Pongal-sweet Or Bitter

Recently I made sweet Pongal during Pongal festivities, after scouring through scores of online videos, grasping its finer nuances in the process. The taste of the final product was out of the world, so much so that even my next door lady who was reserved by nature, knocked at my door to know more about the source of the tempting aroma emanating from my house. Well when I sat with a bowl of Pongal after offering it to sun God along with prayers, I accidentally glanced at the day’s newspaper lying on the table in front of me. The heavenly concoction refused to go beyond my taste buds leaving a tinge of bitterness in me. Staring at me were scores of photos of farmers who had committed suicides or died of heart attacks on the front page.

We the city folks had a whale of time celebrating Pongal. Just have a look at the mind boggling ways we celebrate any festival. Some of us ordered sumptuous food through online, watched the latest film flicks on TV, enjoyed the fiery Pattimandrams, having a hearty laugh at those instant puns at the cost of pulling down the dignity of women folks by the participants. Others were busy posting Instagram shots of their family photos including their pet cats, dogs, pesky mosquitoes and ahh! well those with the stray cows and calfs, affectionately feeding them with sweet Pongal, one which they instantly refused, their taste buds having used to the overflowing garbage. The younger generation was busy updating their status on FB every second, anxiously looking for those countless likes, taking out their phones surreptitiously-yes we did everything, except paying our obeisance to the humble farmer, without whom we would not be satiating our hunger pangs with our daily dose of rice,vegetables etc.

Meanwhile the farmer who should have been the happiest person on earth, counting his blessings offered by Mother Nature for all the hard work he had put in, was in tears literally, looking at the withered paddy, parched land and dried up water resources. Many breadwinners of their families died of heart attacks or committed suicides unable to withstand the heavy loss. With banks crucifying him for the loans he had taken but unable to pay back, he could cry neither for the loss of those precious gold jewels he had pledged at the cost of incurring his wife’s wrath nor could he cry for those dried up paddy, as a result of failure of the monsoon upon which he had pinned all his hopes.

When the warring political parties and the diverse society consisting of people belonging to different cultures can come together for the cause of Jallikattu, why the same should not be done supporting the cause of farmers. The Cauvery dispute involving two states has been going on for a long time, with a state refusing to oblige the legal orders of the court and what we have is a dried up Cauvery., With our CM begging for water at our neighbouring states, we present a sorry sight.

Last year the monsoon leashed its utmost fury causing immense damage to scores of people, cattle and infrastructure. Sadly all the water that could have been wasted in to the sea could have been saved and the present crisis could have been averted. Unfortunately the land mafia has gobbled up all the lakes and converted them in to houses which could not withstand even a slight drizzle, leave alone a downpour. None of the lakes or ponds were desilted, nor they were deepened and conserved, resulting in precious water wasted away in to the sea.

The sand mafia made up of powerful persons with high contacts and right connections, with influential people in the Government have plundered the rivers, ruthlessly digging the sand, which command a heavy price in the real estate market. With villagers standing as silent spectators against the ravages committed by a few people, the rivers have turned dry.

Water mafia has turned underground water in to a profitable business venture by packaging them into attractive bubbletop cans which is the fastest moving commodity throughout the state. Result is fast depleting ground water and parched lands.

Technology which has found its way in every nook and cranny of our daily lives has failed to bring about any progressive change in the farming community. In stead of raising water intensive crops, the farmers need to be educated in going for dry farming, the one followed by Israel which was once a desert but now turned into the most blooming fertile land. Many agricultural universities could research and come out with seasonal crops matching the environmental and land conditions.

Cauvery , thenpennai, paalaaru- rivers venerated and celebrated by the ancient Sangam literature- where have you all vanished. Before the tears of those helpless farmers start flooding your dry river beds, please rush in with your bountiful waters.

"Cauvery thenpennai Palaru, thamizh

Kandathor vaigai porunai nadhi,

Ena meviya aaru pala oda thiru menI

Sezhitha tamizhnadu."- Bharathiyar

[Kaveri, Thenpennai, Palar, Vaigai and Porunai -

Are the rivers that flourish the stretch of Tamil Nadu!]

 

Dear Kamalji,

It is sad but true that all the fertile agricultural lands of Haryana have been converted to Gated communities. The same thing is happening in almost all the states. Children of farmers are no more interested in poor paying agriculture and have moved on to white collared jobs. A handful of farmers passionate about farming are struggling due to middlemen and the high costs involved. So from where do we get our Roti and chawal?

Agatha83

 

Dear Pushpa,

The sky rocketing prices of pulses, grains etc is proof enough of the sorry state of affairs prevailing among the farming community. Modern methods of storing commodities is still not followed by either the farmers or the Government. As you have rightly said the agricultural universities should lend a helping hand to these farmers and make them more knowledgeable.

Agatha83

 

Dear stayblessed,
I indeed feel truly blessed with your appreciation for a very dry subject I have dealt with here. Though we are helpless in dealing with such serious issues that the farmers face, I felt there is a grave danger our country will be facing in future, if it constantly ignores the plight of those helpless farmers. Thank you for your valuable appreciation.

Agatha83

 

Dear Jayasala,

Already we are paying a heavy price for neglecting the welfare of farmers by paying skyhigh prices for pulses, grains we use regularly, which Wouldnt have cost much if they hadn't been imported. Government agencies look at the other way when there is blatant encroachments of water bodies, and no wonder we are facing serious water crisis. Monetary compensation to the family of farmers will not solve the issue. Long lasting solutions to their problems should be thought of and implemented immediately.
Thank you Jayasala for your valuable FB.

Agatha83