Chekadi farmers' food stall turns heads

KOZHIKODE: What has the rice and paddy of an ethnic group from a remote hamlet to do in a festival that discusses literature, films, songs and politics?  At the entrance of the venue of Kerala Literature Festival, here, there is a tiny stall which sells aromatic rice verities, curry powders, traditional food products, cookery and vegetables of tribal communities from Chekadi, a tribal dominated hamlet at the end of the world sandwiched between River Kabani and the jungle.

When queried about their role in the festival Ajayan Chekadi, the leader of the group of farmers told DC that whatever discussions whether political, rebellious or revolutionary, will sustain if ‘food’ is part of it. “That is why the organizers are conducting Ofeer, a unique food festival along with the literature festival”, he said.

Ajayan and his friends are representing a farmers’ group of 30 members, majority adivasis who promote bio-farming in the 250 acres vast village which has 200 acres of paddy.   “I believe ours is the only village that refused to convert paddy land for other crops”, he said, adding that in the 300 households in the village there no compound walls and no interlocked portico. “We live in tune with the world and we bring the best of the healthy food grown in the pristine nature with jungle covered on three sides and blessed by River Kabani.  Air, water and earth are still unpolluted”, he added.

The group plans to market products in Kozhikode soon. Formed as a Self Help Group of 37 families under the Co-operative Bank at Pulppalli during the period of K.K. Abraham, now the group is exploring ways to market the products straight to the needy.