Paddy Sowing Season at Kallidaikurichi, Tamil Nadu: A Rustic Photo Series
With the onset of the South West Monsoon, the consistent pitter patter replenishes the earth, fills up all the water bodies and allows for new life to thrive. As the Papanasam and the Manimuthar Dams get filled near my village, the irrigation canals are opened and they are brimming with water. This opening of the canal signifies the paddy sowing season. The season begins with the sowing of the paddy seeds in the nursery (this is locally referred to as ‘nattu pavaradu’). It takes about 3 to 4 weeks for the seed to germinate and ready to be planted in the paddy fields. In parallel, the paddy fields are tilled with tractors/humans/cattle and animals are allowed to graze on it. Once the canal water is opened, all these fields are irrigated. And once the paddy from the nursery is ready, they are sown into the tilled fields (this is called ‘nattu nadaradu’). For about two and a half to three months depending on the species of rice, these paddy fields will don a gorgeous green colour before turning golden just before harvest.
The best part about this paddy sowing season is that I can see all of these events unfold right from my village home terrace (it is my favourite past time with my cup of coffee in the evening) and more when I cycle across my village and the other villages. Here are some photos taken from my village home terrace. More photos to come soon. Hope you enjoy this rustic photo series of the paddy sowing season from Kallidaikurichi in rural Tamil Nadu.
Above photo: The nattu nadavu season has begun at Kallidaikurichi. The rich green in the yonder is actually the paddy nursery that is the precursor to the actual sowing. In the foreground is the irrigation canal or vaykaal that irrigates these rice fields.
Above photo: The actual paddy sowing work is finished within 2 to 3 days as people want to make the best use of the bright sunshine and the canal flowing full with water.
Above photo: Most of these people working in the paddy fields work other jobs and take leave from work during the sowing and/or the harvest season. Only a select few spend full time in the paddy fields.
Above photo: The paddy sowing work is intensive and gives one a serious workout. You have to stand in ankle deep slushy water for close to 6 hours in a bent position and sowing the paddy at equal intervals. Add to it, the bright and warm sun and the insects and you have a hard days work.
Above photo: Just before the paddy is sown, the earth wears a dull brown colour. And as the paddy is sown, it morphs into a fresh green colour. Within a few weeks, the entire horizon is shining in gorgeous green.
Above photo: This is the Kannadigan canal that people use to access their paddy fields. During sowing and harvest season, people and tractors can be seen buzzing on this route. On other days, you will the locals who are heading to the Thamirabharani river for a bath and the farmers who have to access their farms for spraying pesticide or for watering their fields using the sluice gates from the canal.
Above photo: Along with paddy, some farmers also grow banana and some tubers. Usually, they plant such crops during the dry season. During the wet season, they try to plant as much paddy as possible.
Above photo: Looking towards West, you can see the tall mountains of the Western Ghats. The Manimuthar and the Papanasam ranges of the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve fall in the West. Kallidaikurichi is surrounded by these mountains on the south, west and a little bit of the north. This canal begins at the Kallidaikurichi anaicut where the Thamirabharani and the Manimuthar rivers join.
