Makar Sankranti was celebrated as an agricultural festival at Navdanya Biodiversity Conservation Farm in Dehradun. A total of 85 farmers that included 67 women and 18 men from Tehri, Rudraprayag and Dehradun participated in this festival. A diverse variety of seeds were also exhibited during the programme.
Addressing the gathering,. Dr. Vandana Shiva, director Navdanya Trust asserted that Indiawas the most beautiful country in the world pointing out that this beauty has always remained due to the Indian culture and scientific traditions.
“We should protect our culture and tradition with the same enthusiastic hard work as we do for food production”, she said. Dr. Shiva also held that the Makar Sankranti symbolized perfection and symbolism from darkness to light and to knowledge. She called upon women farmers to never allow foreign companies to enter into their farming and food system. She spoke of keeping a healthy mind, healthy body, and healthy food at all times.
The women farmers on the occasion collectively took a pledge on this occasion for promoting organic agriculture.
Later, in the first session of the festival was on the basis of sharing the experience relation to organic farming and livelihood by the farmers. Chandrakanta and Sumati Devi from Rudraprayag shared the information on turmeric, ginger, and organic vegetables production. At the same time Kamala Devi and Ramdei Devi spoke on the benefits of producing Zakhyia, Bhangazir and Cholai.
Rinki Devi and Vinay Devi from Tehri shared a talk on production of Kauni and Jhangora and its demand. Raji Devi and Lakshmi Devi shared their views on medicinal plants and their cultivation such as Giloy, Tulsi, Lemongrass. Aruna Negi and Sunita Dogra from Dehradun brought information on organic vegetables basmati production.
The maker sakranti fest was also celebrated with traditional food of Uttarakhand like Arsha, Rotana, Ghyanza, Chamchura, Gulgula, Khichdi and Gur and Till.
Friday, 15 January 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
