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Land Needs Culture
LTURE
JAYU SHAH
this be termed as business? It is performance of dharma. It is indeed a religious activity."
Both farmers also have temples on their farmland. Kalpavruksha Farm has Yogeshwar Krishi Mandir where they are daily training ten priests how to look for the Lord in the plants and worship them. These priests then carry out this work of performing poojas. Mr. Sanghavi, who is a Jain, has named his farm "Raja Rishabh Temple." The Jain society (samaj) gathers and worships there. "We do not perform any poojas when we plant the trees," said Mr. Sanghavi. “But we do a bhoomi pooja, (worship of the land) in the initial stages of tilling. After all, we are ripping apart the heart of motherland and we seek forgiveness for this act from the mother when we do the bhoomi puja. This is a part of our ancient rites."
Save's Kalpavruksha Farm is currently being forced into closure as the multinational American company, Unocal, has been allotted the land to build a port, much to the dismay of Save, his family and followers. The government claims that the area designated for the port is wasteland - but not to the likes of Save and Sanghavi, who grow mangoes, chikus, bananas and coconuts on it.
Sanghavi thus summarises his philosophies: "Chemicals and fertilisers interfere with the natural processes of plants. That is the root cause of the whole problem. God is not mad. There is a certain order in creation, which has to be properly understood. All controls have to be natural without disturbance from external elements. This is the important matter we need to understand."
"Farmers are performing their dharma when they
engage in agriculture," Sanghavi And they yield much higher profits (at least 400 per cent) because of the low costs. Take coconuts, for example. In Kerala, using modern techniques, trees produce around 200 coconuts a year. Using natural farming, Sanghavi gets an average yield of around 400 coconuts. Plus, using modern farming, coconut trees fruit in seven to eight years after planting, whereas Sanghavi gets coconuts in three years. Chiku fruit is another productive crop. Without watering, the natural farming technique yields 660-700 pounds of sweet fruit per tree per year. Hundreds of farms all over India have begun using their technique and have become very successful. Every Saturday, Save and Sanghavi give free classes at their farms.
Save and Sanghavi's work have been recognised and lauded all over the world with numerous awards, including the Bajaj award which was presented by the President of India at the beginning of 2001. The world famous Japanese farmer, Mr. Mansanobu Fukuoka, author of the influential One Straw Revolution, visited their farms and said, "Save is a second Gandhi for India. I have not observed similar work in the whole world. My heartiest wishes are that people should get guidance and inspiration here."
"A farmer is performing his dharma when he engages in agriculture, not just for making a profit," Sanghavi said. "Through agriculture we serve the animal kingdom, we serve the humankind and we serve the environment. Then how could
Sanghavi Farm Basics • Never till the ground, except initially. Earthworms are
nature's tillers. They aerate the soil and leave nutrient-rich
waste. Tilling cuts the roots and damages the delicate tissues • Feed the earth, not the tree, by putting kitchen food waste and
manure just below the ends of the tree branches. Earthworms and other organisms then eat it, leaving behind rich nutrients. We call this the "buffet system", as the plants eat whatever nutrients they need. Do not weed around trees. Weeds lock essential moisture in the soil and keep it from erosion. You can cut the weeds if they get too tall, but lay the cut weeds around the tree as mulch. Never use chemical fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides. Be conservative with water, using only what is necessary. The entire root area (under the branches) should be watered evenly, not all at the trunk so that we do not block the nose and mouth of the plants.
The above article is reprinted with permission from March 2001 issue of "Hinduism Today", a bi-monthly colour magazine promoting Hindu values. Rajiv Malik is their Delhi correspondent. Visit www.hinduismtoday.com
June - August 2001. Jain Spirit
53
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