Organic Watermelons in high demand at annual festivities at Polali temple

Pics by Vamana Polali
Bellevision Media Network

Bantwal, 04 April 2016: The religious belief is promoting organic farming in this village on the one hand, whilst the native growers grow this local breed, sell and savor on the fruits. It’s the height of devotion. 

 

Yes. It’s the greatness of Sri Rajarajeshwari temple, Polali in Kariangala village near here.

 

The innumerable devotees who flock to Polali temple annual festivities buy the local watermelon to take homes as prasadam. It’s in great demand during the annual festivities. It has unique feature of dark brown on outer side, while its dark red inside that cannot be found elsewhere. Its being grown in Polali and the neighboring village of Malali by the local farmers in the farmlands and sell them during annual festivities at the temple.

 

 

Organic farming

It’s grown with organic manure and irrigation free from chemicals. Its significant that watermelon merchants from other areas are not allowed to sell their produce at Polali temple. The demand is for only local watermelon. It’s grown in Polali and neighboring villages in Kariangala village near here. It’s grown in nearly 10 acres in Malali village near Ganjimut, at the outskirts of Mangaluru.   

 

The growers were using only burnt-soil and cow-dung about 40 years ago. They also grow cucumber along with watermelon farming. It’s significant that the farmers maintain sanctity to their crop by not wearing footwear whilst working on watermelon farm. 

 

The farmers face the menace of peacocks that eat away the fresh leaves coming out of twine. They growers adapt innovative methods to shoo away the peacocks by tying worn out saris around the farm and erecting dummy human body in the midst. 

 

The watermelons weight more than 2 kilograms and are sold anything from Rs 50 onwards depending on the weight.

 

To sum up, the watermelon farming in Polali that has strong religious belief is creating farming revolution in Bantak taluk.