It was Independence Day and a long weekend.
Time for us to load the bags into our SUV and run to Mrughavade farm. Added
incentives were obviously the torrential rains, brimming streams, impromptu
water falls and lastly the Paddy Transplantation time. Manjunath our Farm
Manager had called previous week saying, "Saar, if you are coming, come on
Aug 15th, I am planning Netty (Paddy Transplantation)". This year we had
decided to sow Paddy for the first time. After switching over to Red Rice at
home for obvious health reasons, it was necessary to grow our own healthy
stuff.
En-route we stopped to take a few photos of
Bhadra Dam in Lakkavalli, near Kuvempu University. A rare site to see a full
dam with all the sluice gates open and water gushing out.
Reaching the farm, we walked up to the
Paddy Fields. After a bit of cajoling and mock warnings that each of them have
to grow their own food, Kaushik, Keerthana and Saanvi (Keerthana's friend) got
in gingerly into slushy water logged fields and planted a few paddy seedlings.
Evening it was time for some serious boat
making. An old 'The Week' magazine came handy for making the boats and a stream
near the fields was the ideal place for trying our boats. While the kids
played, Rajani and I had relaxing time wading through tingling cold water.
I tell you, nothing beats monsoon rains,
and you should definitely get drenched atleast once every season. Pick up your
umbrellas guys, even better, forget your umbrellas and drive into the misty
Western Ghats. Enjoy the rains before the season is over for the year.
