A Travel from Kalyani to Khanakul 

Day before yesterday I got a call from Krisnemdu Dey. He is a young guy having much  working experience   among the farmers. In past I saw him organizing Krishmelas at his native place. I have much regard to this fellow for undertaking hard work in remote places. I  also found him in the terrain of Jhaldah,Purulia visiting rural people. Similarly I saw him roaming Sundarbans. It is always joy to share with him. Krishnendu requested me to make a visit to some SKUS in Tarakeswar & surroundings . I could not deny his call.

Yesterday , we started at 8.30 a.m.  We moved to the same route what I frequented. The driver was a new person to the way and I had to guide him all through.   We halted at Sultanpur. I am always fixed  and  skeptic when I cross the Sultanpur. Every time I see a dilapidated palace from the road. The grandeur structure always attracts me whenever I pass through . There are many stories I heard about the palace. Many times I heard it is a ghost-house- no body can stay here at night. Someone tried in past but became insane. A brave guy from kalyani tried to pass sometimes with his friends but left the house in midnight.. So many extended and fabricated stories I heard. All these left an inner compulsion of visiting it. However, every time  I targeted but failed. This time we were sipping cup of tea in a roadside at Sultanpur. A local fellow  joined in our conversation and said all these stories are bogus and aired for fun. “ You may visit it. See  the decaying Zamindary ...the structure has magnificent art-works..” Getting his words I asked Krisnendu to visit it. We had our friends Basab Chandra and Bishnudhyan. They were also egar to see it.It was a walking steps from the tea stall.

 It is a grand structure. It reminds the powerful Zamindar Giriza sankar Mukherjee who built it about 200 years back.  With the withdrawal of Zamindary system ,the decedents moved to Kolkata & other cities. Dilapidated arch and the finest artefacts remind the glorious days at Sultanpur. The building is about to fall with history.  On reaching there I took some photographs. I found a lady pasting cow-dung on the walls as if she is the owner of the building  . On my query she asked “ You see the part of building..it is extended backward. That portion is well maintained”.

“why?”

“ The grand mother is staying. She is eighty years old but steady. She lives alone. Her sons and relatives failed to move her from the palace”

This  is attachment and sticking to heritage. However, as we had limited time we could not meet the lady as well as the intact part of the mansion.

Then we passed through Mahanad. Bhaktas were marching on the road. There were both men and women carrying water pots on shoulders.  Mahanad is a halting spot to those devotees going to Tarakeswar.

As soon as we crossed Gurap.. the car was found  with faults. Anyway it was made to fitness by a local mechanic.  This time paddy sowing was continuing in the fields. There were also lowlands submerged with water. One thing I noticed that farmers of Dasghara and particularly in Tarakeswar adjoining areas were harvesting jute. Jute sticks are mounted on the roadside. Bunches of jute-fibres were hanging with the support of bamboo sticks and wires.  All along you will smell odors coming out from retted fibres this time.

Sooner we came to Dasghara. We went to Bengal Agri Trust.  This trust has been adopting modern technology  in farming. I saw their drip irrigation system. They have installed a number of mini deeptubles and made the surroundings greenery all out the year. They have been producing potato-seed  for the last two years. They have been keeping touch with KVKs and Scientists for technology adoption. I was surprised to see poly-sheet mulching in the field. They will grow water-melon. According to them “using this technique we could harvest fruits when the market is in high demand.” They also said “ we are using poly sheet to avoid excess water whereas others use it as a method for conserving water.” I liked their experience.

Two KMs ahead of Tarakeswar  we turned around and reached to Kararia SKUS. It was nice to share with the Manager. Bivekanada SKUS is  a giant society now. It has diversified its activities. I was happy that they are engaged in fishing, cultivation,seed production  etc with their own staff. Profit is shared by the shareholders. They are competitor to other banks on the one hand and on the other  to middlemen and farias. By way I was learnt that SKUs has been managing a good number of SHgs.

“ How are these? Is there any body who have been independent of borrowings and self independently pursuing livelihood?”-i asked

“ A few of them have built up capacity. I can cite the example of Archana who came from a poor family and now is a solvent women. She and her group engaged in flower-marketing,basket marketing initially but now is with interior decoration. Now she is famous lady here”. Both the manager and myself tried to contact but failed. She might be busy with her works!  

Finally, we came to Tantisal SKUs.  There was a huge gatherings , All of them came to participate in an agricultural program arranged by the SKUs. We had our lunch there. After lunch the officials shared with me & friends in the office. 

This is also a growing SKUs and farmers friendly society. I was happy knowing that they have incorporated two women in the team management. Further I was said that 260 women are enrolled as members.  I have not seen anywhere where such good numbers are bonafide-members to a society.  The society has recently focused its attention to groundnut promotional activities. With support of NABARD & State Government they have installed a semi-processing groundnut unit. They are purchasing groundnut from members and after grading and sorting selling in the market. Farmers are getting higher price that what they would get at the hand of middleman.

Seed is the constraint to them. They have been purchasing old cultivars and adulated one. Similarly they were asking for introducing mechanization . All we shared and gave our suggestions.

Returned home  with experience of SKUs. Hope for co-operatives !