<p>The shepherds hold a special place in the hearts of farmers, thanks mainly to the animals who turn the fortunes of the soil with little effort. R S Patil finds out how.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Indian tradition has room for many customs, norms, values and beliefs. One such belief associated with good fortune is prevalent among the predominantly rural farming community. For the farmers, the Kurubas (shepherds) are symbols of luck. Whenever they take up any major activity, the Kurubas’ presence is mandatory. So much so that the farmers and villagers go to any length. <br /><br />The memory is fresh in my mind. It was during my father’s time. Onion is the main crop grown in our village. With a strong belief in the magical powers of the Kurubas my father used to bring Beerappa from the neighbouring village to begin sowing operations for the season without fail. My father, like all others, believed that seeds sown by a Kuruba would guarantee a bumper crop. <br /><br />It was not just my father. Gowrimani Mantesh of Chennur also experienced the effects of this belief first hand. Sheep had “invaded” his fields and destroyed the chilli crop that had just begun sprouting. Mantesh’s father stopped him from picking a quarrel with the shepherds. The father advised his son to wait for a few days for the crops to grow back. Soon enough, green shoots sprung up, the plants grew and Mantesh harvested an unbelievable bumper crop right in front of my eyes. To this day, the practice of inviting Kurubas to begin any auspicious work is very much alive in the rural areas. <br /><br />Mobile fertiliser factories<br /><br />The sheep are not just marauders, destroying everything their roving eyes chance upon and their insatiable appetite fancies. Indeed they can easily be called mobile fertiliser factories. The solid waste coming out of their cavernous stomachs are not mere droppings but manure rich in essential nutrients, nitrogen, vitamins and minerals like sulphur, potash etc for the plants. <br /><br />Sheep, unlike cattle, horses, donkeys and other animals can’t be tied up in a single spot. The small animal is at its happiest when allowed to roam. Munching and pulling on the grass, they happily shed their waste. When mixed with earth, their urine containing a bit of lime, copper, iron, manganese, sodium and zinc enhance and maintain soil fertility and its capacity to hold water. No wonder farmers are secure in their centuries-old beliefs born out of experience. With the sheep covering vast areas of pasture, it is not feasible to collect the animal’s droppings in a big mound before transporting it to the fields. There is no need for spending any money at all! For, the sheep graze in a particular area the whole day and the field gets manured thoroughly in the process. <br /><br />The shepherds take their animals to fields that have been left fallow and forest fringes during daytime. After consuming the whole smorgasbord and satiating their thirst in the forest streams, ponds and puddles, the sheep return to the farmers’ fields and halt for the night. Here, their halt is pre-determined under a contract between the shepherd and the farm owner. The rate is fixed according to the number of animals in a herd. For example, the farmer must pay the shepherd Rs 50-100 per herd of, say, 100 animals and expenses apart from providing corn sufficient for the day’s meal etc. Normally, there are a minimum of 400-500 animals in a herd which may sometimes go up to 1,000 sheep! <br /><br />Rich in nutrients<br /><br />Farmers expect the animals to enrich their soil by not straying. To prevent them from escaping, the animals are driven into a temporary enclosure where during the night they shed their waste, laying out a thick layer of manure for the soil. Compared to other animals, the droppings and urine of sheep and goats are richer in minerals and essential nutrients. <br /><br />Summer is the time when when farmers de-weed the field and provide it with nourishment. At the same time, shepherds take their herds to graze upon grass growing in empty fields. It is feasible to let the animals loose on a field that has been ploughed for the first time in the season. The droppings lose their essence in the harsh sunlight if left unattended.<br /><br />It is better to plough the land immediately after the sheep have left. Allowing the animals on the fields after a round of rains also works as after the first round, the grass turns greener and juicier. The sheep will drink more water after munching on it. The droppings with more water content is beneficial to the soil. <br /><br />However, all such activities have a limited shelf life. It is only till monsoon that sheep are welcome. After that, the Kurubas have to seek shelter and comfort elsewhere.<br /><em><br />(Translated by B S Srivani)</em><br /></p>
<p>The shepherds hold a special place in the hearts of farmers, thanks mainly to the animals who turn the fortunes of the soil with little effort. R S Patil finds out how.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Indian tradition has room for many customs, norms, values and beliefs. One such belief associated with good fortune is prevalent among the predominantly rural farming community. For the farmers, the Kurubas (shepherds) are symbols of luck. Whenever they take up any major activity, the Kurubas’ presence is mandatory. So much so that the farmers and villagers go to any length. <br /><br />The memory is fresh in my mind. It was during my father’s time. Onion is the main crop grown in our village. With a strong belief in the magical powers of the Kurubas my father used to bring Beerappa from the neighbouring village to begin sowing operations for the season without fail. My father, like all others, believed that seeds sown by a Kuruba would guarantee a bumper crop. <br /><br />It was not just my father. Gowrimani Mantesh of Chennur also experienced the effects of this belief first hand. Sheep had “invaded” his fields and destroyed the chilli crop that had just begun sprouting. Mantesh’s father stopped him from picking a quarrel with the shepherds. The father advised his son to wait for a few days for the crops to grow back. Soon enough, green shoots sprung up, the plants grew and Mantesh harvested an unbelievable bumper crop right in front of my eyes. To this day, the practice of inviting Kurubas to begin any auspicious work is very much alive in the rural areas. <br /><br />Mobile fertiliser factories<br /><br />The sheep are not just marauders, destroying everything their roving eyes chance upon and their insatiable appetite fancies. Indeed they can easily be called mobile fertiliser factories. The solid waste coming out of their cavernous stomachs are not mere droppings but manure rich in essential nutrients, nitrogen, vitamins and minerals like sulphur, potash etc for the plants. <br /><br />Sheep, unlike cattle, horses, donkeys and other animals can’t be tied up in a single spot. The small animal is at its happiest when allowed to roam. Munching and pulling on the grass, they happily shed their waste. When mixed with earth, their urine containing a bit of lime, copper, iron, manganese, sodium and zinc enhance and maintain soil fertility and its capacity to hold water. No wonder farmers are secure in their centuries-old beliefs born out of experience. With the sheep covering vast areas of pasture, it is not feasible to collect the animal’s droppings in a big mound before transporting it to the fields. There is no need for spending any money at all! For, the sheep graze in a particular area the whole day and the field gets manured thoroughly in the process. <br /><br />The shepherds take their animals to fields that have been left fallow and forest fringes during daytime. After consuming the whole smorgasbord and satiating their thirst in the forest streams, ponds and puddles, the sheep return to the farmers’ fields and halt for the night. Here, their halt is pre-determined under a contract between the shepherd and the farm owner. The rate is fixed according to the number of animals in a herd. For example, the farmer must pay the shepherd Rs 50-100 per herd of, say, 100 animals and expenses apart from providing corn sufficient for the day’s meal etc. Normally, there are a minimum of 400-500 animals in a herd which may sometimes go up to 1,000 sheep! <br /><br />Rich in nutrients<br /><br />Farmers expect the animals to enrich their soil by not straying. To prevent them from escaping, the animals are driven into a temporary enclosure where during the night they shed their waste, laying out a thick layer of manure for the soil. Compared to other animals, the droppings and urine of sheep and goats are richer in minerals and essential nutrients. <br /><br />Summer is the time when when farmers de-weed the field and provide it with nourishment. At the same time, shepherds take their herds to graze upon grass growing in empty fields. It is feasible to let the animals loose on a field that has been ploughed for the first time in the season. The droppings lose their essence in the harsh sunlight if left unattended.<br /><br />It is better to plough the land immediately after the sheep have left. Allowing the animals on the fields after a round of rains also works as after the first round, the grass turns greener and juicier. The sheep will drink more water after munching on it. The droppings with more water content is beneficial to the soil. <br /><br />However, all such activities have a limited shelf life. It is only till monsoon that sheep are welcome. After that, the Kurubas have to seek shelter and comfort elsewhere.<br /><em><br />(Translated by B S Srivani)</em><br /></p>
