Cost Effective Solution to save Coconut trees during forth coming water scarcity months due to El Niño : Olla Irrigation - Ancient Wisdom for Modern Droughts. 🏺 Echoes of Ancient Clay pot Irrigation Long before the term olla entered agricultural vocabulary, ancient Tamil farmers practiced remarkably similar methods. In Sangam‑era Tamilakam, clay vessels called “ māṇ paṇai ” or “kulam paṇai” were used to store and seep water near tree roots - especially for coconut, banana, and areca palms. These pots were often placed in earthen basins (thottam) lined with coir, husk, and leaf mulch, creating a natural moisture‑retention system. Inscriptions and temple garden records from regions like Pollachi, Thanjavur, and Madurai mention such paṇai neer vaḻi (pot‑water channels) as part of sustainable irrigation networks. This continuity of wisdom - from ancient Tamil pot irrigation to modern olla systems - shows how indigenous knowledge can guide regenerative farming in the...
Bharathiar - The Great Poet from Tamil Nadu.
I am an ardent fan of the Great Maha Kavi.
Recently his statue was inaugurated at my alma mater - NGM College, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, India.
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That is where I did my UG. It was always great environment and fun doing my UG there. Great professors including Tamil Shri. Dr. Sirpi Balasubramiam and Shri. Dr. Amudan taught us. They always instilled the values of knowledge in us, the students.
Bharathiar in each of his poem attracted us in many ways and we are very much attached to him and his visions.
We want to follow him and be his fan always. I had the opportunity to do M.Phil at Bharathiar University, named after him. I feel proud of that.
My friend's article about great Bharathiar and his connection to Swami Vivekananda.
One of my favorite poem of his, followed it and fulfilled it by building the EAFARMS farm project:
காணி நிலம் வேண்டும் - பராசக்தி
காணி நிலம் வேண்டும்,
(I need a piece of land , Oh divine mother, A piece of land, and there,) - Photos taken at EAFARMS.
அங்கு
தூணில் அழகியதாய் - நன்மாடங்கள்
துய்ய நிறத்தினதாய் - அந்தக்
காணி நிலத்தினிடையே - ஓர்மாளிகை
கட்டித் தரவேண்டும்
(In the midst of that small piece of land you should build me a house with,
Four pretty pillars and several floors)
அங்கு
கேணியருகினிலே -
தென்னைமரம்
கீற்று மிளநீரும்.
பத்துப் பன்னிரண்டு -
தென்னைமரம்
பக்கத்திலே வேணும் -
(and there near the small pond, Coconut tree leaves should shine in small well water.)
நல்ல
முத்துச் சுடர்போலே - நிலாவொளி
முன்பு வரவேணும்,
(Near ten or twelve coconut trees ,
moon light should come)
அங்கு
கத்துங் குயிலோசை - சற்றே வந்து
(and there the soft song of the Indian cuckoos - nightingales,
Should come and fall in my ears to
make mind happy,)
என்றன்
சித்தம் மகிழ்ந்திடவே - நன்றாயிளந்
தென்றல் வரவேணும்.
(Good light breeze should blow to make me further happy.)
பாட்டுக் கலந்திடவே - அங்கேயொரு
பத்தினிப் பெண்வேணும் - எங்கள்
கூட்டுக் களியினிலே - கவிதைகள்
கொண்டுதர வேணும்
(To mix music there , there should be a virtuous wife there, and in our play together , you should bring and give poems,)
- அந்தக்
காட்டு வெளியினிலே - அம்மா! நின்றன்
- என்றன்
பாட்டுத் திறத்தாலே - இவ்வையத்தைப்
பாலித்திட வேணும்.
(And in that forest expanse, Oh mother you should provide guard,
And by the great knowledge of music , you should look after this world.)
Matangi Amma temple overlooking EAFARMS:
What a vision by Great Mahakavi Bharathiar.
I thank God that I have followed his dream and built EAFARMS project as he dreamt. It has become a nature wonder. Thanks to AI, we could bring him to our farm atleast virtually:
Makesh Karuppiah, PhD
Environmental Scientist and Information Technologist
Mahakavi Bharathiar Fan
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