Black olive cafe in kathmandu Nepal

Olive: An Immortal Fruit!

November 2007 Text by : Arina Sherchan
Lawrence Durrell once wrote (in The Alexandria Quartet) that “The whole Mediterranean, the sculpture, the palms, the gold breads, the bearded heroes, the wine, the ideas, the ships, the moonlight, the winged gorgons, the bronze men, the philosophers—all of it seems to rise in the sour, pungent smell of these black olives between the teeth. A taste older than meat, older than wine. A taste as old as cold water.”

Absolutely tantalizing with a chilled glass of wine, highly prized as a pizza topping, a garnish on a wide variety of dishes, and the oil of which is beneficial for health — this is some of what we know about olives. Oh, yes, and there is also the famous lanky comedy character, ‘Olive’, girlfriend of ‘Popeye, the Sailor Man’. The olive, or Olea europaea, has been immortalized in print by many authors, but perhaps the first to hail its attributes was Pliny the Elder in 50 AD. He noted that “Except the vine, there is no plant which bears a fruit of as great importance as the olive”.

To embark in quest of the world’s most cultivated plant, picture yourself near the origins of the olive along the golden shores of the Mediterranean. As modernized as the world has become, we are still admirers of things natural and simple, and this is to have the Mediterranean feeling in us.

The earliest recorded poets and scribes referred to the olive, its oil and its tree. It even appears in the Bible and in the Koran. Olives have been cultivated since prehistoric times and appear in one of the earliest cookbooks ever discovered, a 2000-year-old text by the Roman Epicurus (4th century BC), after whom we now have the words ‘epicurean’ and ‘epicure’ (one who takes particular pleasure in fine food and drink). In Greek mythology, Athena gave this luscious drupe to mankind as a gift and, in gratitude, the citizens of Attica were said to have named the city of Athens after her. (A drupe is a fleshy fruit with thin skin and central stone. The term is derived from dryppa, Greek for ‘olive’.) Moses exempted from military those men who worked at olive cultivation. Early civilizations believed that olives could cure every illness except death. Vincent van Gogh, the 19th century Dutch painter, illustrated both sunny and dark moments in his artwork with olive trees bearing twisted branches.live branches were used in the Olympic flames, and the victor’s head carried a crown of olive leaves.

After the Romans defeated the Etruscans (Umbria, Tuscany), the initial cultivators of the olive, they spread it far and wide within the Empire. After awhile, however, olive oil production fell with the Roman Empire but its cultivation was revived during the Renaissance. Olive trees can grow to a height of 40 feet, are injured if the temperature falls below 26° F. (–3° C.), can tolerate drought well and live for centuries. The history of the olive is many centuries old, and its cultivation and sale have gone global. In Kathmandu, olives and olive oils in many varieties are available in stores and supermarkets including Bhatbhetini, Bluebird, Namaste and Saleway. Olives are widely used  by restaurants and hotels and as the health benefits of the olive become more well known, consumption is increasing.

OLIVES IN NEPAL
Farmers in ancient times believed that olive trees would not grow well if planted more than a short distance from the sea. Behold, however, that this highly adorned Mediterranean fruit is now being grown in Nepal, far from any sea. The olive grove is located on terraced land in Bissingkhel in Palung, Chitlang Valley, about 80 km by road southwest of Kathmandu, at an altitude close to 2000m. The drive to the Chitlang is along the old Tribhuvan highway, Nepal’s first road connecting Kathmandu Valley with the outside world. What lay ahead us on that drive was a curiosity, a unique quest and some surprises. First, after three hours from Kathmandu, we arrived in the land of the Gopali people of Palung. The Gopalis are an ancient and colorful Newari community. There we saw Gopali men clad in daura suruwal, with flowers behind their ears, and women in traditional folk attire of black and scarlet. The olive trees of which we had heard were being cultivated nearby, but as we later found out, wild olives also grow abundantly (uncultivated) in western Nepal at Humla, Bhajura, Dolpa and Jumla.

Himalaya Plantations Pvt. Ltd. is a Nepal-German joint venture, registered in 1994. Hartmut Bouder, a German, is the director. Prior to coming to Nepal, he lived in southern France. Our quest began as we walked with him along muddy paths near a stream through his olive farm, and our first sight of olives was alluring. The plantation covers two broadly terraced hills, which Hartmut and his wife Pramila call ‘Vinci’ and ‘Tuscany’. The names reflect their affection for things Mediterranean. They began by planting 2300 olive tree of several varieties, imported from Italy and France. This year, however, perhaps due to the exceedingly wet monsoon, the trees at Vinci did not give many olives.

Himalayan Extra Virgin Oil is made from hand picked, green ripe olives that grow in the crystal clear mountain air. They are cold-pressed immediately after harvesting. The oil is low on acidity and high in natural antioxidants. To retain its superb qualities, this oil should be kept sealed after use, and stored in a cool dark place. Below 8° Celsius the oil becomes cloudy, but this does not influence its quality. It clears quickly at room temperature.

Olives are cultivated at Palung by two methods, rooted cuttings and grafting. When planted by rooted cuttings, a rooting agent (various combinations of chemicals) is added to the soil while the olive seeds are being planted, then provided with proper watering and sunlight conditions. Grafting involves taper-cutting a stem (called a scion) and wedding it with the stem of a mature olive tree. The grafted stem gradually grows into the tree in two and a half to three years. It works best in a nursery that is well ventilated, watered and temperature controlled.

The Himalayan Plantation is now old enough to sell young olive trees for cultivation by Nepali gardeners and farmers. Once planted, it takes seven years for the first olive crop to show. The trees are then pruned, an integral part of olive cultivation. The inner branches are cut to make the tree small and spread wide to receive sunlight to the fullest. Any diseased leaf, olive or tree is removed.

Among the surprises we encountered was the taste of a green olive directly from the tree. Not recommended. A bitterness remained on the tongue long after we were fooled into eating one. For the Himalayan Plantation, oil is the main product. The typical yield of olives from one tree is 1.5 to 2.2 kg of oil per year. Himalayan Plantation averages 250 to 300 liters of olive oil from 2000 and 2500 kg of olives produced.

The plantation employs six year-round employees, but during harvest time another 15 to 20 workers, from the local Gopali community and others, are added to the work force. Work begins early, at six o’clock a.m. Harvesting of the fully ripe olives is done  by raking the branches with a large comb-like device. A net is spread on the ground to catch the falling olives. As they are collected, the workers remove over ripe or brused olives. At 2 o’clock p.m., the collected olives are taken to Godawari (Hartmut’s house) where the oil pressing is done. The olives are kept in a netted box and a ventilator blows the leaves away, after which they are washed. The oil pressing time affects the acid content, which affects the quality of the oil. Pressing is done around 8 p.m. on the same day in a three-phase process. The olives are poured in a stainless steel container fitted with a crusher. Crushing lasts for 30 minutes under strict temperature control, not exceeding 27° Celsius, with water added as necessary. The result is piped to a centrifuge, where the liquid is separated from the solids. The oil is then bottled and sealed. The remainder is called pomace (water and paste), which can be further processed. The crusher and centrifuge operate continuously, and can process 80 kilograms of olives per hour.

The more the olive ripens, the higher its acid content and poorer the quality of the oil. Himalayan Olive Oil has an acid content of 0.2%, which makes an ideal ‘extra virgin’ quality oil. The company’s production has been examined by Australian, German and Italian experts who have set the standard as one of the best quality oils produced. The oil is then is sold at Rs 900 per bottle. The bottles are from China, the labels from Italy, and the fine cork from Portugal. Until now Himalayan Olive Oil has been distributed to relatively few individual’s on a special order basis, because oil production is not yet large enough to meet the demands of a greater market.

OLIVES: GREEN, BLACK, TABLE or PICKLED
Olives destined for whole food consumption (not for making olive oil) are hand harvested to prevent bruising. A major question that arises is the difference between green and black olives. Aside from taste and color, they are from the same tree. The only difference is their ripeness. Green olives are picked when they are immature, while black olives remain on the stem longer. In a sense, the olive is synonymous with wine because it has many varieties according to taste and acidic content. On the stem, olives turn from green to bluish-purple to black as they ripen. Each country where olives are produced feature specialized methods of cultivation and treatment, with distinct types and flavors. All fresh olives are bitter and tough, whether unripe and green, or ripened to red-purple, or fully ripe and black.

The darker the olive, the higher the acid content, giving it a richer flavor. Green olives are harvested at the earliest stages of maturity. Pink olives are slightly riper, changing from pink to rose or brown prior to reaching full maturity. Black olives, harvested at full maturity, have smooth black skin and a deep reddish-black hue.

Green olives must be cured before they are edible. To leach out their bitterness, the olives are cured in salt brine for one to two months, or rubbed with coarse salt and dry-cured. Some varieties are best picked green, such as France’s Picholine and the Manzanilla from Spain. Most of the green olives consumed in the world are then sealed in glass jars for sale in stores. They are meant to be eaten as is.

Black olives, on the other hand, are cooked in the process of canning. Deep-black, ripe olives, such as Niçoise from France or the Greek Kalamata, are best picked at full maturity.

Pitted Olives are those that have the pit or stone removed. They are generally stuffed with an ingredient such as a pimiento, jalapeno, dried tomato, garlic or onion.

Unopened cans of olives have a shelf life of three to four years if stored on your pantry shelf. Olives have high flavor and can easily take over a dish, so they should be used discreetly.

Of the 750 million olive trees planted worldwide, only 10% of the annual harvest goes toward the production of table olives, for eating. The rest are harvested for their oil.

It is a wonder that different olives, and olives of different countries taste different. Rather than confuse yourself with the abundance of varieties and tastes, it is more fun to take the opportunity and try them all. But, not in one sitting.

OLIVE OIL, BEYOND THE FRUIT
Homer, the ancient Greek bard, called olive oil “liquid gold”. Olive oil has been more than mere food to the people of the Mediterranean; it has been medicinal, magical, an endless source of fascination and wonder, and a font of great wealth and power. It has been described in poetry and books since time immemorial.

Olives are grown mainly for the production of oil, which is rich, beautiful and fragrant much like wine. The color, aroma and flavor of olive oils depend on factors like the variety of olive, the location and soil qualities, the general environment, olive ripeness, harvesting methods, length of time between harvest and pressing, and the pressing technique used. Olive oil is flammable and burns well. Most of the world’s supply is produced from olives grown in Spain, Italy and Greece, but olive oils are also produced in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, France, elsewhere in the Mediterranean Basin, and in California.

Olive oil has been a staple of the Mediterranean diet for thousands of years and, today, its popularity is growing rapidly in other parts of the world. It is one of the most versatile oils for cooking and it enhances the taste of many foods. It is an excellent alternative to butter or margarine as a condiment or for use in food preparation. Olive oils are graded by production method, acidity content and flavor. The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) sets quality standards that most olive producing countries use (except the United States). Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fat which accounts for 55% to 85% of an olive oil’s content.

There are three basic types of olive oils: extra virgin, virgin and pure olive oil. ‘Extra virgin’ is the top grade. This oil has less than 1% acidity, the olives have been picked and pressed the same day, and the oil has a strong, green color with a perfect aroma. Essentially, extra virgin olive oil should smell and taste just like the olive from which it came from. ‘Virgin’ olive oil is the next grade, with less than 2% acidity with good color and aroma. The final grade is ‘pure’ olive oil, much lighter in color with little or no aroma. Pure olive oil is the result of a blend of virgin olive oil and refined oil generally extracted from olive pulp, skin and/or pits.

Olive oil retains its best quality in the year it is produced, unlike wine that may require several years to reach its peak. One basic thing to remember about olive oil is that it is constantly oxidizing as a result of age, heat, air and exposure to light. It is best to store olive oil in a dark glass bottle or stainless steel container in a dark place, slightly cooler than room temperature. The container should be tightly closed when not in use. Olive oil cannot be refrigerated, for the condensation from cooling mixes with the oil and makes the final result less flavorable. Olive oil is like sunshine captured in food, with many health benefits.

OLIVE OIL FOR HEALTH
Olive oil helps in blood circulation by preventing arteriosclerosis and its attendant risks, high blood pressure, heart attacks, heart failure, kidney failure and brain hemorrhages. Olive oil improves the working of the stomach, pancreas, intestines and liver, and prevents the formation of gallstones. It protects and tones the epidermis with its Vitamin E content and its antioxidant effect, and it is particularly useful in the prevention of skin lesions and for reducing the effects of ageing. It has also become known for use in the prevention and control of diabetes. Recent studies demonstrate that the glucose levels of healthy people drops by up to 12% when they consume olive oil. Olive oil stimulates growth and enhances minerals in our body by the absorption of calcium. It protects against certain tumors (breast, prostate, colorectal). Even the astronauts’ diet was changed to include olive oil after the discovery that it increases protection against radio activity. Due to its composition and digestibility, olive oil is also used in baby foods. The antioxidants in olive oil helps temper some of the effects of ageing,especially cerebral ageing, and in some experiments it has been observed to increase life expectancy. When used as primary fat, it produces a drop in LDL cholesterol, the ‘harmful cholesterol’, without dropping the level of HDL, the ‘good cholesterol’.

IT’S COOKING TIME!
Because no two batches of olive oil are the same, tasting is important. Inferior oil may ruin the flavor of food, but good oil will enhance the flavors without overpowering the food. It is always best to taste olive oil first before it is used in cooking or in salads to ensure that the flavor is pleasing and that it will work for the specific dishes you have planned.

Olive oil is used in marinating meat, fish and poultry. Instead of serving butter with bread, olive oil can be used as a dipping. Olive oil prevents butter from burning. Light olive oil is ideal for baked goods because of its subtle flavor. When using olive oil for deep-frying, food should be as dry as possible before it enters the hot oil to prevent splattering. Olives can be used as sandwich fillings, and give dull ingredients a little flavor and variety. Nutrition, flavor and colorcan be added to spaghetti sauce by stirring in chopped olives.

Olives ignited a Mediterranean love for a loosely defined fantasy of casual, healthful, warm and intimate existence, comfortable for the stylish and accessible for the striving. Traveling with taste is the slogan of Mediterranean life and it’s just what we consider to be the best way of going through countries. A Spanish proverb says that the belly rules the mind; if so, a century old taste of the olive and its oil will surely cure dead cells of the present. Green and black olives, liquid gold, mediterranean life, Vincent van Gogh’s olive trees..., Oh! How remarkable the olive.

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Country of fear-

In Nepal, irrespective of all types of instability, whether in politics, the economy and development, the only all-time stable thing is “fear’’. In the future, the degree of fear in the population is likely to increase. Nepal is heading towards becoming a “country of fear”. Everyday political and social narrations documented in the media and discussed in the public sphere point in this direction. The fear lords, the politicians, shamelessly talk about Nepal becoming like Afghanistan, Cambodia, Rwanda or Sri Lanka all the time. It is hard to understand who these politicians are trying to intimidate or if they are merely reflecting the state of their own failure and mental vulnerability. The question is: Do we still continue listening silently to this nonsensical political gossip or is there anything that we can do immediately to protect ourselves from becoming worse?

Let’s discuss the mental and traumatic state of once conflict-ridden countries like Afghanistan, Cambodia, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. If Nepal’s fear lord politicians tragically lead the country towards a conflict—violent or otherwise—what kind of scenario is likely to arise in front of us? What do we do then? In Afghanistan, more than two decades of conflict has led to widespread human suffering and population displacement. Many studies have found that nearly half of population has experienced traumatic events. Two-thirds of the people have suffered mental disorders like depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The disabled and women have a poorer mental health status. Direct relations have been found between the mental health status and traumatic events. Larger populations are dependent on religious and spiritual practices to cope with mental trauma and disorder.

Cambodia has had a long history of violence, highlighted by the civil war in the 1970s. Studies conducted 10 years after the end of the fighting have found that more than 80 percent of the refugees felt depressed and had a number of psychological complaints despite good access to medical services. High levels of trauma and symptoms of mental disorder were reported despite a majority of the respondents having a sound social support system and good employment. These studies found that changes in the structure of society have led to a breakdown of the existing protective networks such as village chiefs and elders in rural communities, especially for women and children. Traditional healers (monks, mediums and traditional birth attendants), who played an important role in maintaining the mental health of communities in the past, have lost their designated positions following the conflict.

The Rwandan genocide took place in 1994. It was a mass slaughter where over the course of 100 days (April to mid-July), approximately 500,000 people in the East African state were killed. The physical and mental health problems of the survivors of the genocide in Rwanda have been well documented. In a recent community-based study examining 2,091 individuals, nearly one-third of the participants were found to be dealing with PTSD. The study suggests that without a successful reconciliation programme, it is almost impossible that the individuals dealing with PTSD will recover.

In Sri Lanka, the conflict between the majority Sinhala and the minority Tamil populations lasted for nearly 30 years. One of the first studies that looked into the psychological effects of the conflict on the civilian population reported that only 6 percent of the study population had not experienced any war stress. Mental disorders were seen in two-thirds of the population. Somatisation, PTSD, anxiety disorder, major depression, alcohol and drug misuse and functional disability were the major disorders seen among the population. The breakdown in Tamil society led to women taking on more responsibilities, which in turn made them more vulnerable to stress. Children and adolescents had a higher level of mental health morbidity. Women have an increased vulnerability to psychological consequences of conflict. There is consistent evidence of higher rates of trauma-related psychological problems in children. The association between gender-based violence and common mental disorders is well known.

However, in the case of Nepal, these issues are severely undermined. There is lack of study. There is no knowledge. Taking the experience of these conflict-ruined countries as a reference, one can imagine the mental toll in Nepali society. However, it is important to note that all the above mentioned countries, except Afghanistan, have already started to perform socially and economically far better than Nepal. Sadly, hundreds of thousands of victims of the conflict era have been waiting for justice and mental peace, but there is no hope yet. The political class has inflicted terrible psychological damage on Nepali society. It is simply boiling to explode.

Before it gets worse, I suggest to the political class: Please change your narration. Rather than providing help, you have already done so much harm to our generation. Let’s acknowledge it. Do not make intimidating statements that Nepal is becoming another Rwanda or Cambodia. Let’s make the mental trauma, fear and torture suffered by the people, as a result of the 10-year long armed conflict and the political instability of the post-conflict period, a major political narration of the present time. If these issues do not get space in political narration and are not addressed, the mental state of Nepali society is likely to become worse. Then you leaders—Prachanda, Sushil, Jhalanath, Bijaya Kumar—are not only to be blamed but also

punished.


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Timber trees

KATHMANDU, MAR 16 -

The government and local community forest users’ groups in Dadeldhura district are at loggerheads over the sale of more than 700,000 cubic feet of timber stored after a massive deforestation drive some two years ago.

The tussle between the government and local community is due to a great sum of money involved. The timber is expected to fetch around Rs 240 million. The market price for one cubic feet of timber ranges from Rs 3,500-4,000.

Following a corruption case filed by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), a preliminary hearing at the Special Court recently ordered the Dadeldhura District Forest Office to sell the timber and place the money obtained in a bank.

However, local community users’ groups have stood against decision. The timber , which was cut down illegally, is now verging on decay.

“The timber is the property of the community. The government has no authority to sell our property,” said Chandra Dev Bohara, chairperson of the Federation of Community Forestry Users’ Group Nepal (Fecofun) Dadeldhura chapter.

One hundred and eight community forest users registered with the DFO have jointly protested the government decision, making the same argument.

However, the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation is adamant about implementing the court order. “The court has already ordered the DFO to sell the timber and deposit the amount in a bank. So the government will act accordingly,” said the Ministry’s Spokesperson Krishna Acharya.

Acharya, however, said that the government may return the amount to the community forest once the court issues a final verdict. The court has only concluded the preliminary hearing and all of the accused have been released on bail. Its final verdict has yet to be issued.

Last September, the CIAA had filed a corruption case against 196 individuals including forest officers, representatives of community forest users’ groups and timber entrepreneurs, accusing them of being involved in deforestation in the Chure area of the farwestern region.

Among the accused are 180 from community forestry while 11 are government officials, including Far-western Regional Director Bijaya Raj Poudel.

The CIAA had sought Rs 430.31 million from the accused as fines and legal action in accordance with the law. The CIAA’s investigation had concluded that a total of 7,553,128 cubic feet of wood, worth millions of rupees, had been cut down illegally in Dadeldhura.

Posted on: 2013-03-16 08:30

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Exploring my inner self

I get annoyed when people say ‘excuse me’ or ‘pardon’ or ask me to repeat myself. You may think this is nothing to get peeved or frustrated about. But in my case, it is. In fact, I am a bit different. Actually, I sound a bit different when I speak. I was born with a nasal voice (try speaking with your nostrils closed. Yes, that’s how I speak), which now has transformed into a ‘hyper nasal tone’, resulting in episodic changes in my behaviour. During that period, my voice never became a point of concern for me. Yes, I used to hear complaints regarding the hoarseness of my voice, but at that time nothing really mattered. Things were running smoothly, life was easy and I was comfortable being myself. But then, after I completed my schooling and started with my higher studies, an extreme change occurred.

I was exposed to the Capital city, introduced to new people and new lifestyles. New mates, new college, that sense of anticipation and enthusiasm. It was my first day of college and introduction classes were going on. I sensed a bit of trepidation, as my new friends couldn’t understand my speech at that time. This was not much of a big deal as they might not have been used to a nasal voice before. Classes commenced.

In the following days, I heard my classmates, especially the boys, making rude comments about me, mimicking my nasal voice. And of course, the girls joined in. They would tease me behind my back. This behaviour continued on a regular basis and I was left friendless, humiliated and exhausted.

Even my teachers couldn’t understand my speech at a go. They used to ask me to repeat my questions once, sometimes twice and even thrice. It was not that bad initially. But seeing my teachers with the same confused expression every time I stood up to ask questions made me feel awkward. The giggling of some students and the harsh comments from the backbench made my eyes water. It broke my heart. After being the centre of criticism in such circumstances, I thought of giving a break to my restless tongue.

I am a talkative girl but then I slowed down. Even on the bus home, I started would be silent with my headphones stuffed over my ears, pretending to be uninterested in the conversations around me. I became shy and quiet, although within me, I was dying to speak out.

Not only in college, but my voice became the household talk during family functions and gatherings as well. I was made a piece of mockery among my family members too! Finally, I decided to consult

a doctor. Continuous medicaments and physiotherapeutic treatments brought no noticeable results. I was hopeless and cursed god for making me this way. For about a couple of months, I was lost.

Slowly, I started adapting to people’s criticism and attitude towards me. I was so frustrated by then, that their words stopped affected me. I started to regain my lost confidence and ignored people’s commentary. I started asking myself what my reaction would be if I was completely dumb or if my senses were impaired. If a small flaw made me feel so feeble and shackled my confidence, then how would a disabled person feel in similar situations? It would be an end to their world. There is more to worry about, than to blame god for making us different.

Even today, people pull my leg, taunt me with various names but I accept this with a smile on my face. This is how I am. On a positive note, each person whom I’ve had a conversation with recognises me because of my nasal voice. I’m gaining popularity in my neighborhood, college and among my friends due to my unique nasal voice. So, it’s not even as bad as it sounds. Even on public transport, whenever the conductor asks me,

“Didi, kaha jane?” and I reply, “Balkhu jane,” each pair of eyes in the vehicle turns to look at me.

How many people are blessed with such a hyper nasal voice? Maybe one in a million. If you feel unique wupen you are criticised, you are one of my species. So, guys and girls, see how unique I am. Are you?

Posted on: 2013-03-10 08:37

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Rice diplomachy

Yes, my title might sound provocative—at least to those in Nepal who are used to seeing Bihar only as a land of decadence, although that seems to be changing thanks to story of ‘unprecedented growth’ under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Our skin-colour-conscious racism mixed with xenophobic anti-Indianism created by dead king Mahendra’s pseudo-nationalism (and not to forget Nepal’s communist parties’ relentless India-the-expansionist rhetoric for six plus decades) makes it hard for most hill-dwelling or hill-born, pride-engulfed Nepalis to countenance the fact that Bihari farmers might have much to teach us. The fact that for decades most in Nepal are also used to ‘lowly’ Biharis as cheap agricultural laborers planting our rice crops, weeding them, harvesting them, carpentering our homes, serving us ‘chana chatpate’ and selling ‘aalu pyaj’ at our doorsteps, also compounds the challenge. But we must swallow our false pride and try to learn from some of the Biharis.

If somehow we are able to shake-off our ‘age-old’ Bihar-phobia, let’s read the Guardian’s John Vidal’s report on spectacular productivity in rice fields in Bihar’s Nalanda is a must-read (Feb 16, Guardian, “India’s Rice Revolution”) and Uttam Sengupta’s report on the same in Outlook India (“The Whole Truth On A Grain of Rice”, March 11, 2013). Also read Cornell University

professor of agricultural science Norman Uphoff’s short response to China’s father of the highest-yielding rice variety   (http://agrariancrisis.in/ 2013/03/03/the-whole-truth-on-a-grain-of-rice-an-international-row-over-a-world-record/, published

as a comment). They give enough reason to go to Nalanda and spend some time with farmers there. Well, I must admit I have not been there yet, and my essay is based on reports I have read.

These reports tell us that some farmers in Nalanda are trailblazing an agricultural revolution. To be precise, five farmers in Nalanda district of Bihar had surpassed the world record in rice-production by producing 22.4 tonnes per hectare. The Chinese record was a little over 19 tonnes and was based on use of chemical fertilisers. But the most important part of the story in Bihar was that this record-breaking productivity was not the result of conventional science that produced what we now call the “Green Revolution.” Farmers did this by using farmyard manure together with a technique of rice cultivation called System of Rice Intensification (SRI). This involves a number of simple, and a bit counter-intuitive, techniques first experimented by a French Jesuit priest in Madagaskar: planting of young rice seedlings; use of single rice seedlings in equal distance in moist field (instead of common practice of flooding the field and planting a bunch of them); and weeding to aerate the soil. SRI definitely adds to the demand of labour especially due to single-seedling plantation and regular weeding, but the productivity gained far outweighs cost of additional labour. Perhaps innovation in mechanical planting and weeding can go a long way in that regard, too. While these five farmers have produced records, most of the SRI adopters have gained impressive productivity gains.

Unlike the past green revolution based on excessive use of poisons and chemicals, SRI is entirely based on the management of natural conditions in such a way that allows for fuller genetic potentials of rice to be realised. This obviously bestows control over farming in the hand of farmers and not those of poison-producing companies or distant scientists. This also redefines the role of scientists. It was not scientists sitting in prestigious rice research institutes who developed this technique. It was a Jesuit priest who wanted to make a difference in the lives of small farmers in their own fields. Agricultural scientists can at best be good

partners in agricultural production and many of them have hard time accepting the impressive results. They need to swallow their pride and accept that good agriculture is not their prerogative. In fact, farmers across the world are showing that conventional agricultural science is a problem and not a solution and that sustainable solutions can emerge from farmers’ fields.

What we require, perhaps, is production of agricultural knowledge by farmers and mechanisms for exchange among them—farmers as teachers and farmers as learners. That’s how it used to be for a very long time anyway.

But, we can also combine this with building genuinely friendly relations among citizens of India and Nepal. Borderland between Nepal and India has remained subjects of intense politicking in Nepal. Perhaps we can propose to convert borderlands—the long stretch of 10-yard wide no-man’s (sic)-land—into farmer-managed experimental plots. Instead of uncultivated no-man’s land, imagine Nepali and Indian farmers (from bordering villages in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand) jointly creating vibrant demonstration plots. That could be new pilgrimage for Nepali and Indian farmers. That could also be a site of new kind of friendship between Indian and Nepali citizens.

Just imagine.

Posted on: 2013-03-10 08:32 

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Possessed by books

If you are one of those people who frequent bookstores on a regular basis, you might have chanced upon an ageing gentleman stepping into a bookstore, holding a black briefcase-like bag in his left hand and a stick in the right, which he carries to feel his way around. He is steadily losing his eyesight and cannot read even the title of a book, much less the words on the page. Yet he goes on buying books. Why and how?

He goes to a bookstore and inquires about new arrivals. He has been buying books for so many years that the bookstore owner invariably knows his taste and shows him books that might appeal to him. He then strains his eyes to read the titles and asks the owner to read out the blurbs, before deciding to buy them. He usually buys books by the armload. Owning books is his source of satisfaction.

Over the years, Shailendra Kumar Singh has bought over twenty thousand books (and that by a conservative estimate) that fill up his entire house, from floor to ceiling, lining the walls of the corridor even. He has a simple rule. He never lends his books to anyone, not even his only daughter. ‘If she wants to read, she can always come over to my place,’ he says.  

Many would find that amusing. Not me. I know how obsessively possessive one can be about books. Sheeba Shivangani Shah, the author most recently of Facing the Phantoms, too is highly possessive of her books and doesn’t let her teenage daughters come near them. If they insist on reading one of her books, she buys them another copy instead.  

I am no less possessive about my books. At times, when one of my family members takes my books to their room from my personal library, I go bring them back. Books missing from my bookshelves make me as anxious as parents would be when their teenage daughter doesn’t come home early; I toss and turn in bed wondering who might have taken them.

Fortunately, I haven’t had to spend many nights in book-induced anxiety. That’s because I know where a particular book is like the back of my hand and a quick scan of the bookshelves is enough for me to find out if a book is missing. Then, I can immediately play detective and go about tracing the missing book.

There are ways to find out if anyone has toyed with your books. For example, a book might have been pushed an inch deeper or there might be a gaping hole left by a book taken out. These make the task of keeping tab on your books much easier.

An illustration: a onetime fan of magic realism, I have a few Gabriel Garcia Marquez books, including One Hundred Years of Solitude at home. This book of books, sits cheek-by-jowl with other Marquez books. One day when I came home, I saw a small opening between books where One Hundred Years of Solitude had once sat snuggly and asked my parents if anyone had come home that day. They told me that my brother’s friend had. I then asked my brother if his friend had taken the book. He replied in the affirmative. I demanded that he get the book back as soon as his friend was done with the reading. He did, in due time. And I felt relieved.

I find being in the company of books deeply reassuring. Needless to say, I hate to lend books—and for another reason too. The books you lend usually don’t come back to you. (I am still waiting for friends to return books they borrowed from me ages back!) And if it does, it rarely comes back in the mint condition that you lent it in. How many times has your jaw dropped at the sight of your books upon return? Sometimes, they come back with their spines broken, pages dog-eared and soiled and covers looking like the wings of a bird about to take off!

But, my possessiveness notwithstanding, I would find it difficult to say no to the requests of my closest friends to lend them books or to disappoint young friends who look up to you for guidance. For such eventualities, I have made some rules:

1) Don’t lend more than two books at a time. And make sure that these are done and dusted and returned, before lending others.

2) Don’t lend a book for more than a week. One who doesn’t/can’t read a book in a week is not a reader and doesn’t deserve to be lent a book. 

3) Maintain a record of books lent, so that you can refer to it when your memory plays tricks on you.

4) Have the person who borrows your books read an article by Pradeep Sebastian before lending them a book. The article lays out some dos and don’ts about reading/handling a book—like, wash your hands and apply talcum powder before opening a book, don’t fold the tip of a page to mark the page that you have reached, don’t roll the pages and only read a book by opening it slightly.

But these rules haven’t yielded the desired results. A bhai has yet to return two books—Red Dust and Plain English—that he borrowed from me some two years back. Last time I met him, he said, “I will photocopy them and return them to you.” A friend hasn’t returned An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World by Pankaj Mishra that he borrowed I don’t know how many years ago. When I inquired about the book, he said, shamelessly, that he hadn’t read it but he would soon. And the list goes on.

No wonder, I have decided to follow in the steps of Shailendra Kumar Singh. Don’t

ever ask me for a book. I know you will not, from now on!

Posted on: 2013-03-10 08:35

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Shiva Ratrti festival

Hindus all over the nation are observing Mahashivaratri festival—a special night to pray to Lord Shiva—on Sunday.

Yogis, religious devotees, and fun-seekers thronged the temple of the god of Samhara. In the Capital, thousands have thronged the Pashupatinath, one of the holiest Hindu shrines, from early today.

Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) said that only about 5,000 sadhus are expected during this year Maha Shivaratri due to the Kumbha Mela in India.

Vehicular movement from Chabahil to Tilganga will be banned today. No vehicle will be allowed to enter from Ratopul and Sifalchaur sides in the west.

Mahashivaratri (or Great night of Hindu deity Shiva) is celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day in the waning moon of the month of Magha as per the Hindu lunar calendar. The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bel leaves and milk and water to the Lord Shiva, all day fasting and an all nightlong vigil.

Legend has it that the people perform self-abasement on this day or in the run up to the religious festival in order to gain boons in the practice of Yoga and meditation for cleansing one’s soul and heart to gain liberation—the cycle of rebirth.

Shiva is considered the first guru from whom the yogic tradition originates.

According to tradition, the planetary positions on this night are such that there is a powerful natural upsurge of energy in the human system. It is said to be beneficial for one's physical and spiritual well being to stay awake and aware throughout the night.

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