Life is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit, and the story of Surya Mandi from Jharkhand stands as a testament to this truth. Surya, together with his wife Rupali, traversed a path from daily wage laborers to becoming profitable farmers, a transformation driven by necessity, hard work, and determination.
The Early Struggles:
Surya and Rupali, hailing from Jharkhand, worked rigorously to support their family. Rupali’s days were long, sometimes stretching from 8 to 12 hours at a brick kiln, while Surya put in around 2000 hours annually.
Life in Karnataka:
Several kilometers from their homeland, the couple worked as laborers in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Their children were their pillars of strength, and together they navigated the challenges of urban life.
The Lockdown and its Aftermath:
However, when the pandemic struck, the lockdown brought their steady work to a jarring halt. The cessation of their jobs started derailing their life’s course.
A Forced Return and New Beginnings:
As the pandemic worsened, Surya made the choice to return to his village. While initially a move driven by the circumstances, this return marked the dawn of Surya’s new chapter as a farmer.
Discovering Farming Amidst the Crisis:
For Surya, the pandemic era wasn’t just about challenges but also about opportunities. He used his time in the village to acquaint himself with varied farming techniques, from paddy cultivation to experimenting with diverse crops.
Contrasting the Past and the Present:
While Surya was in Bengaluru, farming in his village had been traditional, focusing primarily on paddy. But with his return, a fresh perspective on farming emerged.
Innovating in Agriculture:
Inspired to do things differently, Surya ventured into cultivating everyday vegetables on a significant portion of his land, introducing a farming pattern that was new to his village.
A Sustainable and Profitable Venture:
His innovative approach paid off. Surya revealed that during the lockdown, he not only took up farming but reinvented it, growing a medley of vegetables in one field, which reaped higher profits than his previous jobs.
Diverse Crops for a Sustainable Future:
In the span of two years, Surya’s farm flourished with broccoli, cabbage, peas, bitter gourd, cardamom, watermelon, and other seasonal vegetables. He also maintained a segment of his farm for paddy cultivation, ensuring a steady rice supply for his family throughout the year.
Reflection on the Journey:
Surya acknowledges the hardships the pandemic brought upon many, but for him, it was a silver lining. Returning to his roots and diving into farming, he found a venture that wasn’t just fulfilling but also more profitable than his earlier endeavors.
Surya Mandi’s journey is not just a story of survival, but of thriving. In the face of adversity, he turned challenges into opportunities, creating a sustainable and profitable future for himself and his family.