I need your moral support and help. YESTERDAY- TODAY AND TOMORROW PART I- YESTERDAY ORGANIC FORAMING- ORGANIC COMMUNE- SARVODAYA My Millet and organic Story Dear Friends, 7th January 2015 Kindly take my comments made without any malice! I always got a feeling since 1980 that many among Voluntary Organisations- are hypocrites and are mere benevolent landlords and all in our development models? We are able to be benevolent because we get substantial or huge foreign funding. Smart players have transformed themselves into NGOs and flourishing. But, people like me with volunteerism are struggling. BUT, I BELIEVE NOT TO FEAR FAILURES BUT FEAR NOT TO TRY. I am on an active dialogue and writing a III parts story as above. – First Part is enclosed for you to please read and give me EARLY feedback-help. I NEED YOUR INPUT. CAN YOU IMMEDIATELY SEND ONE INITIATIVE OF ANY MIDDLE CLASS PERSON OUT OF PASSION DOING ORGANIC FARMING – PHOTOGRAPHS? YOU MAY WRITE OR THEY- A SHORT WRITE UP ON WHY YOU ARE DOING YOUR ORGANIC FARMING? I LOVE IT. A classic Corporate predator’s initiative as well for my second and third parts? Regards, V.B.Chandrasekaran, Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam, Chatti Post, Chinthur Mandalam, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh- 507 29 Email: verivaan2049@yahoo antarbharatid2010@gmail Mobile: +919490109358 +918297977970. YESTERDAY- TODAY AND TOMORROW PART I- YESTERDAY ORGANIC FORAMING- ORGANIC COMMUNE- SARVODAYA My Millet and organic Story - By V.B.Chandrasekaran, Grand Father, Chief Cook and Ahimsa worker at Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam - The experience is limited to Chinthur area, Koyathor and Konda Reddy communities living here. I can vouch for it. Would welcome experiences in another area (not of individual freak cases) that are pro-Jowar elsewhere! It will be great to learn. (I agree that we cannot go back to 1950s and 60s.But, the new millennium present is not acceptable. Can us in ‘Milleteer and ‘Millet Network of India’ explore the third path blending positive of both?) My colleagues and friends often say it is both difficult to work with me or leave me. That is my ways of charting unbeaten paths, taking risks and breaking the comfort zone. 1. Can our children or their children get these nostalgic experiences? In my child hood 50s, I grew up with my grandmother and two aunties in Tamil Nadu. They used to tell, it is a bad habit to drink coffee and always give Finger- Ragi Gruel in the morning. Ragi was roasted, powdered, boiled in hot water, added milk and a big glass was given every morning. On the days, when they could not make any labourious tiffin in the evening, they used to make different quick preparation with the ragi floor and serve us. It could be gruel with buttermilk or a mix with Jagerry. They never thought of organic concept that was irrelevant in those years. The Ragi was not packed. As years rolled, I had my first coffee at Hyderabad at my friends place in 1963. I joined my parents at my 5th class at Bangalore. In those years we ate only rice from Nellore that my mother would but from open gunny bags and bring home. . In 1962, we migrated to Hyderabad. We could not get Nellore rice in shops and shifted to Warangal Rice. They were not branded but my mother can easily find out that it is Nellore and Warangal rice. My mother used to go the shop attached to the oil mill to buy fresh smelling oil. Milk man used to come in front of our house or we go to his place to get fresh milk. He has ingenious knack of mixing water in spite of our vigilance. The chide of my mother was like The Sound of Music for me now, that she made to wake one of our brothers early at 5.00 am and when it is too much of water mixed by our milk man. Incidentally, just couple of years before (2012), when I was traveling in diesel driven local train, after a pause and stare we could identify each other with big yells in the train- I and Krishna, the milk man. The friendship, no brand but identified by place where the rice is grown, the milking vigilance, smell of fresh oil and the love with milk man are gone with wind of yesteryears. • Organic foods to us mean revival of these organic relationships and Trust. 2. Where is Jowar in Chatti and the entire area? Who is Verivaan? When, I came to Chatti in 1975, it was full of Jowar fields. Of Konda Sorghum (Jonna) sown with the onset of rains and a long term crop. Subsequently, Gommu Jonna was sown that is short term crop. We introduced Paccha Jonna first time after 1986 floods by means of seed distribution. Rice was grown very less. I made my food-raising by seeking invitation for lunch and dinner from the community. Initially, they jocularly questioned me if I would eat Gadka Dhoda (Jonna pounded as Ravva and cooked) and Thokkudu Dhoda (Whole Jowar made wet and pounded to remove husk and cooked). I felt sadness that I could not explain for their perception. To them, Rice as superior (Rich?) and Jowar is inferior (Poor). Initially, in my own style I said that I can with hesitation that faded out later. But, it was always rice specially made for me out of their respect to an outsider guest. After the first small serve of rice, I used to get Jowar food also served. They yelled at me as Verivaan=mad chap In less than 10 years, at Chatti no Jowar is grown. Only rice is grown or commercial crops. I believe that PDS Rice at Rs.2.00 and Re: 1.00 along with such other doles has dissuaded our people to stop growing Jowar and even rice. It has become uneconomical to grow and to buy is economical. Added to the economic MIS-calculation, there is the gross (MIS) Education both by the outside government led society and schools. I think, we as Voluntary Organisations now called NGOs also have a role in this deviation. • “They have learnt that to eat Rice is better culture than Jowar”. Who is Verivaan?--- this question lingers in my mind today. 3. Sympathy but no empathy to my urge in Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam!!! All of them love me and have sympathy for my views but no empathy. Way back in 1980s, we had bought around 30 acres of land at Chinthur with the primary motto of sustaining the tribal colleagues working in the team, the secondary objective being to grow organic food by traditional methods. We always had our symbolic kitchen for commune life and often, I insisted on Jowar and cereals. I often raised the question of cultivation of our land at our risk and responsibility. I raised the question of predominant use of cereals in our kitchen. I got clean bowled or stamped as imposing my views. • The second lines who were in fact CEOs of the organisations started blaming me if I am making them dance to my tune in a subtle manner. It made me feel guilt that I never wanted. Ironically, both tribal (and even non-tribal) colleagues left us when funds stopped coming in 2008 and we could not give salaries though we promised food security. 2008: I got myself 99.99 % per cent out of any organisational responsibilities, in 2008. The residual 00.01 per cent was the continuing moral feelings of responsibility at times of crisis. The nagging thing was extreme sympathy but least empathy to my views, ways of living and ways of working from ALL???!!! VETO EXECUTED AND VETO VETOED DOWN 1. My Veto Worked: I got from my colleagues a shocking preposition of partnering with Bhadrachalam Paper Boards to grow eucalyptus on our lands and get quick and easy money. With great difficulty and after active mutual persuasion I vetoed the very thought and it worked. 2. I was Vetoed Down: But, next time, I was again clean bowled when I wanted to veto and not to accept the Polavaram money that we got in 2013. In the cause of Polavaram, it was painful feeling to get partially let down by my team for BIG money that did not last long. In 2011, I started again the ‘original mission’ as Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam that would have no legal entity and depend upon public FundRaising and earn livelihood. Since then, I am both lonely and also fairly a reasonable team at the Aashramam. I have with me as family and extended family members- my wife Mangamma (of course my grown up children, their spouses with their children, who visit periodically), Gangamma, Ashok, Bhadraiah, Ramulamma, 5 destitute elderly and one chronic TB Konda Reddy PVTG group women patient with her husband and his friend., I had met, visited and discussed with hundreds of Gandhians and people in our Voluntary Sector during these years with ZERO budget. I relived – re-experienced my earlier years (1973 to 76) of depending upon friends and the community. I urged all colleagues to start cultivation on our land, buy couple of buffaloes and such activities from Polavaram money. Every meeting to discuss this was emotional with arguments. They asserted that in the changed scenario, it will not work. They confessed that they lost touch with Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. • I could not sell the idea that we need not fear failure but fear not trying. Finally, they left to my wish which totally pulled me back. The same was the case, when I forcefully proposed to introduce Jowar in our Aashramam kitchen. The first retort was- ‘Where is our Jowar or any other cereal? At times, I took pains to arrange millets for the kitchen. I observed subtle, non-cooperation. It took months to be used before it gets rotten. I got tired and I have temporarily shelved my dream of cereals in our kitchen. V.B.Chandrasekaran, Chatti Mahatma Gandhi Aashramam, Chatti Post, Chinthur Mandal, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, Pin Code: 507129. Email: verivaan2049@yahoo antarbharatid2010@gmail; Mobile: +919490109358 +918297977970.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 01:49:39 +0000
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