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गणिनी आर्यिकारत्न श्री ज्ञानमती अभिवन्दन ग्रंथ
६६९
Sugarcane and its correlation with Hastinapur
-Dr. Radha Jain
M.Sc., Ph.D. (Botany) 488/14, JI Behind Jain Mandir,
Dali Ganj, Lucknow.
Hastinapur teerth kshetra is a million years old historical place in U.P. (India). According to Jain religions, it is a place of four kalyanakas on ree to thankars; Shanti, Kunth and Arahnath. Besides its, at the start of Karambhumi, first teerthankar Bhagvan Rishabhdev in Muni condition had taken cane juice as his first ahaar (food). The king of Kutinapur, Shriyans had given him this ahaar after a year and thirty nine days. Teerthankar Adinath was a brave person so he had not suffered by any corporeal problem after a year fast (Upwas). To reau this brief story you will be suspected in your mind that how it is possible and why he had not received ahaar for long duration. About it, a brief consolation had been written in Jain puranas that nobody knew this Ahaarcharya at the surface of the earth at that time. Due to memory recollection of race of former eight existences, the king of Hastinapur, Sri Shryans knew this Ahaarcharya, and he had given ahaar of cane-juice to Muni Adinath at his palace after calling him with perfect means. The above given history of Hastinapur informed that the farming of sugarcane in our country (India) was so good from innumerable years too. Now-a-days the production of sugarcane was also seeing in large scale in all the regions of Hastinapur. It appears that its production will continue till the end of Kalyug (indefinite years) by the influence of Bhagvan Adinath. In Hastinapur, when Bhagvan Adinath had taken cane-juice ahaar, people named that day as Akshya Treetiya. It means that like sugarcane that date (Teethi) had become Akshya.
It addition to above these informations, I also want to tell you something more about sugarcane as my research study was on sugarcane for Ph.D. degree. Sugarcane is a economically important cash crop of India grown in tropical and subtropical areas. It is cultivated for sugar production. It belongs to family Graminae and its botanical name is Sacchanum Officinarum. Besides sugarcane, sugarbeet is also a sugar producing crop but it is highly sensitive to adverse climatic conditions viz. higher temperature, sunlight and draught and sugar processing is also very difficult as compared to sugarcane. Sucrose content was found maximum in cane-juice. In addition to sucrose, all essential elements are found in cane-juice viz. K, P, N, Ca, S, P, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co and Mo in minute quantities.
Growth, yield and quality of crops is affected by various factors such as, light, temperature, water, essential nutrients and nutrient imbalance. Plants can not grow normally in absence of essential nutrients in growing medium. There are various essential nutrients such as, N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ni and CO.
Nutrient imbalance is a important limiting factor which affect growth, yield and quality of crops. Nutrient interaction occurs when one element affect the absorption, uptake and functioning of other element. It will be positive or negative.
During the course of my study I found maximum millable cane production and sucrose content in cane-juice when all the essential nutrients were supplied adequately. Deficiency and toxicity of any essential nutrient adversely affect crop production and crop quality. Minimum cane fresh weight and sucrose content in cane juice was found when more than one element was deficient together. Similarly combined toxicity of two elements affect crop yield more adversely as compared to single toxicity. So, these results suggested that nutrient balance in field is necessary for proper crop production and crop quality. Like cane-juice sweetness, Hastinapur Teerth-Kshetra is also very sweet because here, handsome place Jamboodweep and Karma Bhumi of Vidushi Aryika Ratna Gyanmati Mataji have increased its sweetness. It is my great desire that I also get sweetness in my life like sugarcane by which I can develop my soul like Teerth by moving on the way of Gyanmati Mataji.
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