MANGALURU: Yakshagana artistes from Yaksha Mithraru Panjinadka are preparing to harvest paddy that they cultivated at two farms in Dakshina Kannada district. The artistes took to agriculture after the Covid-19 pandemic rendered them jobless.
Paddy grown at Kolekady village in Athikaribettu gram panchayat, 40km from Mangaluru, is ready for harvest, and artistes will hold a harvest celebration on Sunday.
Suresh Kolekady, patron of Yaksha Mithraru, said the crop was cultivated using traditional methods to promote agriculture under the theme ‘Bennid ben kuldu thin’ (work hard in the field, stay content).
“No machines were used,” Kolekady said. “We want to motivate the younger generation to cultivate crops using traditional methods. Yakshagana troupes have suffered badly due to Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns. This is the second year we have been involved in agriculture. Six of our members left for jobs in foreign countries and the others decided to take to farming.”
He said the artistes cultivated paddy on land belonging to Mahabala Kundar and Bhaskar Bangera in Kolekady village. “We will harvest paddy in the presence of dignitaries from the village. No machinery has been used for cultivation, and harvesting will also be done in a traditional manner, using sickles,” he said.
On the yield, Kolekady said they expect nearly 12 ‘mudis’ (one ‘mudi’ is approximately 40kg) rice. “About 30 artistes helped cultivate paddy on about one acre of land,” he said.
“We plan to distribute the yield among families of poor artistes. There are many senior yakshagana artistes who have not earned anything other than fame in life. So Yaksha Mithra will help them through various initiatives. After the harvest, we complete the remaining processes on Sunday,” he said, adding artistes had cultivated paddy at a field in Kelpady village near Mulky last year.
