KAU’s unique offer for Niraputhari ritual

Rice panicles are in demand from south Kerala temples

Paddy cultivation underway at the Integrated Farming System Research Station (IFSRS) in Nedumcaud, Karamana.

It is that time of the year when temples in the southern districts of Kerala depend on a government-run research farm for conducting the Niraputhari’ ritual.

These are busy days for the scientists and workers of the Integrated Farming System Research Station (IFSRS) at Karamana. Functioning under Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), the station is currently engaged in supplying rice panicles to numerous temples in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam.

The distribution of rice panicles (or paddy spikes) for Niraputhari is a unique service that is being offered by the station. The high-yielding, medium-duration rice variety ‘Uma’ is organically cultivated in the farm of the centre, according to the head of the station Jacob John, a professor in Agronomy.

“Paddy is planted during April-May every year so that panicles are ready for the Niraputhari by July. Panicles harvested from an area of 1 sq m weigh around 3 kg and are offered at ₹100. In the previous fiscal, panicles worth ₹2.25 lakh were sold from the station. This corresponded to a production of around 4 tonnes. We have sold panicles worth ₹1.5 lakh this year,” he said.

Earlier scene

The sale of the spikes by the station has brought great relief to several temples, which were left with no option but to depend on intermediaries from Marthandam and other places, who charged considerably higher rates, in the past.

The prominent temples that rely on the supply include the Pazhavangadi Ganapathy temple, the Kottarakara Sree Mahaganapathy temple and the Sree Janardhana Swamy temple in Varkala.

Dr. John said there were also many takers for ‘Ayar’ or bunch of rice panicles that is usually regarded as a symbol of prosperity and is gifted as display article for auspicious occasions such as house-warming. They are being sold at a price range of ₹250 to ₹2,000, depending on their size.

Maintaining a farm having area of 7.56 hectares, the station is also in the midst of efforts to supply vegetables during the upcoming Onam season.

Its proximity to the Killi river ensured adequate water availability throughout the year.