Nammalvar The Father of Organic Farming | Agricultural Saint G. Nammalvar | The Man Who Spent His Entire Life For Ecological Farming & Wellbeing of Farmers

The Great Agricultural Saint Nammalvar

About Nammalvar & Who is He?

Nammalvar is commonly known by the people of Tamil Nadu as an activist in organic farming. Anybody may put forth a question regarding the purpose of this article about a farmer in a spiritual blog. The grand poet Thiruvalluvar has an answer for it,

உழுதுண்டு வாழ்வாரே வாய்வார்மற் றெல்லாம்

தொழுதுண்டு பின்செல் பவர்

This means, only the people who do agriculture are the ones who live life. Others just have the opportunity to follow them and lead a dependent life.

Worship is called as வழிபடுதல்(vazhipadudhal), which means following. Hence, following a man who sowed his entire life only to give healthy food to future generations is more divine than anything. After all, there is no human without a mouth and stomach. Even a saint is dependent on farmers to establish his connectivity to God.

Life history of Nammalvar

Nammalvar was born on 10^thmay, 1938 in a place called Elangadu of Tanjore district. He was gifted to take up agriculture in his childhood itself. Anyhow, he was graduated with a BSc (Agriculture) from Annamalai University. He began his career as an agricultural research scientist in the Agricultural Regional research station in Kovilpatti. That was the platform for his study regarding chemical fertilizers and organic farming. He left the institute since his work was being undertaken. He then worked for the Island of Peace found by Nobel Laureate Dominic Pyre as a social service.

Organizations Found

By continuous learning, research and updating, he started several organizations related to organic farming, such as,

• Kudumbham(1979)
• LEISA(1990)
• Ecological Centre for rain (1990)
• Vanagam

He continued his efforts for the development of sustainable agriculture. He strictly opposed the usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the name of the Green revolution, in order to avoid great loss of natural resources and the inculcation of toxic compounds in the blood of every living creature.

The Gandhi Gram Rural University of Dindugal honored him with a Doctorate in Agriculture as a token of appreciation for his exotic work in serving the community.

Books published by Nammalvar

Through untired, continuous study, Nammalvar published around 15 books, explaining the techniques of organic farming and the importance of ecological and sustainable agriculture. Some of them are,

(1) Veylanmai Thozhila, Kalacharama, Vazhviyala

 (2) Iyarkai Velanmai, Pannai Anubavangal

 (3) Irulil Sila Velichangal

 (4) Natchu Valaiyathugul Namathu Velanmai

 (5) Vethaigal

 (6) Thalanmai, Velanmai

 (7) Orungu Inaintha Velanmai

 (8) Iyarkai Vevasaya Vuthigal

 (9) Kaalkani Velanmai

 (10) Pesum Pannaigal

 (11) Thai Mannae Vanakkam

 (12) Valarchi Ukigal

 (13) Melman Peruvoam

 (14) Iyarkai Vazhvu

 (15) Vazha Vazhi Manattu Malar

Activities

 Nammalvar didn’t restrict himself with agriculture alone. Instead, he involved in several reclamation programs, during natural disasters.

Also, he conducted several training programs for people from different stages of society to spread his knowledge and wisdom. He established more than 60 organic farm cum training centers in different regions of Tamil Nadu.

Merging with nature

Mother Earth knows no restriction in feed her children. It is only the action of humans that kills the whole of mankind by the eventual destruction of his mother. Nammalvar spent his entire life for the goodness of our own soil. The food we eat is of no certainty that it is devoid of poison. Every organism has its very own liberty to live on this earth. 

Nammalvars Quote

Nobody has the right to kill any organism, be it a worm or an insect. The life which has the involvement of every living thing in nature is the one that is complete. 

These were the eternal thoughts of the greatest man of the century, who should have been praised and worshipped by all of us. He left the cruel and selfish mankind and merged with nature in 30^thDecember, 2013, on a trip to protest against the methane project. The land which has been fed with poison for the last century is standing alone with grief. As a human being, we are ought to consider our values and abide by the divine life teachings of Nammalvar.

Every rice we eat has a painful story of a farmer who cultivated it. At least a piece of remembrance may do them good.