Now a vegetable hub

Ayodhya Nath Kerni

A lane from Sudhmahadev bus stand leads upwards by the side of Mahamaya temple to a farm where one finds vegetables grown throughout the year. This piece of land is popularly known as “Pandaven di Ser” in Dogri language which means land belonging to Pandavas. Terrain around Sudhmahadev is hilly and prone to snow fall during winters. The place is famous for the abode of Lord Shiva. Many devotees visit Shoolpanishwar Mahadev temple through out the year. The agricultural land in the area is consisting of small fields and patches owing to sloppy landscape of hilly region. Only “Pandaven di Ser” is a plain piece of land measuring approximate twenty kanals in the entire region. The present owner of the land adjoining “Pandaven di Ser” is Anant Ram who holds about thirty kanals of land. It is believed that entire land under his possession was the part of “Pandaven di Ser” in ancient days. There are three stone carved small statues of Lord Ganesh, Baba Bhurhdar and Dadi Karanchaud in the south-eastern corner of “Pandaven di Ser”. The villagers assemble on specific occasions and collectively offer prayers to these idols for the well being of people, animals and crops.
According to a legend Pandavas had visited this area during the period of their exile. They had carried out penance at “Pandaven di Ser” for a quite considerable long period. They awaited here for Somavati Amavasya. It is believed that Somavati Amavasya occurred very rarely during those days. They had the desire to have a holy dip in Devika, Papnashini Bauli and a spring located just above the “Pandaven di Ser”. The spring is even now being called as “Pandaven da Pani” in local dialect. There are few caves held in the rocks of surrounding area. Some people are of the opinion that Pandavas might have stayed in a cave located little away from Budhi Sudh in a hide out which is much spacious in size than other caves of the area. There is no trace of any ruins of Pandava houses in the area. It is evident that they could have preferred to stay in secluded spots and forests to conceal their identity during the period of their exile. Sage Vyas is also believed to have carried out tapasya at Budhi Sudh area long before the arrival of Pandavas.
Anant Ram states that his ancestors occupied the land from relatives who were the original occupant of the land for many generations. He is a drop out candidate from high school. He could not carry out his studies due to domestic compulsions. He had no other option but to cultivate his ancestral land. The production was too low to meet even his own family requirement. Then he got the soil tested and analyzed the deficiencies of Boron, calcium, iron, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and micro nutrients very minutely. He used single nutrient chemical fertilizes and multi nutrient chemical fertilizers to make up the deficiency of nutrients before soil preparation. The fertilizers like urea, DAP, Potassium etc were used in due proportion as recommended in soil testing. He made his efforts to avoid over fertilization. There was however, an increase in the production.
He had the privilege to visit Agriculture University Ludhiana, Pusa Farm Delhi, Palampur, Solan and Potato farm Kufri etc to gain knowledge about agriculture. He then turned all his efforts and interest for growing vegitables. He managed to prepare Vermi Compost in two ditches at different points from where it could be easily lifted to mix up in soil. In his first attempt the canopy of ditches was damaged due to snow fall but later on he managed to erect it in more robust manner and by giving more slope to the CGI sheets which are now intact. He has learned the technique of preparing Vermi Compost and prepares sufficient stock for his own requirement. Simultaneously he reduced the use of chemical fertilizers gradually and presently he has completely stopped.
He ploughed his land with the help of bulls in conventional method and instruments, but now he has switched over to use power tiller. The vegetables grown in the Pandaven di Ser are cabbage, cauliflower, beans, turnip, tomatoes, radish, spinach, peas, capsicum, knoll khol (karam) etc. Besides these he has been successful to grow sweet corn which also gives a good yield . Traditional maize is grown in a very little portion of land for his own requirement. He has learned the method of line to line sowing being very useful to grow vegetables. He has also maintained some compost bins for small scale organic fertilizer.
As far as irrigation is concerned a small channel of water is available near by but he has constructed a pond having two lakh gallon capacity. He has controlled the soil erosion by making drainages to allow inflow of rain water. He has chosen sprinkle irrigation by using pipe lines connected with pond. He grows vegitables in rows but he has not yet adopted the method of accomplishing by various control structures and the furrow method of surface irrigation. The demerit of sprinkle irrigation to convey water through pipes for distribution under pressure as stimulated rain has been optimized by devising adjustment in supply of water to the pipes from pond itself.
He intends to increase the production of vegitables by adopting modern techniques with out prejudice to the health of users. He is not using pesticides and insecticides. Insect diseases and weed control is made by using cow urine, chillies and certain leaves etc. He has gained the experience of minimizing the effect of pests on vegitable crop due to weeds, insects, pathogens and nematodes by conducting various tours. His sole aim is to increase the vegitable yield to the national average which is understood to be presently 17.6 metric tones per hectare. He falls little below of that at present. He has also erected a poly house to prepare nursery of certain vegitables in the beds.
The other villages like Bashat, Chilyar, Rangi, Bachhal ,Bain, Mantalai and villages falling on other side of river Tawi i.e Tandhar, Nagulta, Gharian, Dhanas etc also grow tomatoes and other vegitables during July-August. The access to market is hampered by rough roads and rudimentary market. There is no adequate arrangement for canning, freezing, dehydration and pickling. The timely supply of vegitable seeds is needed for planting.
Anant Ram never shirked to avail the existing facilities made available to promote his various tours, preparation of manures, erection of poly house. Besides receiving subsidies he had the zeal to invest even his own money to make the things worth useful. The vegetable growers of the area may like to seek his guidance in achieving laurels in the field of vegitable growth and various Govt. schemes available.
Anant Ram’s organic products of vegitables could not receive higher profit potentials so far due to non availability of near by market and involvement of middlemen while sending his produce to Udhampur or Jammu.
In case rural go downs are made available and farmers are provided with certain encouraging facilities like establishing small industrial unit to prepare tomato pulp etc. it will certainly help them to a great extent. During vegetable season some agency needs to be engaged to purchase the product from farmers so that they may improve their economy by getting fair price for their product. Pickling arrangements in the entire area may also bring good results in avoiding damage to the produce and marketing problem. Such measures would not only help to the owner of Pandaven di Ser but entire vegetable growers of the area.

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