Reader’s Responses towards Bael Pani and Rice Cultivation – Part 1

The readers’ response to the numerous events and articles/social media posts on Bael Pani and the event at the Igguthappa Temple have been significant and meaningful. We will be releasing a short series of responses over the next few days.

The first of these is published below:

There have been many media reports on “abandoned” land being re-cultivated and of course the welcome resurgent interest amongst youngsters on work associated with paddy cultivation.

While this is excellent in itself as an initiative, we have to bear in mind that this effort has to be sustained over a period of time – the fields need timely weeding, proper water management and finally the crop needs to be harvested around the time of our Harvest festival Puthari. For our rich agrarian heritage to be firmly re-established, it needs dedicated and sustained hard-work . Growing paddy/rice is after all one of the tenets of the Kodava way of life – it is considered sacred and has sustained the livelihood of our ancestors for time immemorial.

Continuing this practice year-after-year is critical – else we run the risk of a disenchanted youth who need “continuity” to sustain their interest.

It is time we Kodavas and associated communities living in Kodagu grew rice for the family’s table. It was pointed out by elders in NaalNad that Tulabara at Igguthappa Temple was exemplified and in many ways consecrated when paddy/rice grown by the farmer was offered (not commercially bought rice). This was considered a true offering! Also the purpose of these offerings at the Temple was to feed the devotees with rice grown by our farmers and not sold by the temple authorities/administration (as one understands).

In the days gone by, Rice was currency until coffee became the commercial crop rendering growing of paddy less attractive. Pure commerce was never meant to uplift the agrarian way of existence – the sheer exuberance of emerald green lush paddy fields was a joy to behold for the farmer. The AinMane’s Pathaya (granary) was considered the treasury for the Okka!

Finding ways to make a reasonable commercial value will follow as we live in a world that “outsources” everything, forgetting that food has to be grown!