Hands that swing cradle can also climb areca palms!
Chandralekha of Jalsoor masters art of climbing areca trees
In every step of their life, women have been time and again proving themselves that they are equally confident and efficient at par with their male counterparts. Now, it is the time of spraying chemical to areca palms. A woman from Sullia has mastered the art of climbing areca palms and spraying pesticide to the trees.
There was a time when woman used to stay within the four walls of the house. But in modern era, the women have come out of all kinds of barriers and proved themselves as efficient as their male counterparts in most of the works. So far, climbing areca palms and spraying pesticide was limited to men as it was believed that only men could do that work. But now, that assumption is changed. Chandralekha of Adkar Konadka Padavu in Jalsoor village has mastered the art of climbing the areca tree.
After her husband Sundar Gowda’s death around 16 years ago, Chandralekha has been living with daughter Nishmitha at Konadka Padavu. Believing that no one could defeat her spirit, she joined for a job at KVG Medical College. Three years ago, her sister Ratnavati and brother-in-law Ananda Gowda at Aletti Nagapattana suffered a lot due to fungal disease to areca palms. As Ananda Gowda was aged, he could not climb areca trees and he hardly get labourers to spray the pesticide. Though he has purchased areca tree climbing machine, there was no one to do that work.
Observing all these, Chandralekha understood her efficiency and started climbing the areca trees and spraying pesticide with the help of machine. Since three years, leaving aside her shyness and embarrassment, she has been climbing the areca trees and spraying the pesticide. She would spray the pesticide for 600 areca palms within two days. Her sister, brother-in-law, and their children Naveen and Thriveni help her in spraying the pesticide. Not only at her sister’s plantation, she goes to other areca plantations to spray the pesticide. Besides her job at Medical College, she does peeling of areca and other works. Her daughter Nishmitha is studying her PUC in Mangaluru.
“Areca nuts were falling from the trees due to fungal disease as the pesticide was not sprayed. I was disappointed to see that. For the last three years, I have been spraying the pesticide to areca trees. I found protecting the areca crop was important than shyness, embarrassment and fear. Now, everyone appreciates my work. I have the satisfaction of doing a special work”, said Chandralekha.
Her brother-in-law Anand Gowda said that “It is very difficult to get people to spray pesticide. Knowing this difficulty, I have purchased the areca tree climbing machine. But we were unable to spray the pesticide using that machine. Chandralekha has done that work. When she came forward to climb the trees and spray the pesticide, we all supported her”, he added.
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India can never permit others to have veto on its choices: EAM Jaishankar
Mumbai (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said India can never permit others to have a veto on its choices and will do whatever is right in the national interest and for the global good without being intimidated to “conform”.
In a video message for a function in Mumbai on Saturday, he said when India is etched more deeply in global consciousness, its repercussions are truly profound.
In a world grappling with unhealthy habits, stressed lifestyles or recurring climate events, there is much learning to be gained from India’s heritage. But the world will only know when the countrymen take pride in it, he said.
In an age of globalisation, technology and tradition must march together, said Jaishankar.
“Bharat will inevitably progress but it must do so without losing its Bharatiyata. Only then can we truly emerge as a leading power in a multi-polar world,” he said.
Jaishankar was conferred the 27th SIES Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati National Eminence Award. The awards are given in four fields – Public Leadership, Community Leadership, Human endeavour, Science and Technology and Social Leadership – with primacy on spiritualism.
The awards are named after the late 68th Seer of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi.
The foreign minister did not attend the event but sent his video message.
“Independence should never be confused with neutrality. We will do whatever is right in our national interest and for global good without being intimidated to conform. Bharat can never permit others to have a veto on its choices,” he said.
“For too long we were schooled to visualise progress and modernity as a rejection of our heritage and traditions,” Jaishankar said.
Perhaps, this came from an affinity for imported models, or perhaps it was a discomfort with its own practices. But now as the deepening of democracy has thrown up more authentic voices, the country is rediscovering itself and finding again its own persona, he said.
Jaishankar said India is an exceptional nation because it is a civilisation state. Such a country will only exercise influence when it fully leverages its cultural strengths in the global arena, he said.
“To that it is essential that we ourselves, the younger generation, are fully aware of the value and significance of our heritage. This can be articulated at various levels, but most importantly it should have an impact at the societal level,” he said.
Jaishankar said India is poised today at a crucial juncture. On the one hand, the last decade has demonstrated that it has the capabilities, confidence and, most importantly, the commitment to advance development across broad fronts.
It has shown that the age-old problems of poverty, discrimination and lack of opportunities can be indeed addressed. On the global stage, it has established itself as an independent power but one committed to global good, especially the well-being of the global south, he said.
“At the same time, however, the constraints and limitations that have long been our bane still remain in place. There are viewpoints and ideologies which are more pessimistic and even denigrating of ourselves,” added Jaishankar.
