Cherkady Ramachandra Rao is No More

Cherkady Ramachandra Rao Passes Away

Eminent Gandhian and progressive farmer who blend the Gandhian way with principles of Masanobu Fukuoka in natural farming, Cherkady Ramachandra Rao (91) passed away at his residence in Cherkady village at Udupi after a brief illness on Sunday 21 February 2010.

He survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Cherkadi Ramachandra Rao was born in Kodagu in 1917. He was two when his father and mother died mysteriously within a day of each other. Then he moved to his older sister's house in Dharmasthala and later to Cherkady where another sister had been living.

Mr. Rao's life was shaped at Cherkady where he grew up grazing brother-in-law's cows and helping in his fields. He was sent to a school at the age of ten for two years.

This formative years in school introduced Gandhi to Rao. His teacher Ramachandra Patil had only one subject, Gandhi. He always spoke of his life thoughts and also kept a charkha in the school.Young Rao learnt to spin, there.

Thus in his spare time Rao started spinning the charkha at home. In late teens, he came to Brahmavar to learn weaving and earned his first income at the age 22. Soon he became an accomplished weaver and was also asked to look after the Khadi Board, Moodbidri.

Pursuing the Cherkady way, a blend of Gandhian and Fukuokan principles of Masanobu Fukuoka, the architect of natural farming, Ramachandra Rao was instrumental in finding answers to many of the modern agricultural problems.

He was the recipient of many awards including “Krishi Pandit” given by the State Government in 2002-03.

Having studied onlyup to standard III, though Cherkady did not read much about Gandhi, but understood deeply Mahatma's vision about life. Everyday until his death he worked and lived in simple imbibing Gandhian thoughts.

In his two-and-a-half acre land given by his brother-in-law,the man has experimented with every possible crop from coconut trees, cashew nut, mango trees, ginger, papaya and vegetables.

The call given by Gandhiji to people to produce rice for themselves in 1948-49 when grain production dropped inspired Rao to resign from Khadi Board, Moodbidri and come to Cherkady with a mission to practise Gandhian ideology. Achrya Vinoba Bhave too had a great influence on Rao.

His farming experiment made him discover that the plant grown out of natural nutrients yielded more than the usual variety. He began growing paddy without tilling the land or using other common farming practices without any irrigation. The method named "Sarvodaya paddy cultivation" became popular in the area as the "Cherkady crop". The method is still considered suitable for hilly and dry areas. He also guided Namma Bhoomi, a charitable institution in Kundapur in experimenting with this method.

However, he was also of the opinion that natural farming doesn't mean turning our backs on the scientific and modern world. He understood that natural farming can find its true purpose only when it is backed scientifically.

ALTERNATIVE joins with the family members, his friends and followers in this time of sorrow and prays the God to rest his soul in peace. Let his experiments of simple life and natural farming methods show the way to our farmers in shaping their life and future farming methods.

-Nethrakere Udaya Shankara

(Imput courtesy: Daijiworld.com, The Hindu, Mangaloremithra, Vijay Karnataka ).

Karnataka Cabinet Nod to Ban Cow Slaughter

Karnataka Cabinet Nod to Ban Cow Slaughter

After its firm stand against Bt -brinjal, Karnataka Government led by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa took another bold step to Ban Cow Slaughter in Karnataka.

The State Cabinet on Wednesday 10th February 2010 has approved a new law to ban the slaughter of cows and calves and ensure cattle conservation.

The Bill, which is set to replace the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, is expected to be tabled in the next session of the legislature.

The Cabinet had constituted a subcommittee under the chairmanship of Home Minister V.S. Acharya to study the drawbacks in the existing law and suggest measures to be incorporated in the proposed Act.

The new legislation will be in accordance with the Central Act and in conformity with Article 48 of the Constitution.

Briefing presspersons on the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting at Bangalore, Dr. Acharya and Law Minister S. Suresh Kumar said that the new legislation would have guidelines for the transportation of cattle, apart from stern punishment for offenders.

First-time offenders will be liable to a year in prison and a fine between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 50,000. Those held for a second offence or more will have to face imprisonment of up to seven years and pay a fine between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 1 lakh.

Dr. Acharya said that the judgments of courts in various cases pertaining to cow slaughter and transportation of milch animals had suggested that the law should be in consonance with the provisions of the Constitution. “The larger aim of the new Act is to bring in an effective mechanism and enforcement to curb cow slaughter.”

The State Cabinet has approved a new law to ban the slaughter of cows and calves and ensure cattle conservation. The Bill, which is set to replace the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964, is expected to be tabled in the next session of the legislature.

The Cabinet had constituted a subcommittee under the chairmanship of Home Minister V.S. Acharya to study the drawbacks in the existing law and suggest measures to be incorporated in the proposed Act. The new legislation will be in accordance with the Central Act and in conformity with Article 48 of the Constitution.

Briefing presspersons on the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting at Bangalore on Wednesday, Dr. Acharya and Law Minister S. Suresh Kumar said that the new legislation would have guidelines for the transportation of cattle, apart from stern punishment for offenders. First-time offenders will be liable to a year in prison and a fine between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 50,000.

Those held for a second offence or more will have to face imprisonment of up to seven years and pay a fine between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 1 lakh.

Dr. Acharya said that the judgments of courts in various cases pertaining to cow slaughter and transportation of milch animals had suggested that the law should be in consonance with the provisions of the Constitution.

“The larger aim of the new Act is to bring in an effective mechanism and enforcement to curb cow slaughter.”

Infact, 7 Member Constitution Bench of Supreme Court of India has upheld the Ban on Cow Slaughter in the year 2005 itself by its Verdict delivered on October 26, 2005. interested can go through this historical Judgement by clicking the image here.

Several Organisations had continuously demanded the ban on Cow Slaughter in Karnataka. Shree Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji of Shree Ramachandrapura Math, Hosanagar in Karnataka had launched nationwide Gou Grama Yathra recently which got the widespread support from all quarters of society, irrespective of caste, creed and political parties.

He had also setup a Cow Dung and Cow Urine Factory, first of its kind in the entire Nation at Malur in Kolar, Karnataka, with the help leading industrialists. Apart from manufacturing various useful products from Cow Dung and Cow Urine, this factory produces Electricity also along with Bio Gas.

Thanks to Karnataka Government for its bold step in protecting farmers and their backbone i.e. Cows and Bullocks.

-Nethrakere Udaya Shankara