My valliachan (father’s elder brother) was an award winning farmer. He had paddy cultivation, coconut palms, cows and buffaloes and from dawn to dusk he was in his fields with the workers taking care of the agriculture.
Agriculture is the profession most connected to nature. India has about 50 % of workforce in the agriculture section according to a survey in 2018 contributing 17-18 % to the country’s GDP.
You know what a PLOUGH is, don’t you?
Nowadays it is done by machines – tractors ploughing the land.
But just few decades ago, in India, it was the cattle that was the farmer’s partner in ploughing. Nowadays Cattle ploughing is seen only in some parts of India and other countries.
Farming has died out in my family. No one has taken up my valliachan’s profession for livelihood. We buy rice and pulses and vegetables– something which never happened in our families few decades back.
Paying tributes to my ancestors who were wonderful farmers who could put organic food on their tables every day….
Paying tribute to the dwindling number of farmers in my country…
FROM THE MANGALORE AIRPORT EXIT – recently installed sculpture of Indian farmer.
