Most Kerala homes might feature one or two Mango trees – usually of a variety that the homeowners prefer. But can you imagine a village with over 200 types of Mango trees? Not 200 trees, mind you. But 200 different kinds of Mangoes, all in one village in Kannur district.

And this ‘Mango heritage’ is now fast gaining popularity thanks to Kannapuram village’s Mango lovers, known as Naattumaanjottil (‘Under a Mango tree’).

A Growing Mango Heritage

“Our Naattumaanjottil journey began when a landowner cut down a 200-year-old Vellathan tree. Vellathan Mangoes are so sweet, and they hold a special place in the hearts of all villagers. So we thought of regrowing them,” farmer Shyju Machathi says, speaking to The Better India.

“From kids to senior citizens, people came forward to collect many pieces of the fallen tree, and together we grafted them,” Shyju says. The group informally stuck together after that.

“We have also created a Facebook page in the name of Naattumaanjottil, where Mango lovers meet up. The main idea of the Facebook page is to share details about different varieties of trees. We share the names of Mangoes and their taste and shape, so people know more about the fruit,” Shyju said.

And if you are surprised that a village should have so much interest in Mangoes, don’t be. This is a village where this is common.

As Shyju says, one can easily find over 100 varieties of mangoes in just a small section of the village, grown across 372 trees that belong to only 20 homes.

‘Indigenous Mango Heritage Area’

Shyju and his Mango-loving friends have surveyed the whole Panchayat and discovered a further 100 varieties in every nook and corner of the village.

As Shyju claims, presently the village has 208 varieties of Mango trees in total! And this is not even the end. Shyju says he is sure that more types will be added to the list in the coming years, as the team explores ever further into the village’s unique heritage.

And that heritage does have an official acknowledgement. On July 22, 2020, the ‘National Mango Day’, Kerala’s Biodiversity Board identified Kannapuram village as an ‘Indigenous Mango Heritage Area’.

Read More: In 4 Years, Kerala Village Turns 100 Acres of Barren Land into Lush Organic Farm

Villager Shobana Surendran’s home is an example of that heritage. “In our home, we have three Mango trees, which are Cheri Manga, Choppan Manga and Kannapuram Manga. Every year, during the season, we make pickles, curry, jam, cake, drinks, pudding and other dishes at home. It is saddening to say that even after distributing to our friends and family, there is always some that go to waste,” Shobana says.

How Were the Mango Varieties Identified or Named?

Some of the new varieties of Mangoes are in different shapes and sizes, and they are named accordingly. And some are identified by checking the colour of the peel and by identifying the pulp of the fruit. Shyju states that there are also some that had the same shape and size, and they were named only after tasting each of them.

The fruits have unique and stylish names. One among them is named as ‘Kula Niryan’ as it bears fruit throughout the year. Another one is ‘Thenga Manga’ as its shape is similar to a coconut. There are other Mangoes as well: Kannapuram Manga, Pulian Manga, Kudakkachi Manga, Bappakai Manga, Cheri Manga and many more.

What’s the next step?

Shyju states that they are planning a heritage walk connecting different spots, and hope to spread indigenous Mango trees to more parts of the state, in association with the ‘Haritha Kerala Mission’.

Initially, the plan was to build up 14 different centres in the state with 100 varieties of Mango saplings. But Kerala agriculture minister VS Sunil Kumar changed the project and gave an assurance that 100 types of saplings from Kannapuram would be sent to 100 different parts of the state.

The farmer added that if this plan comes true, then Kerala would be the first state in the country to have 100 centres with 100 mango trees.

Shyju and the other villagers have a request to make to the authorities. They want more serious academic research into these mangoes.

Shyju says, “In Nigeria, people used to make coffee out of Nithyakalyani flowers. Now it has been identified as a life-saver for many diseases. But here we don’t know the health benefits these fruits. So it would be good if some research finds out more.”

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Many traditional homes in Kerala villages are built with laterite bricks, terracotta roofs, and have a wide-open verandah with a private swimming pool. However, this Kerala house shown in the following video is located in Japan.

The Little World Museum Of Man in Inuyama, Japan, is an anthropological museum and amusement park that allows visitors to experience the culture and traditions of various countries. This Kerala-style home is an exhibit that represents India.

The house in the museum is named ‘Chanakath House’ and it is the replica of an actual home in Kerala. It was constructed using indigenous materials that were shipped to Japan. Inside, one can find a long verandah, an inner courtyard, and traditional kitchen utensils, and furniture like the Charu Kasera (reclining chair). Apart from this, there are signboards written in Malayalam, and an Indian post office to complete the look of the village.

Take a tour inside this Kerala home in Japan:

At a time when the youth tend to stay away from the mud, the fields and all things agriculture, this engineering graduate proudly introduces you to his dairy farm in Kerala- which is turning a neat monthly profit. Talk about a unique career path.

From childhood, Malappuram’s Jamsheer, a 25-year-old BTech Graduate, had a special place in his heart for agriculture and veterinary. He kept his passion throughout his growing years.

Studying His Way Into Dairy Farming

Jamsheer understood that just theoretical knowledge about a dairy would not help complete his dream. He took a two-pronged approach. On the learning front, he joined the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Kerala’s Wayanad district in 2013. He also joined a two-year Dairy Diploma course.

On the practical front, he bought two cows and five goats as an initial step and kept them in his home. Later he bought three more cows for growing ‘mini-farm’. After completing his Diploma course, he further joined the Dairy Engineering College of the University.

“Many discouraged me and asked me to leave the dairy farm at home, thinking that the farm may distract my Engineering studies. But I made sure that I could take care of both at a time and passed the course in 2020,” Jamsheer says, speaking to The Better India (TBI).

“In 2017-18, with the help of my family and a personal loan, I completed the construction of my PCM Farm, which is situated at Kizhissery of Malappuram district. Now I am a dairy farm owner with 40 cows – including 28 milking cows. I get over 270-300 litres of milk per day from my farm, and I earn up to Rs 1 Lakh every month. I sell the milk at Milma, which comes under the Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF). I also distribute the milk at different shops and hotels. Some villagers also come to the farm to buy milk.,” Jamsheer said.

Keeping The Cows Happy

The farm has Jersey cross cows, Holstein Friesian cross, and many other breeds. Jamsheer happily shares that he has a ‘semi-Hi-Tech’ farm. He states, “I grow grass for feeding the cows at my own farm. The cows also have fresh water all the time through the automatic water bowl system installed on the farm. To reduce the heat in the farm, I have also installed ceiling fans and a mist unit cooling system. The cows can also rest on rubber mats spread on the floors.”

Many say that good music can change an individual’s mood, but did you know that it applies to animals as well?

In the farm, the cows do get music piped through speakers for them as well. Jamsheer stressed that good music boosts milk production and gives a good rest to the cows.

“After feeding the cows, I play the radio at my farm so my cows will have a good resting time listening to music. This trick helps me to get good milk production and reduces my effort. I also would recommend you to play music for your pets, which will help you in many ways,” he added.

Coronavirus Inspires New Trends in Agriculture:

Jamsheer said that plenty of youth had contacted him, asking for help in setting up a farm. He believes this indicates a changing trend in the state, with more young graduates deciding to turn into farmers.

Speaking to TBI, Jashi, an agricultural officer in Kerala, also stressed the same. “Earlier, people considered jobs in agriculture as disgusting. But now things have changed. I feel the reason for the change is due to the Coronavirus pandemic,” she says.

“Many lack knowledge about the help the government is providing in the field of agriculture or other farming platforms. It is also to be noted that NRI returnees, who lost their jobs abroad, have also started business in agriculture,” Jashi added.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has invited online applications for six vacancies of Junior Research Fellowships. The vacancies will be filled through an online interview screening process by a panel.

Engineers from various streams can apply for the positions. The fellowship will be awarded for a period of two years with an initial compensation of Rs 31,000 and House Rent Allowance, as per the rules.

Who can apply?

1. Electronics & Communication Engineering
Number of positions: Anticipated
Eligibility criteria:

BE/B.Tech in Electronics & Communication Engineering

or

ME/M.Tech in Electronics & Communication
Engineering.

2. Applied Electronics/Optoelectronics/ Instrumentation/ Photonics

Number of positions: Anticipated

Eligibility criteria: BE/B.Tech in Applied Electronics/Optoelectronics/Instrumentation Engineering or ME/M.Tech in Applied Electronics/Opto Electronics/Instrumentation Engineering.

3. Computer Science & Engineering

Number of positions: Anticipated

Eligibility criteria: B.E/B.Tech in Computer Science or M.E/M.Tech in Computer Science

4. Mechanical Engineering

Number of positions: Anticipated
Eligibility criteria: BE/B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering or ME/M.Tech in Mechanical Engg in 1st Division.

5. Chemical Engineering/ Rubber Technology/Polymer Technology/ Nanotechnology

Number of positions: Anticipated

Eligibility criteria:

*BE/B.Tech in Chemical Engineering/ Rubber Technology/ Polymer Technology/ Nanotechnology or ME/M.Tech in Chemical Engg/ Rubber Technology/ Polymer Technology/ Nanotechnology.

*Chemistry/Applied Chemistry/Polymer Chemistry/Polymer Science/Material Science

*For Chemistry/Applied Chemistry/Polymer Chemistry/Polymer Science/Material Science, Postgraduate Degree in Basic Science.

6. Oceanography/ Ocean Technology/Meteorology/ Physics/Applied Physics

Number of positions: Anticipated

Eligibility criteria:

*Postgraduate Degree in Basic Science pertaining to the subject/discipline in 1st Division with valid NET qualification

Or

*ME / M.Tech in Oceanography/ Ocean Technology/
Meteorology in first division both at Graduate and Postgraduate level.

How to apply for DRDO:

1.Download the application form from the website.
2. Fill the form as prescribed on the website.
3. Fill the form and scan the signed application form along with a certificate in support of minimum educational qualification, matriculation certificate/birth certificate in support of date of birth, GATE/NET Scorecard (if applicable) in a single PDF file.
4. Upload the file and email it to hrd@npol.drdo.in.

Things to remember:

1.Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed through a web-based video conference.
2.The details of the same will be informed via email.
3.The anticipated vacancies will be drawn based on the online interviews of the candidates.
4.The last date to submit the applications is December 2, 2020.
5.The candidate should not be more than 28 years of age on the closing date for applications.
6.The fellowship does not confer fellows of any right for getting accepted in DRDO.
7.More details on the application process can be found on the official notification here.

Everyone has a dream house, Thacholath Gopalan too had one in mind since his childhood. When The Better India (TBI) contacted Gopalan, he said that when he was a child, he wanted a house in a river, like a houseboat. But when he grew up, he came to know that people can’t construct houses in paddy fields as it is against building regulations. All hopes of that dream seemed lost until the chance came actually to build a home.

Environmentalist Gopalan’s father, Chappuni Nair, handed him a 10 cent plot of paddy field to construct a home in the early 90s. “I was very particular that at any cost, I wouldn’t level the field. My childhood dream flashed in my mind. I dug a pond in 4 cents of land and made a 2 cent house in it without levelling the paddy field. Inside the pond, I constructed 15 concrete pillars and then on top of it my house was constructed on a slab which was made above the pillars,” says Gopalan.

The interesting story of Gopalan doesn’t end there. “I constructed the house in Kozhikode’s Mukkam with just Rs 75,000 in 1992. I had received some wood from my wife’s family for the construction of my house. Those who visit my house say that it feels like they are sitting in an air-conditioned house, but here I have no air conditioner. I have made a cooling effect spread in the entire house with some tricks. The walls of the home are made of mud blocks, the roofs with brick and the pond under the house complete the cooling effect,” said Gopalan to TBI.

In the pond, Gopalan has fishes, frogs, snakes, water lilies and many other plants. He also said that none of these frogs or snakes has entered his house or disturbed him as they are happy in the pond.

“If people have some dream and if it is a good one, then that dream will come true. I never thought that I would be able to construct a house in water but yes, proudly I can say that I constructed one without breaking any rule”, Gopalan added.

Gopalan, who is also the former president of Mukkam Panchayat, said that his happy house has different kinds of Ayurvedic plants and he also grows 27 Malayalam birth star trees in his compound. He happily added, “I also give the saplings of the birth star trees to the ones who contact me. I also have the Dasapushpam at my house, which is ‘ten herbs’. These Dasapushpam flowers are also used to make folk medicines. Earlier, these flowers were visible in every Kerala house, but now they have vanished”, added Gopalan.

The former president added that if people contact him saying they have free land, then he is more than ready to travel there and plant trees. With a laugh, he added, “Those who contact me should assure me that they will take care of the plants, then only I am ready to go to their place and plant my seedlings,” he says.

“At home, we have different birds and four Vechur cows. Firstly, I give food to the birds and then to the cows, only after that I have food. At my house, I don’t collect the cow’s milk. I allow the calves to have it because they own it,’ Gopalan added.

Apart from this, Gopalan also owns a 60 cent paddy field. He also cultivates different varieties of vegetables including pumpkin, yam, turmeric, beans, banana and many more on his farm. He guarantees that whatever he cultivates is through organic farming. He uses cow dung and urine as fertilizers for the cultivation.

In 2017, Gopalan was honoured with Vanamitra award, which is given every year (one in each district in Kerala) for protecting medicinal plants, farming, mangroves, sacred groves, and biodiversity.

Talking to TBI, Sudhir Balan, a Kerala school teacher, said that he owns a 25 cent plot of paddy land, but due to building rules, he is unable to construct a home there. “Gopalan master inspired me a lot. Seeing his house, I too got an idea to do something in my paddy land without breaking the building rule. I hope many are there in Kerala, who would have kept their land without doing anything due to the building rule. Master’s innovative idea will surely help those people,” said Sudhir.

“I love advising others, but I won’t force them to take up my advice. If they also get convinced of my advice, then let them use it. I have built a small house, and I believe a smaller house and small happiness make people happy. I am ready to help people to construct a house like mine. Many have contacted me for the same, and I happily helped them in all ways I could,” said 67-year-old Gopalan.

Gopalan can be reached at 9447660347.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

South Indians tend to have the misconception that only the Northern part of India faces smog and other pollution issues. Firstly, though less ‘visible’ in the South, pollution levels are high anyway. And the days aren’t far when the situation in the Southern parts of the country will turn alarming as well. We take step one closer to smoggy mornings with every passing day.

When The Better India (TBI) contacted the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) former registrar Dr CM Joy, he said that the quality and quantity of ‘breathable air’ has steeply declined in the Southern states. And this may prove to be a harsh eye-opener for many.

But without stubble burning, do the Southern states really face such a high risk?

Stubble burning is a low-cost way to remove crop waste from fields by farmers. Many farmers opt for this method unaware or ignorant of the fact that the stubble burning causes harmful diseases.

To best understand the reason for this practice, we spoke to a farmer.

“We have a small piece of land, and we do not have money to buy machines to take out the cultivation remains or crop waste from the field. So we practice stubble burning. The stubble burning does not cause any problem. If it does, it will only affect neighbouring villages. Till now our neighbours have not complained, and it’s very difficult for me to understand how Delhi is affected by our stubble burning,” said Manohar Singh, a farmer from Punjab.

While this few may need some modification, this farmer is not entirely wrong, and this is precisely why the South must keep an eye out for its future.

Dr CM Joy said, “Stubble burning by farmers is not the entire reason for Delhi’s smog. The increase in vehicles in our country is the real (and largest) culprit. As more numbers of vehicles ply on the roads, smog-filled mornings will only increase in frequency,” he says.

In 2019, the Council on Energy, Environment And Water (CEEW ) conducted a study and said that the exhaust and emissions from vehicles are the major contributor of PM2.5 pollutants in Delhi – between 18 and 40 per cent.

And this leading cause of smog – engines fumes – is something that Southern cities are seeing a dramatic rise in. According to data, in Bengaluru 60-70% of the emissions originate from vehicles.

The vehicular pollution in Chennai is 3,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per day, says the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). And Kochi was ranked the 5th in terms of NO2, CO2 emissions and energy consumption for urban commuting.

“The only way to reduce the formation of smog in Southern India is to minimise vehicles and to stop heavy vehicles and containers on main roads. There has been a major increase in such vehicles in our cities. If measures to reduce this are not adopted, then citizens will have to walk with an oxygen cylinder”, Joy added.

“Various studies and surveys make it clear that in the coming five years, the Southern states will also witness smog blankets. This increase in air pollution levels will also increase diseases such as heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including Asthma,” Joy says.

Polash Mukerjee, lead for Air quality for the National Research Defence Counsel’s India programme, said, “Smog is just a manifestation of pollution. But apart from that, air pollution is a viral issue which cities in the South are already facing. Bengaluru, Kochi and Chennai are polluted. It may not be similar to Delhi, but yes they are polluted,” Polash says.

He also said that coal power plants need special focus, to reduce air pollution. According to a report, nine such coal-fired power plants are around India’s polluted capital, New Delhi and five are in the South Indian states. Which account for over 7% of India’s coal-fired utility capacity.

Talking to TBI, Joseph Hoover, Convener of the United Conservation Movement, said, “Our Southern states are in bad condition now. We have reached the endpoint. At present, more than the Coronavirus, we need to fear the pollution in our place. In this situation, we can only help ourselves, because we can’t escape to some other place. We need to reduce the number of vehicles and should take public transportation,” said Joseph.

He added, “It is already late. But still, from our homes only we can start initiatives to control pollution. We must stop burning dry leaves, and start planting saplings with those leaves, instead of soil. With this we can cultivate good vegetables at our homes which have more nutrition, than buying from other places,” he says.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

Joshy Mathew’s eco-friendly house is tucked away amidst the lush green trees near the Cherupuzha-Thirumeni road in Kerala’s Kokkadav village. The 50-year-old’s striking house with organic mango and coconut trees is made from red laterite stone. It keeps the interiors cooler than the outside temperature.

The house was only the beginning of a sustainable life that would eventually culminate in the family growing their organic food and practising fishing and beekeeping on just 25 cents (0.25 acre) of land.

Joshy, a photographer by profession and an environmentalist by heart, is widely known in the village for his eco-friendly practices that have made his family completely self-sufficient. Except for rice and wheat, all their food including fish, fruits, vegetables and chicken is grown in the house.

It has been nearly five years since Joshy and his wife Julie have been to the market to purchase any food. They are happily unaware of the current vegetable prices.

“All our food needs are met by our home-grown plants and trees. We get our fish from the two artificial ponds, and we also practice poultry farming. We have a cow that gives milk and manure,” Joshy tells The Better India.

It comes as a surprise to many when Joshy reveals the land area vis-a-vis the 80 types of food.

In fact, Joshy was the first one to dismiss his friend’s suggestion of farming in his small courtyard a few years ago. Like everyone, he was also convinced that farming required a proper land; it was time-consuming and labour intensive.

So what changed and how did he overcome all the limitations?

“My friend, Joychan Puttenpura, showed me successful examples of people using very little space to grow food. He even made me join a Facebook comprising farmers and gardening experts from whom I learnt a lot. It started with 2-3 plants, and soon I was addicted to eating natural food. I detested the taste of vegetables sold in the market and decided to grow more,” he says.

The Organic Beginning

Joshy grew up in a farming family but seeing his parents struggle financially, he finished his schooling and took up a job with the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited in Mangaluru in the early 1990s.

However, he returned to his hometown In 1996 to look after his ill parents and started his career as a wedding photographer, “It (photography) was a lucrative career, and with the help of my friends, I learnt photography. However, I couldn’t stay away from my agrarian roots, so I ventured into farming as a hobby in 2015,” says Joshua.

Meanwhile, his wife, Julie, is currently completing her Masters in Social Work and their two children are in school.

Julie found the idea of growing everything at home appealing and the duo started their experiments. They approached local farmers for procuring seeds, purchased a cow and recycled discarded tires into planters.

First, they used the space in between the trees to plant organic vegetables and later moved the cultivation on their terrace to accommodate beehive and ponds.

A Bouquet of Indigenous Plants

Joshy has consciously stayed away from using any complicated farming methods like permaculture, intercropping or multi-layering. He conventionally sows seeds and harvests. However, his watering method is the hero here.

Joshy uses wick irrigation, a method that uses ropes/wicks to supply water directly to the roots below the soil surface that minimises evaporation.

Explaining the process, Joshy says, “In wick irrigation or as known as Thiri Nana in Malayalam, we fill a bucket with water and cover it with a tray. A hole is drilled on the tray to incorporate one end of the rope. The other end goes through the grow bags that are placed on top of the tray. In simple terms, this method is a self-watering one and twice in a week, we refill the bucket.”

The advantage of wick irrigation is that it saves time and water by giving water directly to the roots.

To keep the pests at bay, Joshy uses organic manure prepared from cow dung, fallen leaves and kitchen waste, “Sometimes we also use neem paste to save the plants from insects. Additionally, the medicinal plants also act as pest-repellents,” says Julie.

The family grows 30 medicinal plants including Somlata (Sarcostemma acidum) and Neelakoduveli (blue leadwood). Vegetables are grown as per the seasons which include everything from aerial potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, beetroot, chillies, cabbage to calabash (long melon). Fruits include organic mangoes, lemon wine, peanut butter, strawberry, mangoes, oranges, dragon fruit and so on. Spices like pepper, nutmeg and cardamom can also be found in the courtyard.

Joshy has two artificial ponds (1 cent and 0.5 cents) comprising a total of 800 fishes like giant gourami, red tilapia and Assam vaala in his backyard. These fishes feed on algae.

While fishes in the ponds are primarily for self-consumption, the lockdown allowed him to commercialise the business as the markets were shut. He sold close to 3000 fingerlings at Rs 10 per piece.

60 colonies of beehives are another beautiful attraction of the house. They have stingless bees that yield 20 kilos of honey annually.

“Last year, each kilo fetched us Rs 2,000, and we also sold 20 bee colonies in the village. We generated a total profit of Rs 80,000 from our beehive business,” says Julie.

The commercial aspect is relatively new for the family as so far they have been selling only to their friends and family. However, lockdown is turning out to be a good opportunity, especially now when the weddings are limited due to the pandemic.

“This pandemic proved that if your professional career might be at stake, growing your food can be a huge relief. At least your family will have food to eat at the end of the day. Plus, if the quantity is decent, you can even generate revenue,” adds. Joshy.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

India has some of the highest recorded numbers of cancer cases globally. In 2016, while the cancer incidence rate across India was 106 cases per 1 lakh people, it was 135 cases per 1 lakh people in Kerala. The mortality and disability rates owing to cancer are also high in the state.

Ernakulam, a district with a population of 32.8 lakh people is estimated to have 5400 new cancer patients every year.

Dr Moni Abraham Kuriakose, the director of Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) says, “There are high cases recorded in the state owing to three reasons — increase in longevity among the population, rise in high-risk habits such as smoking and unhealthy eating, and better medical facilities that increase diagnosis and the number of cases.”

To address this impending crisis, the government of Kerala in 2018, published the Cancer Control Strategy, and one of the principal targets were early detection of common cancers like mouth, breast and cervical cancer.

Last year, the District Cancer Control Programme (DCCP) was conceived as a comprehensive approach to integrate cancer prevention, early detection and surveillance strategies by utilising the services of the existing primary health care system.

“In India, cancer detection is done at cancer centres or by organising camps along with experts to provide a diagnosis. But this has not worked. In the past three years, the CCRC has been conducting such activities but has not diagnosed many early-stage patients. With the DCCP programme most of the cases diagnosed were in the early stage,” says Dr Moni.

Cancer Detection: Here’s how they did it:

Initiated in January 2019, the overall goal of the programme was to reduce incidences of preventable cancers through early detection and providing enhanced treatment to the patients.

It was planned in four stages after a district cancer control committee chaired by District Collector, the Zilla Panchayath President and supported by the District Medical Officer, District Planning Officer and Director of CCRC was constituted.

1. Planning Phase

First, an estimate of the cancer incidence and prevalence in the district was assessed. This also includes determining the manpower and infrastructure available for cancer control. Based on these details, the budget was prepared.

2. Sensitisation phase

Here, the responsibilities of various stakeholders were laid out and modified based on the available personnel and level of commitment shown by the various stakeholders. This phase spanned over six to eight months.

3. Implementation phase

(i) To improve knowledge about cancer and its various clinical presentations, an educational programme along with hands-on training was implemented for primary care doctors. The training was conducted by faculty from the cancer centre and the National Health Mission.

(ii) General surgeons, gynaecologists, ENT and dental surgeons were given a one-day training programme at various centres to diagnose common cancers — oral cavity, cervix and breast. Even post-treatment supportive care nurses were trained to become “community oncology nurses”.

(iii) Improving cancer literacy among the people was carried out through community-level education programmes that emphasised on the risk factors of cancer, increasing awareness of early warning signs, and improving the cancer treatment-seeking behaviour among the community. This was done as a continuous process and was implemented through local self-governing bodies and NGOs.

(iv) A cancer referral pathway was created between hospitals and healthcare workers. Patients were given a referral card designed to transfer them from primary health centres to secondary centres (taluk hospitals) or a treatment centre. Even a 24/7 cancer helpline was established with the support of the state health helpline — DISHA, to which people can call in for any cancer-related information.

(v) To ensure quality control, Central Pathology Diagnostic laboratory service was established. This addressed the much-needed community pathology services of the district. Finally, an integrated sample collection system was developed between the taluk hospital and the central labs.

4. Monitoring phase

The programme was monitored based on pre-defined indicators such as compliance with training sessions, evaluation, and feedback from participants. The pathology services were monitored based on the turn-around-time, adherence to synoptic reporting, and quality of pathology reports.

Results

Once the DCCP was implemented, 70,000 people were educated about the warning signs, 575 biopsies were conducted, and 162 patients have been confirmed with neoplastic lesions or tumours, of which 53 were malignant and eight were pre-cancer lesions.

The programme, which has benefited hundreds of patients in Ernakulam, will soon be implemented in other districts across the state.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

From childhood, Rahul Ramachandran had a special craze for vehicles. He stuck to his interests even during his college days too, studying automobiles in his graduation. But he never imagined all of this would translate into making miniature vehicles for his kids!

“Actually, I started to make these miniatures and crafts for my daughters. For their school projects, they would ask me to make different things for them. That’s how all it began,” talking to The Better India (TBI), Rahul says.

The 40-year-old vehicle supervisor at the Government Medical College in Kerala’s Kannur district added that it was during the lockdown that he turned ‘professional’ in making these miniatures. He says to TBI, “During the lockdown, I got more time to work on these miniatures, and that’s how I became a professional in it. I love vehicles. I have made buses the most. The other vehicles which I have in my collection are jeeps and lorries. I have also made instruments such as drums and a guitar,” added Rahul.

Interestingly, Rahul says he pursues this craft to ensure that the future generations remain aware of the types of vehicles that used to exist in the past.

“Most of the vehicles I make are not available now. I want my daughters and the coming generations to know that these vehicles were present among us years ago. That is the reason why I choose to make these vehicles. My favourite among the vehicles is the Gulf Motors bus. Every Keralite would know about that bus, as it is in a super hit movie. For many, it was unbelievable that I made that bus by just seeing the movie. I have seen the movie several times, just to make the miniature,” Rahul added.

Rahul makes these miniatures from materials easily available at home. “Anyone interested can definitely try something similar at home. There is no age barrier in learning new things,” says Rahul.

On a friend’s request, Rahul made miniature guitars for them. He added that he is happy to make such miniatures for others, but it will take some time to complete as he makes them only after his working hours. Rahul also says that he takes almost two to three weeks to complete one miniature.

It’s not just Rahul who makes such crafts at home. His sister Rethi Vijayan too makes them. Rethi mainly concentrates on bottle art, clay work, sculptures and drawings.

The story doesn’t end here. Rahul’s daughters Vaiga and Varada also have the same interest as their father. The 12-year-old and the 9-year-old also make crafts and miniatures. The siblings have made bottle arts, miniature houses, and other craftworks.

It should also be noted that their father did not give the kids any special classes on the crafts, but the duo watched how Rahul makes the miniatures and learned it by themselves.

9-year-old Vaiga said, “I saw how my father was making the miniatures and liked it, so I also tried myself making crafts. Now I know to make some crafts. At home, sister and I have made different crafts,” says Vaiga with a smile.

Seeing Rahul’s miniature works, a government school has also contacted him to teach students about miniature crafts. “Mostly next month I will be giving classes to students about the craftwork. I am also happy to share with the students how to make miniatures,” says Rahul.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

People rarely ever realise the value of something until it’s gone. For Ramkumar M, who lost his vision 28 years ago, this statement is something he believes to his very core. “I lost my vision in 1992. I didn’t know what to do or how to live a life without my eyes. I even tried to commit suicide more than three times,” recalls Ramkumar, a resident of Kerala’s Ernakulam district.

He adds that he had the opportunity to see his family members, unlike others who have been visually impaired since birth. “I have seen different places and people so it was initially difficult for me to adapt to a life without sight,” says the 52-year-old.

With the help of friends and family, Ramkumar was given a new lease on life. He especially thanks Moly Koshy, a social worker who got in touch with him, saying, “It was Moly aunty who taught me to live my life again. She took me to different places, introduced me to others and bought me food. While eating, she would ask me if I ever thought about people who couldn’t even taste food?” Moly would take him to visit the cancer patients home. “She would tell me how lucky I am to have hands, legs and other parts of my body. She then motivated me to work towards a greater purpose – eye donation campaigns. I will always be grateful to her for my second life,” says Ramkumar, who lives with his wife Satheedevi and two daughters, Aparna and Aiswarya.

In 1996, Ramkumar, who is an ITI (Industrial Training Institute) diploma holder, got a job at BPCL. But after taking voluntary retirement, he is now on a mission to find 25 lakh eye donors in the state within a decade.

“If we can get 25 lakh donors, then 50 lakh people will get vision.,” he says, adding that up until now he received 50 donors’ eyes. He shares that nearly 70 families have signed the consent form for eye donation post death. “I made 7,000 families aware of the process and managed to get around 3.5 lakh donors to sign the consent form,” Ramkumar says.

He adds, “I have faced a lot of challenges while working on this initiative. There are times when family members of the deceased eye donors ask me to leave their home, even though we received the donor’s consent before death. This is the only reason why I go to different homes to talk to them so that after death the family members won’t refuse the donation. I am also happy to share that I get more donors from the families I visit after they understand my condition.”

‘Eye’ can

Malavika S is the youngest donor who has signed the consent letter to donate her eyes. The class 4 student says, “I was saddened to see Ramkumar uncle, so I told him that I will donate my eyes to him. But he said that he can’t take my eyes as he wont get his vision back even after a transplant. Still, I have signed the consent form hoping that someone will get vision from my eyes. I have also requested my friends and family to donate their eyes and many have agreed.”

In Sreedevi Sabarinath’s family, two have donated their eyes and the remaining six, including herself, have signed the consent form to donate eyes. “If my eyes can help others then I am more happy to donate them. My grandparents have already donated their eyes while my parents, siblings, husband, daughter and I have signed the consent form,” says the school teacher from Kottayam.

Busting myths

Many have a misconception that the complete eye is removed from the socket for the donation. The Better India spoke to Dr Anil Rathakrishnan, the associate professor at Amrita hospital working with the department of Ophthalmology, to know more about it. “Some of the government hospitals still take the whole eye out because they don’t have access to certain mediums. If only the cornea is removed, then it needs to be kept in the preservatives medium immediately. Most of the private eye banks take only the cornea. On a monthly basis we get approximately three donation cases and yearly 40 to 60,” says Anil.

He adds, “A big change in citizens’ mindset when it comes to eye donation is because of the campaign of the Central Government’s SAKSHAMA, which has a wing called CAMBA (Cornea Andhatav-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan). They have teamed up with Amrita hospital and many other organisations for eye donation.”

The usual age group who signs the consent forms are between 20 to 30. Anil adds, “In eye donation, we just need the cornea, unless there is a corneal disease you don’t have to be worried about donating eyes. Even if you have diabetes, hypertension, asthma, cancer you can still donate eyes, so long as the cancer doesn’t affect the eyes,” he says.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

From sitting at the driver’s seat to steering the wheel, Jilumol Mariet Thomas recalls every moment of when she first learnt to drive. “I still remember learning to drive alone in an open ground near my rented house in Kochi. But there were a few alterations made to my Maruti Celerio automatic,” says the Thodupuzha resident of Kerala. However, this 29-year-old had to move High Court to obtain her driver’s license which is yet to arrive.

Born without hands, Jilumol is proud to share that she doesn’t need any help combing her hair, eating, drinking a cup of tea or even painting. She shares how in class 7, she quickly learnt to use the computer “before anyone else in the class”. Turning her school hobby into a profession, she took to graphic designing and is now working full time with Viani Printings in Kochi.

The graphic designer, who is also a member of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists association, tells The Better India that she isn’t ready to part with her dream of becoming a certified driver.

Revolutionary Roads

In 2014, Jilumol enquired about the paperwork to get a learner’s permit to drive—the first step to get a license—but her efforts were in vain.

Four years later, in 2018, when she returned to her school for an annual day function, the school manager, Father Thomas, asked her if she had any dream which wasn’t fulfilled as yet. “I told him about my dream to drive myself and the other guests at the function overheard. Advocate Shine Varghese, who was present, assured me that he would help me achieve my dream,” says Jilumol.

Gathering her contacts, and with the help of other advocates G Hariharan and Sanjeev, Jilumol moved Kerala High Court, all the while she practiced driving on her own. The High Court directed the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) to accept her application for a learner’s permit.

“The MVD official asked me to do some necessary alterations to my car, which I was able to do because of the sponsorship from High Range Lions Touch of Life,” she says. However, the vehicle department authorities went back on their words after seeing Jilumol’s car.

But while it was easy to move court on this issue, red tapism of obtaining a license encumbered all her efforts. “The Motor Vehicle Inspector said that there are no laws to register a vehicle for a person who doesn’t have hands. Then I went to meet the vehicle inspector to know why my vehicle wasn’t registered. He mocked me saying, ‘If you really want to travel in a car, then try to get a driver for the vehicle’,” Jilumol laments.

Long way ahead

Despite the constant rejection and the mocking from authorities, Jilumol didn’t give up hope. Once again she made a trip to the High Court regarding the registration of her car. The court then directed her case to the Central government who roped in the Kerala government to take a decision.
Justice V Raja Vijayaraghavan said that the Joint Regional Transport Officer of Thodupuzha would inspect Jilumol’s car. “If the vehicle is found fit for registration as an ordinary passenger car, the same shall be carried out within a period of three weeks. The RTO shall refrain from initiating any coercive action against her for the delay in producing the registration certificate of the vehicle”, Justice V Raja said in a statement on November 1. Pursuant to this, her car has now been registered.

Jilumol now waits for the day a person without arms is able to drive themselves in this country. “All my efforts were to drive a car all alone, but without alteration it is impossible. I hope the authorities will do the needful and fulfill my dreams soon,” Jilumol concludes.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

Sreeshma Purushothaman’s only dream while growing up was to drive a lorry. “I still remember my dad teaching my mother how to drive a lorry. I used to tell my family that when I reach class 5, I will also start driving. It was only later that I realised you need a license to drive,” recalls 24-year-old Sreeshma.

Having set her priorities early in life, Sreeshma set out to achieve her goals. And by the time she turned 18, she got her license for 2, 3 and 4 wheelers. “Many thought that I wanted my license because I am not good at studies. However, I proved them wrong when I passed class 10 and 12 with good marks. I went on to complete my BTech in Civil Engineering with good grades from Payyannur College of Engineering Technology,” says Sreeshma, adding that even though others used to demotivate her, her parents encouraged her love for motors.

Then by the age of 21, Sreeshma achieved her goal of driving a bus by attaining a license for heavy vehicles. “I was the only girl in the group waiting for a license for heavy vehicles. Everyone there was supportive and yet surprised to see me there. Without much difficulty, I passed the driving test and obtained my license.”

Since obtaining her license, Sreeshma had driven a bus just twice, and she used to drive the tipper once in a while. “Watching me drive, many people used to ask me whether I was driving because I don’t have a good education. But I wouldn’t care,” says Sreeshma, adding that she received tremendous support from her friends. “Many friends, especially girls, have said to me that they feel happy watching me drive and they have asked me to teach them to learn driving. And I am eveready to help others in every way I can,” she says.

When the lockdown was imposed in Kerala, Sreeshma’s father, Purushothaman, a cement trader in Kannur district, lost out on his business. That is how she began her journey as a tipper driver. Sreeshma informed her father that she can help him with small rides.

“Many with good education qualifications may stay away from this type of small jobs, but I never thought so. There is nothing like a big or small job. All jobs should be respected. I know that one day I will get a job according to my qualification. Until then, I am ready to help my father in all ways I can,” adds Sreeshma.

Sreeshma has been driving the lorry for the past six months carrying loads of cement, gravel and bricks.

Meanwhile, she also finds time for her Public Service Commission training and is also learning how to operate an earth mover.

Sreeshma says, “Many have discouraged me, mocked me, laughed at me, but the only thing I have to tell others is that we all have dreams, and we should work towards making them come true. Never think about what society has to say. The same society that once dissed me, now understands how I help my father.”

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

While flying back to Kerala from Qatar, an industrial nurse—one who is “assigned emergency cases to provide medical aid in ambulances”—Eldhose P Raju was mulling a plan to find a similar job in his hometown. Wanting to come back home to his family in the Ernakulam district, he was confident enough to find a job as he has 10 years of experience catering to emergency cases. However, his plans took a drastic turn as his job search turned futile. That’s when the lotus entered.

Adopting a winning attitude when life dealt him a bad hand, Eldhose turned to his childhood passion. “Since childhood, I was passionate about plants and had a special love for lotus flowers. So, I set up an aquatic garden on my terrace with some bowl lotuses which were imported. When they bloomed, I shared pictures of them on my Facebook page and Instagram account, and that’s how all it started,” Eldhose tells The Better India.

With a variety of plants at home, he started watching YouTube tutorials on lotus farming and decided to cultivate lotuses at home in the month of March. From then, he began to import lotuses from different places, including Thailand, Europe and America. Once the imported lotuses started to bloom on the terrace garden, Eldhose began to fill his feed with the pretty pictures.

Social media: The saviour

Seeing pictures of flowers in flowerpots and plastic bowls on social media pages, people from different parts of India started to contact Eldhose. “Mainly people from North India contacted me for lotuses seeing the pictures I posted on Facebook. Then I began to supply lotus flowers and its tuber – its dormant roots, across India,” says the 34-year-old.

Most of the customers are from New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Pune. “People from Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram had come to my home and collected lotus plants and bowls too,” Eldhose adds.

More than the tubers, there is a demand for plants. Once Eldhose receives the orders, he removes the dirt and water from the bowls and then sends them to the customers. He adds, “The plants can survive for almost 12 days and tubers survive longer than plants. Once the customer receives the plant, they just have to replant it.”

“I am also happy to help my customers with tips and tricks to take care of the plants. I don’t encourage those people to buy plants who buy them just for fun,” he says and adds, “Seeing my plants, I feel relaxed and happy. They are my stress busters. Money will come and go, but I believe peace of mind should be there for every individual.”

20 varieties of lotuses

Eldhose cultivates almost 20 varieties of lotuses, including the Zhizun Qianban, Magnificent, Charming lips, Da Sajin and Fire bowl. From the lotus farming, he receives a “good salary”. “In a month, I make approximately Rs 30,000, which I feel, is good. In my garden, I have plants ranging from Rs 850 to Rs 3500,” he says and adds that he is proud of himself for doing what he loves.

“I also thank my family for being my all time support system. Without their support I wouldn’t be able to reach where I am today. My family respected my decision to choose the plant business even though I have a different educational background,” says Eldhose, who lives with his father, mother and wife.

Eldhose receives orders via direct messages on Instagram and Facebook. If you wish to order lotus plants from him, you may contact him on this number 89439 11901.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

S. Hareesh is the assistant village officer at Neendoor, a hamlet tucked away in the hills of central Kerala. He’s also the mind behind India’s latest entry to the Oscars, Jallikattu. The film is based on Hareesh’s Malayalam short story Maoist, which he adapted for the screen along with friend and writer R Jayakumar. He also recently won the JCB literary award for Moustache, the English translation of his novel Meesha.

Jallikattu refers to the traditional event of running bulls. But the film is not about the sport itself. It is about the chaos that ensues when a water buffalo escapes a butcher’s hands and the whole village tries to catch it. This main thread interwoven with snippets of the villagers’ lives reveals man’s own bestial side.

The film is set in a village very much like Hareesh’s own. There would often be news about a buffalo that had run amok, with local officials urging people to stay indoors. Hareesh built on these regular happenings to create a dramatic story.

The film was picked as India’s entry to the 93rd Academy Awards by a 14-member committee of the Film Federation of India from a shortlist of 26 films. It is the third Malayalam film after Guru (1997) and Adaminte Makan Abu (2011) to represent India at the Oscar’s.

“Of course I am elated that the film has been chosen as India’s Oscar entry!” Hareesh tells The Better India. “I know it’s going to be an impossibly tough race, but there is still the desire to win.”

Turning Words Into Moving Visuals

Hareesh never imagined that any of his fiction would be turned into a film. In 2018, three stories from his anthology, Aadam, were combined into a film called Aedan by director Sanju Surendran.

Soon after, Lijo Jose Pellissery of Ee.Ma.Yau and Angamaly Diaries fame phoned him about making a film based on another piece in the same anthology.

They became friends, developing their vision and screenplay for the movie over months. They roped in Jayakumar and the trio would meet every week to work on the script.

“We had a lot of fun writing it,” Hareesh says, enthusiastically.

The most challenging aspect of converting his short story into a screenplay was ridding it of all backstories, exposition, and thoughts. Everything that happens has to be shown visually.

Despite writing the screenplay, the author was really surprised by the end product. It’s not at all the film he had pictured in his head.

“And that’s the magic of creating something like a film. At every stage, each person adds their own transformational touch to the project,” Hareesh says.

And his favourite moment in the film (spoiler alert!) is when the beast is being lifted out of a well by a huge crowd. As it comes out, its eyes meet those of an old man who is watching the concerted yet chaotic effort from a distance.

He did not elaborate on its significance as the author prefers to leave “interpretations open to the audience.”

How Jallikattu Diverges From The Short Story

Like most literary film adaptations, Jallikattu has significant differences from Maoist. And for good reason, says Hareesh.

“Just like I used an ordinary occurrence as inspiration for my story, the director is free to use my story as fodder for his film. Ultimately, a film is the director’s work and vision,” explains the writer.

In Hareesh’s short story, two animals (a buffalo and a bull) escape from the butcher. But because buffaloes and bulls are so hard to tell apart on the screen, they decided to use just one buffalo in the film.

There are also thematic differences. While the tone of Maoist is extremely satirical, Jallikattu is less so, focusing more on mob behaviour. The initial part of the short story speaks of how the buffalo reached the village all the way from Andhra Pradesh, but the movie starts off on the day of its planned slaughter.

A Message For Aspiring Writers

“Writing is like a personal quest, so I cannot really offer any guidance or words of advice,” Hareesh says, adding, “But I will say this much: Write honestly.”

He admits to not writing much when he was in school or college, but he says he used to read a lot. He studied Malayalam literature and took up a government job. Only then, at the age of 22, did he pen his first short and send it off to a magazine. He kept working as an assistant village officer and published when he could. But thanks to his recent literary success, he is on leave from his government job and writes full-time these days.

Between short stories, novels, and screenplays, the novel is his favourite form. However, among his own works, the one he likes the most is a short story called Appan. His latest undertaking is a film titled Churuli, a Malayalam science fiction film, also directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery.

Seems like they make a winning team! We, at The Better India, wish them the very best for their Oscar run.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

The recent lockdown, which lasted over 200 days this year, has helped many realise their hidden talents and provided opportunities to hundred others to explore new methods of earning. For this couple from Kottayam district in Kerala, who with little or no means, has discovered a new way to grow rice during the lockdown. “During the lockdown, many cultivated different crops, but I couldn’t find anyone cultivating paddy, so I thought of growing it,” Titus Sam Joseph tells The Better India.

Titus and his wife, Celine, cultivated paddy on their terrace using mineral water bottles. “Without much hope, my wife and I began the paddy cultivation process. Our first step was to collect 175 empty mineral water bottles from a nearby shop, which didn’t cost us a dime. The bottles were cut horizontally and the lower part of the bottle was filled with water. The top portion that tapers was then turned upside down and filled with cow dung, soil, and then inserted into the lower part of the bottle, so as to submerge it in water. After this the seeds are planted,” says Pala KSRTC station master Titus.

Within days, the rice paddy started to grow, Titus adds, claiming that not a single drop of pesticides were used for its cultivation.

Rice in a bottle

Two major difficulties Titus and his wife faced were watering of the plant and to check if the bottles could take the weight load of the plant. “We water the plant once a day. If there is no sufficient water, then the plant’s growth will be affected. We also have to keep an eye on the bottles as small winds can cause it to topple over. However, the plant started to grow well without too many difficulties,” says Titus.

The 47-year-old adds, “Last month we harvested the paddy cultivated in our terrace garden. We cultivated at least 4 kg of rice. It was sufficient for my family to sustain for a while.”

He adds that now he has the confidence to cultivate paddy and eagerly awaits the next season to do so. The best months to grow rice paddy are June- July, but Titus says he hasn’t planned his next harvest. “I am happy to help others who contact me asking for necessary help in cultivation. Along with cultivating paddy I also dabble in pisciculture, grow vegetables and I also have a small stingless beekeeping nest at home,” he says, adding that he is always interested in trying “new methods of cultivation”. “It takes almost one year to start harvesting honey from new colonies. Here, by the month of May, we can begin harvesting,” says Titus.

Something fishy

The fish cultivation at Titus’s home includes various varieties of fishes including Nater and Tilapia in the tarpaulin pond. He has two ponds, each spanning 11 feet wide and 15 feet in length, that hold almost 700 fishes in them. He says, “One pond is on the terrace and it has almost 200 fishes in it, the other is outside and it has 500 fishes in it.”

Speaking about their vegetable garden which grows different varieties of produce, he says, “I have brinjal, chillies, passion fruit, ridge gourd, long beans, ivy gourd. I cultivate these vegetables for my family and also share the vegetables with the neighbours, who also have their own vegetable patches and share their produce with us.” Speaking of how his produce is not for sale, he adds, “If my paddy cultivation is successful then I believe any plant can grow on the terrace.”

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

There are many ways to enjoy retirement. Some take trips around the world, others spend time pursuing their hobbies but in Kerala’s Kannur district, a retired school teacher is doing his part for the environment by showing others how to cultivate vegetables in a more eco-friendly manner through trays.

Why no Plastic Trays

“Plastic trays are generally used to germinate seeds in nurseries and houses. Once the saplings are replanted, the plastic trays are discarded. I was disturbed to see plastic trays strewn about on roads and other places. That is how I began to make eco-friendly plant trays at home,” KV Sasidharan tells The Better India.

In the last two months, he made over 100 organic plant trays with plantain leaves. He says these trays can be also made by palm leaves.

The 61-year-old says that using these trays can save time, cost and effort. “I have germinated seeds of different vegetables including okra, cucumber, brinjal, chilli, ash gourd, tomato, and snake gourd in plantain leaf trays at home. Within five days, the seeds began to germinate and then I planted the seedlings in soil with the organic trays. I would also recommend coconut husk as a better alternative to plastic trays,” adds the teacher.

He adds that in palm leaf trays, people can germinate cashews and rubber as well. He says, “As the availability of palm leaves are lesser, I make more trays from plantain leaves.”

Speaking of his beautiful vegetable garden at home, Sasidharan says, “I get vegetables like tomato, chilli, eggplant, cucumber and many more from my garden. I don’t waste the remaining vegetables. I sell them in a nearby shop and get over Rs 1,000 for my produce.”

“Many have contacted me asking if my eco-friendly trays are for sale. I haven’t made any plans to sell them,” says Sasidharan.

Once a Teacher, Always a Teacher:

Though he used to teach social sciences, maths and science at school, he shares that he always made subjects interesting with crafts and experiments. The recipient of the National and State Award to Teachers adds that students “learn quickly if the subjects are made interesting through crafts”.

Today, he says Sasidharan will happily teach you how to make the eco-friendly plant trays and the things required for it such as a plantain or palm leaf, scissors, stapler, coconut husk or soil.

As the first step, the leaf should be cut 1-inch widthwise and 2-inch lengthwise. After this, the leaf should be rolled into a cylindrical shape.

“Once the leaf is rolled, join the ends using a stapler. Then fill the rolled leaf with soil or coconut husk. And you may germinate seeds,” says Sasidharan.

After retirement, he was also making students aware of environmental protection and why they shouldn’t use drugs through special classes.

He adds, “I get around Rs 1,500 for each class and I donate the money to patients who are suffering from cancer and kidney-related diseases.”

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

The alluring red leaves of the Venus Fly Trap are an inviting site to insects and spiders that willingly crawl into their wide-open traps. The trapping structure, which has pointy ends, formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant’s leaves, are triggered by their tiny, sensitive hair on their inner surfaces that alerts them of a prey. Before new traps begin to emerge, the white flowers of the Venus Fly Trap, which is also known as the Dionaea muscipula, bloom in the spring.

From digesting insects, flies, wasps, ants to even mosquito larvae, these plants are quite the natural pest repellent. But Nirmal Kumar, resident of Ernakulam, Kerala, admits he now makes a decent living by selling them.

Creating his own paradise

“I do have different plants at home but it was only during my science class in high school that I first heard about the carnivorous plants,” he tells The Better India.

When he first started gardening at the age of 11, Nirmal had plants like anthurium, orchid and cactus plants growing in his backyard garden. However, the 2018 Kerala floods completely destroyed Nirmal’s little paradise.

Over the years, Nirmal decided to pursue his passion for interior designing along with tending to his garden.

“After completing my masters, I joined a company as an interior designer. I soon started to buy rare carnivorous plants but due to the fear of the floods, I grew them on my terrace. I collect the plants from a nursery called Plantae Paradise in Shimla,” says Nirmal, adding, “We can’t import the plants from foreign countries as we would need a license but we can import the seeds. I have bought seeds from Thailand and Germany. Now, I have different plants at home including pitcher plants, sundews, sarracenia and butterworts.”

His immense love for plants inspired him to quit the corporate world, where he was employed for five years, to take care of the plants full time. “Initially, I didn’t have any plans to sell my plants but their number kept increasing and there was limited space left in my garden. Eventually, I had to sell them,” he says.

With a daily order of five to six, he makes “over Rs 30,000 monthly” from the sale of his carnivorous plants alone. “I mostly receive orders from metropolitan cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, Kochi, among others. I reinvest the money in planting and purchasing more carnivorous plants. But I have plans to start a business where I can merge my two passions — plants and interior designing,” says Nirmal.

Tips for planting carnivorous plants

There are three things to remember before planting carnivorous plants at home.

Firstly, every carnivorous plant needs sunlight. “Only some need reduced sunlight by half the amount given to others. If you are going to plant them in an apartment, the brightest window can be the plant’s best friend,” Nirmal says.

Secondly, plants need a “nutrient-free environment” to grow. “A good option to grow the plant is cocopeat. After washing the cocopeat twice or thrice, the husk content will vanish. Then you may plant the seeds or seedling in the cocopeat,” Nirmal informs.

Lastly, “every carnivorous plant needs a lot of water”. “If you fail to water the plant, then it will affect the plant’s growth badly,” he says.

The 26-year-old adds that those interested in plants can take this up as a business, too. “People can easily earn almost Rs 40,000 To Rs 50,000 from selling carnivorous plants,” he says.

The 26-year-old also has a YouTube channel called Nandanam Exotics, where he posts videos about his carnivorous collection and tips on how to take care of the plants. He also says that a plant can be sold even three to four years after it sprouts. His own garden has plants ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 5,000.

Nirmal adds that generally, once he receives the order, he packs the plants and couriers them immediately but the coronavirus pandemic has put a damper on delivery time. Currently, there is a delay of almost 15 days for the orders to reach customers.

Nevertheless, if you’re interested in ordering a carnivorous plant, you can contact Nirmal via his Facebook page.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

The humble lemon is not only rich in medicinal and nutritional value but also useful in many other ways. For some, just a dash of lemon turns a dish into a masterpiece, for others it’s an essential part of their beauty regime, and for Babu Jacob it is a source of income.

In 2010, Babu decided to return to his hometown in Kerala’s Kottayam district, ending his 15-year stay abroad, where he worked at different companies as an Industrial worker in Bahrain, Portugal and Denmark. “The concept of cultivating lemons came to mind after I realised how popular its demand is in the marketplace. Not only for kitchen uses, lemon also has many more benefits as it contains potassium, folate, molybdenum, which boosts the immune system,” Babu tells The Better India.

He says that in his vegetable plantation, he gets some fruits only during specific seasons, but when it comes to lemons, it is more readily available. Usually, the lemon plant bears fruit during three seasons, but surprisingly, in Babu’s plantation, lemons are abundant in supply all year through.

Babu recalls, “As the first step, I collected 14 saplings from my ancestral house and planted them in my 7-cent plot. And in just four years, I harvested about 1,000 kilograms of lemon and sold it for Rs 100 per kilogram. I sell my produce mainly in shops and food processing units. I have got almost 80-100 kilograms of lemons from a single tree. According to the market price, the price of lemon increases and decreases. But as I understood the revenue opportunity from lemons, I expanded my cultivated land.”

He then went on to plant more saplings in his 2-acre property by cutting the rubber trees from his plantation. Currently, he has almost 250 lemon trees.

Teething problems

Babu says that during the initial days the trees did not grow well. After testing the soil for various parameters, he understood that it did not have some elements, which was in turn affecting the growth of the plant. Adding manure to the soil, the plants started to grow well.

Lemons at the plantation are safe from the attack of animals like monkeys, rats and bats due to the sharp thorns on the trees. Also, its sour taste keeps the animals at bay.

Babu also suggests new farmers to begin planting the trees in a smaller plot of land. “Planting two or three plants in a small plot will help in identifying whether the soil is good for the plant,” he says.

Essentials for a lemon tree

Babu says that the trees need a good amount of sunlight, water, fertilizer and maintenance. “Only with hard work will we get good results. From day one, I have given my plants good care and love so that they bear more fruit,” says Babu, who also owns a nursery, named Lemon Meadows, for selling saplings.

Both hybrid and local saplings are sold in the nursery. He says, “Hybrid lemon saplings, which are shorter, and can be grown in apartments and/or drums, are a cross between a citron and a pomelo hybrid distinct from the common lemon.” The hybrid saplings, which are imported from North India, are also available in the nursery along with local saplings that are germinated in the nursery.

Babu also cultivates rambutans, passion fruits, guavas, areca nuts, seedless lemons and mangosteens his plantation.

If you wish to know more about lemon cultivation, you may contact Babu on this number 95625 49231.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

A retired couple in Kerala’s Palakkad district is celebrating their retirement together in a very unique manner – by growing a staggering variety of vegetables and fruits in their farm. “There are different ways to enjoy retired life. We wanted to make it special and peaceful so my husband and I decided to do cultivation in our plot,” says P Thankamani, who retired in 2005 as the principal of the Government Moyan Model Girls Higher Secondary School, Palakkad. Her husband A Narayanan retired as a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus conductor in 2002.

While still working, Thankamani and her husband purchased a 7.5-acre plot of land. In 2013, the duo started cultivation in the plot.

As Narayanan tells The Better India, “From childhood, I have been cultivating crops at my house. So before my retirement itself, I had made the decision to utilise my retirement for cultivation. Now I have different varieties of fruit trees, vegetables at my farm named ‘Prakruthi Kshethram’. In some more years, I will have far more varieties of plants at my farm.”

Bitter Beginnings on The Farm

Narayanan recalls, “The home where we stayed before 2013 was 30 kilometres from Palakkad town. Just to farm, we travelled there a lot – which is really far from our home. Travelling to the farm every day was not possible due to the distance. So twice or thrice a week we visited the farm. But then we noticed that some people were destroying our crops. So we decided to make a small shed for my wife and me. The shed has two rooms, a kitchen and a bedroom. We were more than happy to live there.”

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After the couple shifted to the farm, they installed cameras to check on intruders destroying the farm. The cameras seemed to have worked as a deterrent. After their installation, no one has tried to enter the farm or destroy the crops.

The couple has two daughters, Aarathi and Ardhra. Both are working abroad. “When they come to their hometown, they live with us in the shed. They are happy to be with us in the peaceful farm,” Narayanan adds.

An Abundant Variety on The Farm

The farm has over 20 varieties of jackfruit trees including Vietnam Early, Chembarathi, Sugandha Varikka, Seedless Jack and Rose Varikka. It also features 30 varieties of banana including West Indian Cherry, White Apricot and Wood Apple. The farm also has mango, rose apple, dragon fruit and guava trees. It also grows star fruit, mangosteen and star fruit.

Narayanan adds, “I also have vegetables including tomato, beans, and pumpkin. The sapling of the vegetables and fruits were mainly collected from my friends who are staying in different parts of the state. Once they get some special or rare fruit seed, they give it to me as they know I will look after them. That is how I have varieties of plants on my farm. For example, I grow a bitter gourd which doesn’t taste bitter. ”

There are two helpers at the farm to help Narayanan and his wife. The 73-year-old adds that if there is more work on the farm then he hires more people when needed. Still, he says that most of the work is done by him and his wife.

Making Profits at a Bus Stand

Narayanam used to earn almost Rs 20,000 to Rs 45,000 every week by selling his produce. But the pandemic has changed the scenario and there has been a dip in income. However, he is confident that in some months things will be alright.

Jaiva Samrakshana Samithi’s members collect the organic vegetables and fruits from Narayanan’s farm and sell the produce on all Mondays near the KSRTC bus stand in Palakkad.

“I don’t prefer to sell my farm produce to unknown people. Those who want can collect it from the bus stand, or can come home and collect it from me,” he says.

Narayanan, who is also the president of the Jaiva Samrakshana Samithi, says that more than profits, he chose cultivation to feel relaxed. “At this age, there is no need for me to make money because I already have a good pension from the government. My wife also gets a good pension for our livelihood. Whatever we earn, we use it to buy more varieties of vegetables for the farm,” says Narayanan.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

When it comes to land cultivation, the general assumption is the larger the size of the cultivated land, the better the prospects for higher income. However, a homemaker from Kerala’s Ernakulam district is challenging this notion. “I earn a good income cultivating ornamental plants from mere 3-cent land on my terrace,” Sumi Shyamraj tells The Better India.

“During the initial days of lockdown, I had no plans to start a new business selling ornamental plants. But as the shop where my husband worked was closed due to lockdown, the idea of selling plants online came to mind,” she says.

Sumi has rare varieties of plants imported from Thailand, collected from her friends, that she grows in her terrace garden. It was from one of these ornamental plants, called the Episcia, that completely turned this homemaker’s life around.

The 32-year-old recalls, “I still remember the day when I shared the picture of the Episcia plant on my Facebook page — Sumi’s Garden. People from different parts of India started to enquire about the plant and many ordered the plant within a week of my post. I receive most of my orders from Uttar Pradesh, Bengaluru in Karnataka, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and Kerala,” she says and adds, “I still can’t believe that I earn over Rs 30,000 from my ornamental plants.”

With plants ranging from Rs 30 to Rs 1,000 in her garden, Sumi receives more orders for Episia, of which she has 80 varieties. Other than Episia, people order Begonia, Philodendron and Peperomia.

Having begun her business in March this year, Sumi says she is proud of herself. She also thanks her husband, Shyamraj, for his support. “For three months my husband didn’t have a job, but he helped me in all the ways he could. From taking care of our 2-year-old baby to helping me in my terrace garden work, he always stood with me through thick and thin,” she says and adds, “Years ago we had cows, goats and chickens at home but it didn’t fetch me success. Due to floods and other circumstances I had to sell my livestock.”

Once she receives orders via direct messages on Facebook, Sumi packs and sends the plants to the customers. “The plants will be nurtured in small cups before being sold, and I plant almost 10 new ones a day. I would also recommend my customers to buy fungus spray as it keeps the fungus away,” says the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Civil Draughtsman graduate.

After the customer receives the plant, they are asked to keep the plant open for an hour to adjust to room temperature. Then the same can be planted and watered accordingly.

“Everybody has dreams. Mine was to do something related to plants. Now I am happy doing what I love the most. To all those women who are sitting at home, I would like to tell you that don’t underestimate yourself or your talents,” says Sumi.

She also shares that she wishes to extend her terrace garden at home with more varieties of rare plants like more varieties of Begonia, Lemon wine and creeper plants.

Even before the nation-wide lockdown, Sumi used to earn a small income from selling the vegetables she cultivated from her garden patch. “My interest in cultivation got my neighbour to give me his 30-cent land for cultivation five years ago. I have varieties of vegetables in my garden including tomato, cabbage, carrot, lady finger. Once vegetables are ripe, I post their pictures on a whatsapp group and receive orders,” says Sumi.

This young entrepreneur, who has received the Karshakasree Award from Edathala Krishi Bhavan, also tutors other homegrowers about organic farming and planting ornamental plants.

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)