medicinal values of these neglected highly nutritious millets
were issued.
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Desi
food hub
Rural woman displayed and served
various tasty desi food made out of Ragi, Millets and
Rice. Delicious ready food items like roti, semiya, idlli,
dosa, chakulli, cake, biscuits, kajjaya, upma, unde, bajji
and papad were displayed and sold prepared out of millets.
This been core attraction and many consumers excited to
see food diversity and to taste them. Millet special desi
food lunch was arranged for the participants. Jowar and
Sajje Roti, Cucumber sabji, Navane Palav, Araka Payasa,
Navane upma and Navane Rice with Sambar was served. |
Educating
Consumers 'What they eat'
A lecture programme was organized parallel mainly to educate
consumers and farmers the importance of traditional food diversity
and biointensive garden. Pioneer organic farmers like Subhas
Sharma, Sunder Raman shared their experience and revealed
the wonders of millet. Training on biointensive garden and
city farming concept was presented by Nagesh Hegde and Anusuya
sharma. Techniques of establishing terrace gardening was presented
by Manikantan. Food and health by K.C. Raghu and Chandra Kumar.
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