|
He could have continued at a lucrative 9 to 5 job after his engineering degree. But he opted for a life many engineers can't even think of. Mr. A.P. Chandrashekhar of Mysore, a mechanical engineering graduate, opted for a farm life and succeeded. Now he is the leading force of organic movement in Karnataka. Dr. Niranjana Vanalli writes about the farm and life of Mr. Chandra who has turned his farm into a mini organic forest and his home an experimental lab.
"Let us incorporate leaves in our diet. It will solve our food and health problems," Mr. A.P. Chandrashekhar, an organic farmer near Mysore gives a simple solution to the major problem, the country is facing! Conversely, 2000 and odd plants in his farm describe you his equation between life and nature.
'Indraprastha' has changed from an ordinary farm to a small 'man-made-forest' at a span of about 17 years. 13 acres of land in Kalalavadi Village, 17 km from Mysore on Manandavadi road is Mr. Chandrashekhar's dream come true. It is not an ordinary effort. Mr. Chandrashekhar has taken pains to make it a resource land for the interested. He has explored ways to integrate nature with life. Not surprisingly, Indraprastha is full of life.
He joined as an employee at a private firm in Kerala after studying mechanical engineering at Mysore. Though he had his roots in Puttur (60 km from Mangalore towards Madikeri in Karnataka), Mr. Chandrashekhar decided to purchase a farmland in Mysore after quitting the job, which he found lifeless.
The story now begins! The man with an experimental mindset decided to try out various plants from across the country in his farm, thus making it a 'diverse land'. One can feel the trace of Western Ghats in Indraprastha. .
|
| Road to Mr. Chandrashekhar's land of diversity |
|
Coming to his plantation, He adopted 'density planting' technique by planting banana, coffee, lemon and fruit trees along with areca and coconut plants. A small portion of the farm is used to grow paddy. In the beginning, for 5 to 6 years, Mr. Chandra used chemical fertilizers apart from organic compost. He observed that lemon plants yielded hundred lemons on an average irrespective of the fact that whether chemical fertilizers or organic manure is used. This led him to conclude that use of chemicals was not required. Further experiments drew his attention towards the hazards of using chemicals. Slowly within 5-6 years, Mr. Chandra transferred himself as organic farmer and in the last decade, he has become the driving force of organic movement in Karnataka.
Chemical-free farm
Now chemical fertilizers and pesticides have no entry into Indraprastha. "Give nutrients to the plants and leave it to the nature, it will do the rest," Mr. Chandrashekar's solution to control pests. "I don't kill rats in my farm, even rats have the right to live on this earth. Grow more tubers and rats will eat them. Don't kill snakes, they control the rats. That's how we have to allow biological control mechanism," says Mr. Chandra.
 |
| Pond under construction - Indraprastha has adopted effective water conservation methods. |
|
His observation reveals that all plants try to adjust to the available conditions and human intervention is not solicited. Mr. Chandrashekhar is not very particular about watering his plantation. He applies liquid cattle manure to 75 per cent of his farm. He has developed an internal balance, thus limiting external feeding to the plants. He has stopped irrigating a small portion of his farm. The yield has not been altered, he feels.
With his areca growing family background, he wanted to test whether the same can be grown in Mysore, as areca was not being cultivated here. He succeeded in planting areca with coconut inter-crop.
Mini forest
Now let me list out the plant varieties in Indraprastha - 30 types of green chilli, 13 varieties of arecanut, 15 types of banana, 159 fruit varieties, 89 tubers, 65 leaf vegetables, 60 types of vegetables, 150 species of medicinal plants, 59 aromatic plants, 15 grasses, more than 150 flowering plants, about 100 cacti, and more than 200 forest species. Mr.Chandra's intention is to plant as many varieties as possible. As he says, diversification of plant species may sustain the farmers against the falling markets. "This year 'Aadusoge' (Adhatoda vasica), which is grown in plenty here fetched me rupees 10 per kilo. This 'weed' was found as an effective medicine for the poultry. No plant is useless in our farm," he says. Of course, when most of the plants there constitute his diet
Indraprastha's food habits may sound peculiar for our fast food cult. But when you understand, it inspires you. Even here, Mr. Chandra's experimental nature is clear. He has tried using most of the plants, fruits, leaves and tubers as food. Traditional food habits with a pinch of innovation results in tasty diet in Indraprastha.
Nesara, the organic shop
|
| A view of Nesara |
|
He has also pioneered in marketing organic produces in Karnataka, which otherwise is a problem for organic producers. The pro-organic people in Mysore have created an outlet for the organic produces called 'Nesara'. The shop is running smoothly having a range of produces and products from grains to fruits to soap powder. Nesara with a membership fee of Rs 1,000 has 115 members who get preference while purchasing the goods. Non- Indians constitute the major part of the consumers, says Mr. Ranganath, who is incharge of this successful organic shop. Even though produces come from Gadag, Melkote and from villages neighbouring Mysore, Mr. Chandrashekhar is the major supplier to Nesara.
Many more remain unsaid. Visit Indraprastha to feel it and understand..
Address:
A.P. Chandrashekhar
'Indraprastha' Jeevadharaka Sasyavaata
Kalalavadi village, Post Udbhooru, Mysore - 570 008
Karnataka, India
Phone: 0821- 597936
Author can be contacted at:
Dr. Niranjana Vanalli
Dept. of Mass Communication and Journalism
Manasa Gangothri, Mysore, Karnataka
Tel: 0821- 514790
Email: vanalli@rediffmail.com
|
