Organic
: trend ? or return to tradition ?
Finishing a quick
Breakfast at a restaurant on the highway, while travelling to Bangalore, I was waiting for the Driver who was taking
his time over refreshments. Impulsively, entered the “Organic” shop Attached to
the restaurant. Found half a dozen ladies (seemingly conservative and distinctly north Karnataka), all Senior
Citizens, presumably on a group tour.They were sauntering loitering around the racks.
One of the Ladies
asked her friend: “ Harini , what is organic food ?”
Did you say “Organic food Lakshmakka”?
“Yes, I see these
organic food counters in every shop now.” Lakshmakka persisted.
“Ah…organic food.
Thats just regular food but costlier.” Said Harini Triumphantly
The other women standing
nearby got curious & joined in the conversation.
Now let wicked me not disappoint you. You are
right! It is my firm belief that when a
group of women (Senior Citizens at that!)
are engaged in a healthy
discussion , it invariably ends with the “
fittest” delivering the final
verdict.
Usually in a group
one doesn’t question the other’s opinion unless they are discussing important issues
like “ is coconut chutney with Idli
better than Raitha with Pongal” ? or “does adding garlic in brinjal curry make it tastier” ? when
everyone jumps in with their own Expert
Opinion..
In this case too they did !
Stern looking Aunty 3:
“ If it is normal food, why is it costlier?”
Not to be seen as the
one who doesn’t know her grocery , Aunty 4
responded with Authority : “ You see , these are items which didn’t have poisonous fertilizers and
pesticides sprayed on them. Such toxic stuff can kill people you know?”
And As an after thought said , “ Not
that fertilizers and pesticides are the only way to kill people.”
My Driver
returned. But I waited, ears perked up ( Oh yes my hearing aids were in place) holding my
breath. This discussion was getting interesting. There was half a chance one of
the contestants hiring the Hotel Security to “Convince” the others. Thankfully nothing serious
happened and they moved on to other
topics.
But I realized that the ladies
were right. Organic food is regular food but costlier. In fact, organic
food is so costly that a household with average fixed earnings will be doomed
if they decide to go completely “Organic”.
Resumed our travel, thinking about “Organic Food”
Twenty years back, only a
few people would dare to enter shops that had huge glass panes in
the front , were air conditioned
and were costlier than the traditional
“Friendly” Neighborhood Store.
But, not anymore thanks
to booming consumerism, people don’t hesitate to enter such shops .
what these fancy shops
were about then , the “organic food” store is today. It is
so expensive.
Every time I go grocery
shopping to one of these Mega Stores, I
see racks labelled ‘Organic Foods’ .
Just in case someone
has a misconception & don’t realize. Organic food is the food that
our grandparents ate everyday, day
after day & without paying anything
extra . This was when they were in control of their lives and and when we were
toddlers.
Organic food for which
we pay so much today wasn’t always
this costly. Just think of the fruit Ganesha (the Lord) earned using his
inventiveness or the Apple Eve ate
or the poisoned one the witch tempted Snow White with. ORGANIC & FRE E were’nt they?. Not to mention the one that fell on Newton’s head !
Why then do we unfortunate mortals have to pay hefty sums now for anything
labelled organic ?
About twenty five years ago all food items sold at every store
was organic and easily accessible to everyone. There was no seperate shop or
counters. Our grand parents never had to go to
stores named ORGAnik,
PURE & SURE , Hasiru Siri, Etc; to buy unadulterated , healthy Food.
One of the things we
can do to make ensure we all don’t end up paying exhorbitant sums for Organic food Is by
sharing posts like this on Facebook
& Whatsapp groups and educate all farmers that we should ONLY
be growing food without chemical
fertilizers and pesticides. Ohh! wait, there is an issue ! The farmers on
Facebook & Whatsapp groups aren’t
real farmers (plowers ie) … they are the ones who block the highways
while protesting against farm laws, crop prices and other personal issues with
their imported SUV’s while
enjoying Pizza with cans of coke for Nashta
, Khana & diversion .Farmers
& their farming have come a long
way.
Continued the journey
with The words of “Authoriative" Aunty 3 ringing in the ears:
“ , ಆದಾ ನೋಡ್ರಿ ಮತ್ತ್ thangi ಈ ಖಾನಾವಳಿಯಾಗ್ ಒಂದ್ ಥಾಟ್ ಭಾಕ್ರಿ ತಿಂದ್ ವಾಟಗ ಚ್ಛಾಹ್ ಕುಡಿದಾಕ ಮೂರ್ ನೂರ್ ರೊಕ್ಕ ನೀಡಾಕ್ ಹತ್ತ್ಹೀವೀ.”
