Rishi Krishi – Deshpande Technique by Aryakrishak Shri Mohan Shankar Deshpande

I am a science graduate majoring in mathematics. Hence my exposure to biological sciences such as zoology, botany etc. was limited to a couple of classes during the undergraduate years. And as far as agriculture was concerned, apart from owning some land in my village, I was not engaged in farming till my graduation. During 1960s and ‘70s there were sustained efforts to attract young educated people to agriculture. Since I was also in the process of choosing a career, agriculture became one of the options to be considered. These were the years of very high prices for sugar and jaggery and the sugarcane cultivators were enjoying unprecedented prosperity. So I decided to get into farming and returned to my village.

My village is Khede, Taluka Ajra, District Kolhapur, Maharashtra-India. The location is on Ghatmatha i.e. the plateau at the top of the hills as you climb the Sahyadris from Konkan, the coastal region. But it had all the traditions of Konkan. The village life was guided by superstitions and the myths, primitive faiths and belief in supernatural had a tremendous hold on the population. Added to this the casteism and hypocrisy were the rule of the day. It was a common knowledge that a Kunbi ( a sub-caste of the Maratha majority community) who was particular not to touch even the shadow of a low caste Harijan (untouchable) during the day time, would visit the Harijan locality in the evening to drink liquor.

I particularly noticed all this since I had returned to the village after many years of absence for schooling at Pune. In the village, I enjoyed a degree of respect on account of my education, caste and land holding. So I decided to do something about correcting at least a few wrong practices, as perceived by me in the village social life. As a start , I employed Harijans as domestic helpers and they were given full access to all the areas including the kitchen. There was some grumbling among the villagers about this but nobody had the courage to speak out. I also started inviting government officials such as the police inspector, the mamlatdar & others to the village and organised their meetings with refreshments in the Harijan locality. The villagers had no option but to participate in these. Despite all this, I was still disturbed and not satisfied with the progress in my dealings with the locals.

With this burden of uneasy mind, I was engaged in my vocation of agriculture. I was making a steady progress in the cultivation of my farms and was also carrying out experiments to evolve new techniques for improving the crop yields. In the course of these trials, I sent samples of the soil from various areas of the fields as also from under the trees, for analysis. The results arrived in due course and the study of these increased my restlessness. They revealed that the adherence to the traditions with no questions asked, as followed in the social life was repeated in the farming methods as well and this totally shocked me. At the same time it helped me to crystallize my thinking as to the proper direction to follow. During my school and college years, I had studied the writings of the great Marathi saints Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram and Ramdas. They taught that the blind faiths, superstition and the primitive traditions are born out of fear of the unknown and ignorance is the root cause of fear. Knowledge is the only way to eradicate the ignorance. The problem was : How to acquire this knowledge? The only solution was to read, deliberate, meditate and digest. I followed this advice and after some time the true path was revealed.

The procedure consisting of Angara, Amrutpani, seed dressing and the mulch works wonders in the field. Normally, even after using purchased earthworm culture, a cultivator has to wait for four to four and half months to have sufficient number of earthworms to be effective. But with Rishi-Krishi the same result is obtained almost instantaneously and within 8 to 10 days the earthworms are seen in the soil all over the farm. Further, this is achieved without procuring anything from the market. No earthworm culture and no earthworm castings need be purchased.

How does this happen? The living organisms in the soil which disappear or go into hiding after addition of chemical fertilizers, reappear to do their work after the Angara-Amrutpani treatment. And earthworm is the chief operator of the nature’s microbe factory which organizes preparation of suitable food at proper time for the individual crops. Also, the earthworm never works in isolation. The army of working soil organisms proliferates in its proximity. Not only this, it ensures the growth of specific organisms needed for food and growth by the individual plants in the field. I have, therefore, designated it as the managing director (M.D.) of the soil factory.

All the trials carried out by me using the Rishi-Krishi technique have been 100% successful. It has been used from Nagpur to Goa and from Pune to Ramdurg. Here the soils were of different types and the crops were also different. And everywhere the same tools, namely the Angara and Amrutpani ensured full success.

I would admit that there have been partial failures and that too in my own district. But the failures are not attributable to Angara and Amrutpani (my technique). The concerned farmers did not follow my method as specified but used their own modifications and hence the results were indifferent. All the same, if anybody is to be blamed for these lapses, it’s me. I fall short of the expectations of the farmers since I am unable to visit them as needed. In the past, I used to visit and guide the client farmers in the first year of the cultivation. Unfortunately, this is no longer feasible. So I have prepared a three hour video cassette explaining Rishi-Krishi in full detail, which is loaned to the farmers.

The technique involving Angara, Amrutpani, seed dressing and mulch results in improved crop yields not only for good and medium soils but for low grade, salty and non-productive soils as well. Cultivation at a farm with briny well water and saline soil has also given satisfactory yields. Here Amrutpani was used two - three times and a higher quantity of Angara was incorporated.

The agricultural experts assert that excessive use of water by the farmer leads to poor drainage and water stagnation in the field which is the reason for the soil turning saline. They advise trenching to leach out the salts. My advise is just the opposite: Increase the irrigation water to get rid of the salts from the soil which is based on the fact that water stagnates because the soil is saline. The soil does not turn saline due to stagnation of water. Therefore, trenching and washing will never be a lasting solution for rejuvenating the salty soils.

I quote some examples wherein the farmers who were unsuccessful in improving their saline lands by the conventional methods, turned to my technique and achieved very good results.

• Sugarcane
• Soyabean
• Okra
• Egg-Plant
• Jawar
• Other Crops

- Plants have their own language which they use to communicate with the living organism in the soil. The diet of every tree even of the same species is different from that of other plants.

- No organic or inorganic fertilizer or organic manure is needed as food by plants.

- Cosmic energy is the only source of plant growth.

- The poor drainage is the result of salt accumulation and not cause, therefore, trenching and washing will never be a lasting solution to improve the saline land.

- Nothing has to be purchased from the market, earthworms, culture, casts, etc. You can not purchase mother milk in the market.

- Input of the use of cosmic energy in its different forms in its natural way gives result in bumper crops in the same season - no gestation period is required. It is like mother’s response to her child.

More than three lakh farmers (up to 15 Aug. 2001) are following Aryakrishak Shree Mohan Shankar Deshpande’s method and getting bumper crops, at different places with variety of soil as well as variety of crops, from small farmers having a piece of the land to the landlords having hundreds of acres of land.

The Madhya Pradesh State Government has made his book compulsory to all Governmental agriculture workers in the state and asked them for its practical application in the month of June 2001.

Also, Government of India has distributed Ahimsak Rishi-Krishi books throughout India.

Following is the list of awards received by Shree Mohan Shankar Deshpande:

• District level Panchaganga Vigyan
• State level Vasantrao Naik Krishi Award
• State level Sendriya Sheti Shilpakar
• National Level Aryakrishak Award

Arya Krishak Shri Mohan Shankar Deshpande says –

My quest was, how to bring the soil to life? In other words, how to increase the population of the living organisms in the soil? I got the proper clue for this from a shloka in the Parashar Smruti:

Krishirdhanya krishirmerdhya jantunam jivanam krishihi|

Hinsadidoshyuktoapi muchyateatithi pujanat||

-Krishiparashara 8

The broad meaning of this is that, the farmer’s life is dependent on the living organisms in the soil he cultivates. During the cultivation, some of these organisms get killed. Since his Dharma (primary duty) is to produce food for the sustenance of the world, he gets absolved of the sinful deed of killing the organisms.

This shloka set me on thinking about the living soil and I started exploring the ways and means of increasing the population of living organisms in the soil. My quest ended at our common but sacred village tree, the banyan. I cannot explain how this occurred to me but after the event, I started to note down the reasons for its importance in our lives:

During the rainy season the soil under the banyan tree supports a very large number of crawler and farm worm type of earthworms.

During the heat of the summer it is fully clothed in dark green foliage. It is ever green in our climate, providing a welcome shade to humans, animals and birds.

Thousands of small fruit it produces is an important source of food for innumerable species of birds. Their droppings make the soil under the tree, highly fertile and teeming with soil organisms.

The aerial roots set out by the tree during the monsoon season contain substantial quantities of hormones and enzymes needed for plant growth. In our villages, sterile animals are fed these roots to induce fertility.

Our ancestors wanted to protect these valuable trees from destruction by indiscriminate use as firewood or timber. Hence the legend of instant death to anybody cutting down this tree. Also, the worship of banyan at the onset of monsoon by the womenfolk praying for long life to their husbands, forms one of our important religious rituals.

Steps Involved in Ahimsak Rishi-Krishi Deshpande Technique

• Incorporation of Holy Ash (Angara) into the soil.

• Preparation and usage of Nectar Water (Amrutpani).

• Dressing of Seeds for Planting.

• Mulching.

Step 1. Angara (Holy Ash)

As per the Deshpande method the cultivator has to incorporate a minimum of 15 kilo of soil from the base of a banyan tree into each acre of farmland he wishes to cultivate. Since the quantity is minuscule, I call it Angara which is the name of the holy ash from our temples.

Use of Angara results in a gradual increase in the population of the living organisms in the soil. However, my objective was to bring about a very rapid increase in their numbers. I was confident that our ancestors must have found a way to do this. So I went back to the Vedic texts. I was not disappointed and found that Arya Chanakya has provided a very appropriate shloka which ended the quest.

Kand bijanam chhedlepo, madhudhruten |

Kandanam Asthibijanam shakudalepah ||

- Arya Chanakya Arthashastra 2.24.24

This means : If the seed is in stick form coat it with honey and ghee (clarified butter) If it is in bulb form or with a hard cover, coat it with wet cow dung.

If you are a farmer you will realise how difficult and impossible appears the procedure laid down in this shloka! No wonder the mantra was neglected by generations of cultivators. I, on the other hand , spent months trying to unlock the wisdom hidden in the mantra. This was followed by field trials involving untiring efforts, successes and failures. My persistence finally paid off. I was successful in implementing the mantra into practice and the word Amrutpani was born.

Step 2. Amrut Pani ( Nectar)

The second step is the preparation and use of Amrutpani or Nectar water. We all know that Amrut is the heavenly drink which refreshes the gods and has the power to resurrect the dead. In the same manner my Amrutpani invigorates the living soil and converts a dead soil into a living one. I may add here that while following the above mantra to prepare Amrutpani, I have used the knowledge gained through my experiments and have followed some rules of our Ayurvedic system of medicine.

Preparation of Amrutpani (Nectar Water)

200 litres of Amrutpani is needed for one acre of farm land which is prepared as under:

Material :

Quarter kilo ghee (clarified butter ) from a desi (indigenous breed) cow

Half kilo of honey

10 kilo of fresh dung from a desi cow

200 litres of water

Process:

Thoroughly mix quarter kilo of ghee into 10 kilos of cowdung. Blend half kilo of honey into this mixture and add 200 litres of water stirring all the time. The mixture thus obtained is Amrutpani.

How to use Amrutpani (Nectar Water)?

Sugarcane, turmeric, ginger etc. should be planted after dipping into Amrutpani. In the case of crops where the seedlings are transplanted, dip the roots into Amrutpani before planting.

While watering sugarcane and other crops with canal or well water, mix Amrutpani in the main watering channel stirring all the time.

For rain fed or monsoon crops the seeds need dressing as explained in the next section. Here when the soil is damp it should be drenched with Amrutpani. The drenching should be between the rows and not directly on the plantings.

While planting seedlings of crops such as chili, tobacco or fruit trees, the small amount of water which is needed to wet the area around the plants should be Amrutpani. Excess of Amrutpani is always beneficial and will not harm the young plants.

A word of caution. We know that a chemical experiment in a laboratory has to be carried out using a predetermined sequence with accurate weights of the components. Similarly, the procedure of preparation of Amrutpani mentioned above and its use (mentioned earlier and later) has to be followed with strict discipline.

Step 3. Beej Sanskar (Dressing of Seeds for Planting )

I always use the word seed dressing and not seed processing. The processing is carried out on an inanimate object. The seeds are living and hence they need dressing for best results after planting.

Dressing of seeds with a hard coat such as rice, wheat, corn, bhendi (okra) etc.

To one kilo of Angara (soil from the base of a banyan tree) add sufficient Amrutpani to make a thick paste or muck. Mix a small quantity of the paste with the seeds in a sifting pan and keep on rotating the pan till the seeds get a covering of the muck. Dry the seeds in shade, store and use as needed.

For seeds with a soft or thin coat such as hemp, cereals such as moong, groundnut etc., the muck as prepared above should be lightly sprinkled and the seeds should be used immediately.

Step 4. Aachhadan ( Mulching)

Mulching which means covering the soil in the crop area is an essential part of the Deshpande system.

I would emphasize that the beginning or the start of the Rishi-Krishi process was the soil analysis.

The soil tests showed how ignorant all of us were, including myself and the agricultural scientists who were supposed to guide us. It also clearly indicated that we the farmers are victims of blind faith, whether we follow the old or the new traditions. Let me explain :

The soil from the base of the trees such as mango, cashew-nut, kinjal (Terminalia peniculata), jamun (Syzgium cumuni) was sent for analysis. Some of the trees were being fed chemical fertilizers while the rest had no chemical feed but had their leaves spread around the trunk which possibly provided them with some nutrients.

The testing revealed that all the soil samples from under the trees which were not fed chemical fertilizers contained differing amounts of fertilizer elements . No two trees say two mangoes had the same or similar composition. On the other hand, the soil from the trees which were fed chemical fertilizers had generally similar analysis. This was most perplexing and I was anxious to get to the root of this phenomenon. I purchased a pH indicator and analyzing soils became a hobby and an obsession. After many observations and days spent in analyzing the results, I was ready with the 3 Hypotheses.

Infinite Cosmos and its understanding

The cosmos is infinite and beyond imagination. The scientists and philosophers have been trying for thousands of years to understand and explain its working. But more we probe, the more complex the universe appears, both at macro and micro levels. All the same, it is accepted that cosmic energy is all pervading. The life as defined in every living or animate object is a part of this cosmic energy.

Now, since the cosmic energy is omnipresent, one can infer that all the life forms are connected by an unseen and inconceivable bond. They must perforce, communicate through some unimaginable process since the thought process generates electro magnetic (cosmic) energy. One gets a beautiful proof of this during organic farming. I will explain the concept with a couple of incidents (which can be confirmed by contacting the individuals concerned).

1.How long do earthworms live ?

A.Wherever there is research carried on earthworms in the world, the researches are generally unanimous about the life span of the earthworms which is one and half years.

2.Are there male and female earthworms ?

A. The earthworm is hermaphrodite. It has both male and female organs. But for procreation it is essential to have a mating of two earthworms.

3.To what depth one can find earthworms in the soil

A.The earthworm can operate up to 7 ft in the soil. This has been established by Charles Darwin in 1884.

4.Earthworms and microbes supply the food elements to the crops. But if the food supply in the soil is exhausted, how the crops are going to get the food elements. Meaning how nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and calcium will be produced?

A.The main food elements for a plant are carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen which constitute about 95 percent of the weight of a plant. The plants absorb these elements from the air but in the form of ions with the help of ion fixing bacteria. The availability of the gases in the air is inexhaustible. What is finite is the stock of the bacteria in the soil. And in order to ensure an unending a supply of these bacteria, you must ensure the presence of the nature’s fertilizer factory manager - the earthworm - in the soil. Other food elements which are needed in minute quantities for the nourishment and well being of the plants are provided partly by the soil microbes and are partly synthesized by the plants themselves. While thinking of the life processes in the biosphere, we forget the fact that the our knowledge of the universe is extremely limited and the there is a vast expanse of the cosmos about which we know nothing. And hence we are applying the laws of the finite universe as conceived and construed by our intellect, to the processes of the infinite(which is totally wrong).

5.What is the range of temperature favourable for earthworm growth ?

A.The optimum range is 15 to 20 deg C. When the soil is moist it maintains this temperature.

6.Will the Deshpande technique succeed in crumbly rocky (murmad) soil ?

A.The experiments in the crumbly rocky soil have been successful. Proper mulching is absolutely necessary for the trials to be effective. You will find a detailed account of mulching process earlier in this book.

7.Can we use a man made product as food supplement for earthworms in the same manner as we feed nuts to chicken or give biscuits to children ?

A.The earthworms always feed on discarded plant material. It also thrives on bagasse, press mud, old jute bags, partially decomposed farmyard manure, poultry manure and the organic mulch. Angara-Amrutpani is an added inducement to the earthworms in the same manner as our offering biscuits or sweets to children.

8.Can we use lemon juice as substitute for neem extract?

A.There no harm in trying. I have not used it so far. Since the neem extract has proved to be effective, I have not wasted time in this trial. My experiments were carried out with unquestioned faith in the teachings of the saints and sages. These were proving successful. Hence I did not feel the necessity to proceed beyond their advise although there was no restriction to try anything else. The only limitation has been how much I can achieve in my working life ! This is limited and very short compared to that of the ancestral sages which was 500- 600 years.

9.Will Amrutpani alone be useful for jujube trees (ber) ? Should it be poured on the tree or fed by the ring system ? Is it necessary to dig a trench around the trunk and (loosely) fill it with soil (before feeding Amrutpani)?

A.Angara is a must before feeding Amrutpani. It is the our custom that before we start our meal the hands or the spoon must be clean. So in both cases the word must should never be forgotten. If there is a trench around the tree give the Amrutpani in the trench in a clockwise direction. It is not necessary to fill the trench with soil. But the soil must be moist at the time of this operation. It is a good practice to feed Amrutpani along with the irrigation water. If the trench has not been made, do not dig it round the tree. At a distance of five feet from the trunk, dig a 5 X 2 X 2-3 feet deep trench in the south - north direction. The excavated soil should be put on side of the trunk, touching it and parallel to the trench. The bottom of the trench should slightly slope from south to north. Further, if it is feasible lay the trench on the west side of the tree. The above procedure is for free standing trees in an orchard where the distance between the trees is adequate to lay the trenches. For the small trees/bushes planted in rows such as pomegranate, orange, tangerine, banana etc., put the trench in the south-north direction between the rows.

10.Monthly cultivation of the soil around my ber trees is needed. Will this practice kill the earthworms ? If so what is the solution ?

A.With Angara, Amrutpani and mulch, cultivation of the soil is not needed since the weeds do not germinate. The soil remains porous and the white fibrous roots have a chance to grow unhampered without breaking or injury (as happens during cultivation). This results in increased fruit bearing. Please be assured that the cultivation may kill a couple of earthworms but no large-scale damage will occur to the rest of the earthworm population in the soil. This is because of the working of cosmic energy. The electro-magnetic form of the cosmic energy is operating in this case. The earthworms have copper in their system. This element is sensitive to the changes in the levels of the electro-magnetic energy. Once this happens (either due to cultivation or death of a few earthworms), all the earthworms in the area feel this and disappear into the ground. This is experienced by the anglers who try to dig for earthworms. Even after a lot of digging around, they normally get no more than a few . During a year, one earthworm produces about four thousand four hundred earthworms. And hence, it really is of no consequence as to how many die and how many survive.

Book on Rishi Krishi

Title Ahimsak Rishi-Krishi Deshpande Farming Technique)

Price (Marathi Edition) Rs. 180/- + Postage

Price (Hindi Edition) Rs. 165/- + Postage

Price (English Edition) Rs. 250/- + Postage [In India]

US $ 10.00 [Incl. Postage]

Video Cassette on Rishi Krishi

Price Rs. 500/- + Postage [Presently available in Marathi Only]

VCD on Rishi Krishi (Set of 3 CD’s)

Price Rs. 500/- + Postage [Presently available in Marathi Only]

Make all payments by Demand Drafts / Money Orders / Cashier Cheques payable to Mr. Mohan Shankar Deshpande payable at Kolhapur. Address - Shree Samarth Research Center, Khede-Aajra, Dist. Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India - 416 505.

It is not essential for Shree Mohan Shankar Deshpande to personally visit the fields of every aspirant farmer. Instead, such farmers are requested to visit the farms which have employed this technique and see the effectiveness for themselves.

Given below is the list of farms using this technique and their location so that the place nearest to you could be found out. Please ensure that your visits to such farms are restricted to the suitable timings given for each farm. The farmers there can easily describe the technique and show you the results.

Rishi Krishi Farms - which provides information at different places in Maharashtra are listed below.

1.Farm Shri Samarth Sheti Sansodhan Kendra

Address Tal. Khede, Ajra, Kolhapur

Contact Timings Prior appointment is required

Phone (91-2323) 241130 (Khede) (91-2323) 246230, 246985 (Aajra)

E-mail acrobats@sancharnet.in

2.Farm Gajanan Nursery

Address Jamnet, Jalgaon.

Contact Timings Only on Sundays

Phone -

3.Farm Rishi - Krishi Mandal

Address At Lingi Tahbril Vasmat, Parbhani.

Contact Timings Only on 1st & 15th of every month

Phone -

4.Farm Rishi-Krishi Farm

Contact Person Shri Rajendra Sambare

Address At Ashwi-lahsil Sangamner, Ahmednagar

Contact Timings Only on 10th of every month

Phone (91-2425) 241503

5.Farm Rishi-Krishi Farm

Address Belanki, Aurangabad

Contact Timings According to your convinience

Phone -

6.Farm Rishi - Krishi Mandal

Contact Person Shri Sanjay Sontakke

Address 16, Pasay Dam, Mahalaxmi Nagar, Mane-wada Marg, Nagpur.

Contact Timings Prior appointment is required

Phone -

7.Farm Rishi - Krishi Farm

Contact Person Shri Sanjay Javekar

Address Hero - Honda Dealer, Malvan, Sindhudurg.

Contact Timings Prior appointment is required

Phone -

8.Farm Rishi - Krishi Farm

Contact Person Shri. Mahmadalli Chougale

Address Rajapur, Ratnagiri.

Contact Timings Prior appointment is required

Phone -

Contact Person Shri Gorakh Powar

Address C/o. Adarsh Classes, Tidake Colony, Ring-Road, Nasik.

Contact Timings Prior appointment is required

Phone -

Contact Person Shri. Digambar Mandare

Address At post Bavadhan, Satara.

Contact Timings Prior appointment is required

Phone -

10.Farm Rishi - Krishi Farm

Contact Person Shri. Bhaskar Jivaji Wakade

Address At post Sanak, Pimpalgaon, Tal. Ambad.

Contact Timings Prior appointment is required

Phone -

11.Farm Rishi - Krishi Mandal

Contact Person Shri. Sharad Sonvane

Address At post Shirpur, Dhule.

Contact Timings Prior appointment is required

Phone -

12. Farm Rishi - Krishi Mandal

Contact Person Shri Mahesh Purandare

Address At post Pangire Tahsil, Saswad, Pune.

Contact Timings Prior appointment is required

Phone -

Before inviting him, for such a lecture

Ensure that there are atleast 200 attendees.

The callers have to bear Shree Deshpande’s travel expenses.

There is no requirement of any specific equipment for arranging the lecture such as stage, dias or even a microphone.

Honorarium for the lecture may be decided by the organisers.

Please do not announce the name of Shree Mohan Shankar Deshpande as a speaker without getting his prior permission. Send mail for permission.