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Author: Bella Jaisinghani
Publication: The Times of India
Date: September 11, 2005
You get an inkling of what is to come when you leave sultry Malad behind and head towards Aksa Beach. The narrow ribbon roads remind you of the ones that lead to Goa, another verdant haven. Tall trees form a thick canopy above, which means your cellphone finds it difficult to pick up a signal.
This was the way Nature intended life to be, informs Rajaram Gadekar or Guruji, as he is fondly called by the local people because he runs a school nearby The 73-year-old retired employee of Tata Electric owns the Shri Maher Organic Farm, which produces organic crops in the heart of Mumbai. He grows 20 types of vegetables and six types of fruits- all without the use of pesticides-on the six acres of land near the beach. The miracle lies in the soil that was once saline-the farm is on land reclaimed from the sea.
Guruji is one among an increasing tribe of keen farmers who have taken to organic farming with the specific aim of reducing pollution and ensuring self-sufficiency Dr Ramesh Doshi of Bandra is a pioneer in city farming, having converted his terrace garden into a proper fruit and vegetable cultivation. Doshi has also helped the Ramakrishna Mission, Varanasi, grow organic food for poor people.
Another family in Hinjawadi near Pune rears a 30-acre organic farm since the past 20 years. Ashok and Leela Gour-Broome get all the manure they need from their six cattle. They have chosen not to sell their produce, but conduct nature outings and the food they grow goes to feed hungry campers.
But an organic farm in the heart of Mumbai is something of a surprise. Guruji vouches that naturally-grown fruits and vegetables are easier on the digestive system, and passes around tender coconut water which tastes sweeter than what is normally available. "You can also grow organic food at a fraction of the cost required for ordinary cultivation," he says.
Guruji firmly believes that farmers in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh will not fall prey to debt if they stop using costly pesticide, which had anyway failed them in their hour of need.
His methods are simple. Principles of Ayurveda, compost produced by biodegradable wastes and earthworm cultivation, all come in handy "These are my success mantras. No urea or sulphates for me. Do you know earthworms work in shifts lasting barely an hour? But the kind of work they complete in that hour is remarkable. It brings up the soil that lies upto three feet below the surface, and helps increase fertility I would recommend cultivating upto two lakh earthworms in an acre of soil," he says pointing to a mound of them.
Gurujis medicinal plants, including hibiscus, tulsi and aloe vera, are ahit with the south Mumbai people. The septuagenarian also cultivates fish, prawns and shrimps on his farm, which are eagerly bought by five-star hotels as their flavours are so distinct. He regularly trains groups of people sent by the Central Institute of Fisheries Education. "I have offered my services free of cost to all those who are interested in growing organic food-be it in small pots in their flats, or co-operative societies, or even farmers outside the city." He advises groups of women to think of organic farming as an industry for it can bring rich dividends.
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