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AGROBIODIVERSITY HERITAGE SITE OF ZAHEERABAD, Medak District, Andhra Pradesh
Section-V: Dynamic Socio-Cultural relevance of
Agrobiodiversity in the Zaheerabad region
Farmers in the Zaheerabad region consider ‘local farming system’
as a subset of their ‘human survival system’. Hence for local people
‘farming’ is not merely a production function but an integral part
of their complex ‘living system’ that encompasses the social and
cultural domain that govern the normative behavior and
sensitivities of the community towards biotic and abiotic
resources. It is in this context the personification of the natural
elements enables the community to interact with sensitivity
towards the natural ecosystem. In this section, the socio-cultural
sensitivities of the community are thus presented, that in turn
are crucial for the passing of ecological heritage from one
generation to another in the form of folk stories, songs and
festivals.
Reverence to natural elements: A dynamic relationship existed
between the farming community and the natural elements in the
Zaheerabad region, while the natural ecosystem benefit through a set of built-in sensitivity
in the form of local belief system, the culture gives the community a medium to qualify
their sensitivities and sense of purpose. In the Zaheerabad region for the agrarian community
the natural resources are not merely ‘material’ in nature, but considered as ‘beings’ that
deserves respect and have a distinct status and sometimes a distinct personality. For example,
the farmland is considered as ‘Mother’, who is benevolent and provides them with their
food. There are festivals that are carved out of reverence to a growing farmland full of
crops symbolizing as pregnant mother during. Likewise, personalities are also attached to
ascribe the nature of ‘crops’ and the ‘lands that suitable to grow these: wherein ‘red’ lands
are considered to be ‘feminine’ in nature because they carry the most essential food crops
like millets; in contrast to ‘masculine’ nature attributed to ‘black’ lands due to their
association with ‘male’ cash crops like ginger or cotton. Thereby, farmers have a strong
sense of the limits of their natural element: they believe that these ‘entities’ give benefits
to them only if they are nurtured well in reverence.
WORSHIPPING WATER
In the dry and drought-stricken Deccan, the arrival of monsoon and the fresh water it brings into streams
and ponds is a cause for joy. The month that follows Nagula Panchami [festival of snakes] is the month of
Shravana, a month dedicated for regular prayers in temples, prayers to thank God for her merciful rains
which has made it possible for people to live again with hope.
In continuation of this thanksgiving that women celebrate Gangamma Panduga [Festival of Water] a
celebration dedicated to Ganga the River Goddess. In the middle Monday of the month of sacred Shravana
women offer a Teppe [float] to the water goddess.
Stalks of the Sai Jonna[Winter Jowar] which is one of the Satyam Panta, [Crop of Truth, a name given to
those of the winter crops which grow without rain and water surviving solely on subsoil moisture] are
shaped into a float decorated with flowers and curiously enough with a cradle. One of the explanations is
that the cradle acts as a swing to offer peace to the goddess.
Noone pole, a local sweet and rice are kept inside the teppe as food for Gangamma along with a number of
lamps made out of wheat flour. The entire float along with the food and the lamps are taken to the village
stream and the water is worshipped with flowers, Kumkumam [vermilion powder] and Pasupu [turmeric
powder] which are sacred to the farmers. Then the float is set sailing on the water and the grateful farmers
return home.
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