Braving a furious monsoon downpour, Soma Das rode a pair of bullocks, weeded seeds and played woodcutter, as part of a fulfilling day in the fertile rice plantations of Purushwadi in Igatpuri
Braving a furious monsoon downpour, Soma Das rode a pair of bullocks, weeded seeds and played woodcutter, as part of a fulfilling day in the fertile rice plantations of Purushwadi in Igatpuri
As we sit cooped-up in our matchbox offices, inhaling recycled air and consuming readymade food, it's easy to lose sense of unadulterated surroundings and farmlands that provide us with our daily meals.
India's staple crop, rice, proudly associated with auspiciousness and fertility down the ages, occupies an important place in most Indian meals.
So, when the opportunity to experience life in a paddy field in North Konkan came along, courtesy the folks at Grassroutes, we didn't blink.
On a rain-soaked August morning, we set off to a rice farm in Purushwadi, located 250 kms from Mumbai in the Thane district, for the real deal.
Inir Pinheiro, our guide is also one of the four co-founders of Grassroutes, an organisation working with villagers in Purushwadi and Kohane to help them earn a sustainable livelihood and provide jaded city folks an escape route to rustic farm living.
As every mile took us away from urban civilisation, the picture-postcard views of lush green valleys, gushing waterfalls and colourfully attired villagers soared our spirits.
En route, we spotted the majestic Mount Kalsubai (1,646 m), the highest peak of the Sahyadris in Maharashtra. While approaching the village, we spotted women planting rice in the fields. The thrill factor had set in.
Village Wonderland
After four hours on the road, we reached Purushwadi, where we were warmly greeted with the traditional tikka and a hibiscus flower. A hearty lunch beckoned at Balu and Shevanta Kondar's home. Balu acts as a local tour guide and is also the secretary of the Village Tourism Committee.
His home, like rest in the village, regales in rustic charm; the floor is made from cow dung with stone walls that keep the interiors cool in summer and warm in winter. Wife Shevanta gave us a quick tour inside their simple home.
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The kitchen had an interesting rice trough made of interwoven twigs and lined with cow dung. "Since it's rice transplanting season, we spend most of our time outdoors, from early morning to late evening.
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| The process of rice transplanting requires some amount of skill and stamina. |
The electricity is erratic but we have solar power," explained Shevanta, as we dug into a sumptuous chulha-cooked meal of rice, chapatis, two varieties of lentils and lemon pickle.
Soon, Gulab Kondar, another tour guide surfaced from nowhere, showing off a his prized catch a gigantic river crab. Amidst much prodding, I courageously held it, despite an inherent fear for all things that come with pincers.
Post our crab encounter; my initiation into village life took shape. My first task chopping wood. I watched as villagers effortlessly lifted the huge axe and sliced blocks of wood. It appeared simple but when my turn arrived, I struggled to lift the axe, which was nearly as tall as me.
Once I did, I barely escaped a heave, legs intact, considering my aim went haywire and I managed to make a slight dent into the block of wood. My arms ached but the sense of adventure was piqued, alright.
The Double Bull Experience
A steady shower didn't deter our progress to the rice fields, for a session of transplanting. Purushwadi receives heavy rainfall throughout the monsoon and today it showed no sign of ceasing.
It's this sort of weather that makes it ideal for rice growing. The region provides for several premium rice varieties, ranging from the aromatic Indrani to other interesting varieties like Kolti, Rupali, Kala Bhat and Poonam.
First up was a session of ploughing, with a pair of bullocks for company, to prepare it for sowing rice seeds. The process helps turn over the upper layer of the soil and bring up nutrients from the bottom soil, bury weeds and aerate the soil.
As I waded through the knee-deep muddy waters, following the bullocks and exerting pressure on the plough, I felt the force of the water, which threatened to make me lose my balance and fall face first. Somehow, I managed to save face, literally, and stepped onto my next challenge transplanting the rice.
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| Lunch at Balu and Shevanta's home included freshly made rice, chapattis, two sabzis and lemon pickle |
Rice transplanting involves a process where the rice seed is sown in a particular place but once the seedlings have grown a bit, it needs to be transplanted to another spot for higher yields and less weeding. By the time we entered the paddy field, the rains had unleashed its full fury.
As giant-sized droplets whiplashed my face, I took shelter under an Irla contraption to protect myself. It's the village version of a raincoat traditionally made from half a bamboo basket covered with flame of the forest leaves on top.
"It is aerodynamic as it allows the wind to blow over you and protects you from the rain by covering your entire body but leaving the hands free," explained Inir. But it was too heavy to lug it around, so I let go of it and braved the downpour instead.
During this activity, my guide was Tara Kondar from the village, who patiently explained the process. I held a bunch of saplings in my left hand, as I took a few strands with the right hand, created a small hole in the soil with the thumb and inserted it, so that it stayed securely rooted and didn't wilt over.
It took me a while to figure, much to the amusement of the skillful villagers. But after a while, I felt like one of them. When we got done with the transplanting, we were completely drenched and exhausted but content with the experience.
Green Pastures
Being a day trip, several activities including milking cows (it is done early morning or in the evening) had to be foregone.
Gulab took us on a village tour where we ambled through several scenic spots around the village, with some truly amazing snapshots of the valley.
He also introduced us to the orange-hued Tantani flower, which abounds in the area. "It's not just a pretty flower; its leaves have medicinal and anti-bacterial properties," he shared.
Before we left, Gulab showed us three gigantic stones that are customarily lifted by villagers during Holi.
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| Most rice planters wear an Irla contraption to protect themselves from heavy rainfall while working on the fields |
As I watched them attempt to lift these stones, unsuccessfully, they explained that it had to do with the spirit and camaraderie of the festival that gives one the strength to undertake such an intimidating task.
Finally, we bid adieu to this green expanse and its wonderful people with the hope of returning some day, to harvest the grains that were sown.
Log on to: www.grassroutes.co.in, Call: 9890838769 / 9969101861. Their upcoming trip to Purushwadi is scheduled from August 20-23. Cost: Rs 2,500 (inclusive of food and stay, activities include catching river crabs and weeding rice fields)Didu00a0You Know?In Bengali households, Annaprashana (first rice-feeding) ceremony takes place for seven month-old babies where the maternal uncle feeds the child sanctified cooked rice as an initiation to solid food. Later, mothers and relatives instill respect for the grain by ensuring that no morsel of rice gets wasted, as it is a symbol of Goddess Lakshmi. The paddy fields are perhaps as iconic to Bengalis as the mustard fields are to the Punjabis.
Started in 2006, Grassroutes is a sister concern of NGO Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), that undertakes developmental activities to reduce poverty in India. Apart from Abhijeet, three of us barely speak Marathi, yet we manage fine. We have a 45:55 agreement with villagers, where 45% income is directed towards their welfare.u00a0u00a0
INIR PINHEIRO, co-founder of grassroutes, which includes abhijeet kauthekar, Darren Lobo and John Nogueira About the Mahadev Koli TribeThe village is divided into two clans: the Kondars and the Lampes. These communities belong to the Mahadev Koli tribe, who are found in Ahmednagar and Thane districts. They are expert rice cultivators and good herdsmen. The Marathas enlisted them as soldiers because of their extensive knowledge of the area. But when the British arrived, they were neglected and branded as dacoits, probably due to their loyalty to India's freedom movement.
Must CarryWindcheater
Sturdy travel shoes
Mosquito repellent
Change of clothes
How to reachBy road: It is 250 kms by road from Mumbai. Drive along the Eastern Express Highway to Igatpuri via the Thane Check Naka. At Igatpuri, turn towards Nashik and from here on you will travel through Goti to Bhandardara to Rajur and ultimately, to Purushwadi.
By rail: The nearest station is Kasara, which is about two hours from CST. From the station, you can hop on to a bus or a jeep to Rajur Petrol Pump, and from there on a jeep to Purushwadi. Grassroutes can organise transport from the Kasara Jeep Depot for you too.
