Varnasrama Course in Sri Dham Mayapur
TRADITIONAL CROPS OF INDIA
ISKCON Daiva Varnasrama Ministry (IDVM-India) conducted a course entitled “Traditional Crops of India” in Sri Dham Mayapur from 19th – 21st February 2018. The course was presented by HG Jananivas Prabhu from Hyderabad.
Jananivas Prabhu has been actively involved with IDVM-India since the year 2009. He is also associated with a group promoting self-sufficient communities called DDS (Deccan Development Society). The community grows their own food grains, specializing mainly in producing varieties of organic millets.
Devotees attended the course from different countries.
The presentation covered information about varieties of millets, how to grow them and some recipes of millets. The information shared during the course was quite revealing for most of the participants. He said millet is very easy to grow in any type of soil; it does not require lots of water and is very rich in nutrients and fiber for a healthy body.
The purpose of this course was not simply to give knowledge about millets but the real purpose behind was to bring awareness to everybody especially ISKCON devotees of the importance to grow our own organic food. Srila Prabhupada emphasized “produce what you need, use what you produce.” If we don’t start now when will we start? If we don’t start, who will start? We don’t know what will happen in the future for the next generations. When the modern economic system (which is very much dependent on the paper money) collapses, we will come to realize that land is the real wealth.
Therefore, IDVM-India is conducting these courses every year to bring awareness of the ISKCON devotees. This course is free and we are hoping that more and more people will be inspired to join in the future. IDVM-India thanks the Mayapur Institute for providing the facilities to conduct the course.
Below are some of the comments of the attendees:
HG Samba Prabhu (Mayapur Gurukula teacher) “I am very much impressed with the presentation, the positive aspect of millet. He got inspired to grow millet in his land which is located close to the Jagannatha Mandir (Rajapur)”
HG Kisora Krishna Prabhu (Varnasrama Community Developer, Indonesia) “…..This course is very inspiring, many valuable information about millets, and how it is helpful for the devotees’ health. After attending this course, I am very eager to start to grow millets, would like to start in our land in Cambodia, Jananivas Prabhu will arrange the seeds…”
HG Nirmala mataji (Thailand) “… such a fantastic information, before I didn’t know anything about millet. Now I have this knowledge, I would like to grow it in my country, Thailand. So much health problem because every day we are eating too much rice, this can be a big revolution…”
FROM SRILA PRABHUPADA
“…But what is the use of fat salary? One side you get fat salary; another side you have to purchase three rupees a kilo rice. Finish your salary. This is going on. Let them produce their own food. Let him have some land. Let him produce his own food. Let there be cows. Let cows become happy.”
(Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.1 — Mayapur, June 16, 1973)
