Ghani - 150
varieties traditional rice conserver
 |
Bada Bagh orchard,
managed by Syed Ghani Khan's family at Kirugavulu in Malavalli
taluk of Mandya district is very popular among the city
dwellers for its flavoured mangoes from the trees that have
a legacy of 250 years, but now the bagh is popular for a
different reason. Bada Bagh was a gift received by Syed
Ghani Khan from Tipu Sultan himself. Four generations later,
the farm is now with Ghani Khan, a young and energetic farmer,
who has completely changed the outlook of the ancient farm
by combining the mango crop with traditional rice varieties,
all of 150 rice strains of different combinations are grown
here. Bada Bagh is now an essential museum of traditional
rice strains is drawing in farmers from far and near. |
His experimenting started in 2000 by
trial and error method using only organic compost. As the region
had lost much of its traditional rices, search for the traditional
seeds proved difficult. He came across a fine rice variety,
Rathnachudi, and his experimentation began with only one variety.
The variety performed well under organic farming and he continued
cultivating the variety for about 6 years, before he realized
to test some more of the traditional varieties. He says his
hunt for traditional seeds took initiation with a handful of
seeds that he was able to collect of about six paddy varieties
in 2006. All the varieties were successful as they did not use
chemicals and required less water. Later varieties increased
from six to twenty-six in the consecutive year and again to
seventy-five in 2008 and now he has as many as 146 varieties.
He says he vows a lot to Sahaja Samrudha, an organic farmers
association, stationed at Bangalore, for continuously guiding
him technically and helping him collect seeds from different
regions. His collection is from five different states and also
few from another country. He has a wide diversity of wetland,
dryland, medicinal, aromatic, irrigated rices. The whole 20acres
is a rich verdant tapestry in all hues of red, gold, brown and
black. All the 150 traditional rices are maintained in a single,
largest experimental restoration plot, an individual farmer
can maintain.
His farm in the outskirts of his village
has grown into one of the largest experimental restoration plots,
drawing visitors from villages near and far. His experiment
has enthralled Scientists and Officials, who have applauded
his venture. During the recent farmers field day conducted by
Ghani in collaboration with Save Our Rice campaign brought in
many knowledge farmers, scientists, media and also Government
Officials. The day drew in large crowds and G.Jayaram, Chief
Executive Officer of Jilla panchyat, Mandya has promised to
start a Biodiversity Heritage Centre in Ghani farm.
Top
|
Japanees
Paddy Art Creator-Anjaneya
Stunning crop art has sprung up across rice fields in Kumbalur
village, Hariharar taluk. Anjeneya, a farmer and paddy seed
conserver has created a unique rice art on his paddy fields.
Anjeneya's fascination for the rice art made him try out the
art form on his field, this year. He has been the first trendsetter
farmer to create the rice art in Karnataka.
Though Anjeneya is conserving
about 70 odd rice varieties, he doesn't have a single variety
that is of black or brown colour. He contacted several rice
conservers in the state and finally was able to identify a variety
that right from sprout is brown in colour, a traditional variety
'Dambara sale' grown in Kanapura taluk in Belgaum district.
He received about 4 ½ kg seeds and prepared a nursery of the
rice. With the help of an artist Somavardha of Amoortha arts,
Mandya, he was able to sketch the design. With finalizing the
design, he set out preparing the field, before planting different
coloured rice plants. So that they know exactly where to place
the different coloured rice plants in order to create the giant
images. Sketching the field was a real challenge. As the plot
was ploughed with the receipt of rain in the month of July and
the water is logged on the field before sowing operations begin.
The drawings were traced
on the field using bamboo sticks and then the saplings were
transplanted from the nursery on to the main field. The artistry
of these huge designs is not done on a canvas using some paint
or ink but instead, different colours of rice plants that are
precisely and strategically arranged and grown in the paddy
fields. He has strategically planted different types of rice
grains to achieve different hues, which has resulted in artistic
images on the farmland. The art work is created on a quarter
acre of plot, with again the black variety being used as a border.
So the designs appear to be as on a photo frame. This agricultural
artistry was created by cleverly planting different varieties
of rice plants. Anajeneya has created 'Mother holding her child'
and our national bird 'Peacock' murals by planting two different
rice varieties.
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)