Kerala Farmer Promotes Medicinal Rice Varieties with Unique Tambo Artwork

Nayanan C.C. has taken a unique approach to farming and is making headlines with his tambo artwork. The paddy fields of Alappuzha, a district in the southern state of Kerala, come to life every year during the 'puncha' or first crop season. Vast stretches of green fields blanket the region as farmers work tirelessly to grow rice.

Nayanan C.C. is a Health department employee and paddy farmer from Thirumala ward in Alappuzha municipality. He has turned a small portion of his 110-acre Kombankuzhy pada sekharam (paddy field) into a canvas to promote organic farming and popularize traditional and medicinal rice varieties. His latest creation is a rice paddy artwork featuring the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, made by planting different colored varieties of rice in an intricate pattern.

The portrait was created using three varieties of rice – rakthashali, black rice, and nazar bath. Rakthashali and nazar baths were used to create the subject, while black rice was used in the space surrounding the subject. The artwork is designed to be viewed from above and was created to encourage others to take up organic farming and grow traditional and medicinal rice varieties. Nayanan hopes that his work will help conserve indigenous rice types, considering their health benefits.

To create the artwork, Nayanan was helped by artist E.D. Reji from Wayanad in drawing the design. He planted the saplings on December 24 last year, and the harvest is planned for April. His other rice paddy artwork is an image of a snake boat created in 2021.

Nayanan has been doing paddy farming for several years, but he began cultivating rice varieties with medicinal properties only after he started doing research on the problems and coping strategies of cancer patients and their families in Kuttanad. This season, he is growing different varieties of paddy on 4.5 acres of leased land at Kombankuzhy pada sekharam.

As an external research scholar at the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Annamalai University, Nayanan's work on organic farming and conservation of indigenous rice types has been widely recognized. He believes that organic farming and the use of traditional and medicinal rice varieties will not only benefit the health of the people but also contribute to the conservation of the environment.

Rice paddy art is not new in Kerala. In recent years, it has gained popularity in the region as an eco-friendly and unique way to promote farming and attract tourists. The art form is a traditional method of land use that has been used in Japan and other countries for centuries. It involves creating intricate designs by planting different colored varieties of rice in a paddy field.

Nayanan's rice paddy artwork is an example of how traditional and modern practices can come together to promote farming, conserve indigenous rice types, and preserve the environment. His unique approach to farming has not only made him a local celebrity but also an inspiration to many others who wish to promote organic farming and conserve traditional and medicinal rice varieties.