Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Oct 5: In the bountiful harvest of paddy fields, the spirit of unity and harmony shines bright, exemplified by a unique farmer from Mulky, Dolphy D'Souza. Cultivating organic paddy on his one-acre farm, he offers the paddy sheaves (Tene) free of charge to temples, churches, and overseas non-resident Indians for their respective festivals, without expecting any returns. This contribution is particularly significant for the 'Kural Parba' (Tene Festival), where Dolphy stands as a shining example of agricultural tradition.
In Karnataka, families gather around fresh paddy grains, celebrating the harvest with rituals and feasts. Hindus observe this with festivals such as Chauthi, Nonpu (Anant Chaturdashi), and Navaratri, while Christians celebrate it on September 8 as 'Monthi Fest'.
Dolphy D'Souza's farm supplies paddy sheaves to 10 temples and religious sites, including Bappanadu Durga Temple, Kudroli Temple, Belman Temple, and Sri Kshetra Elinje. Thousands of Hindu families receive these paddy sheaves as a symbol of harmony and unity, accepting the offerings graciously.
Beyond the region, Dolphy’s paddy also reaches around 30 churches across India and 10 other countries. His harvest finds its way to Indian communities in South Canara, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Bengaluru, Maharashtra, Delhi, and even abroad in Rome, the US, Australia, London, Italy, Dubai, Sharjah, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel, helping non-resident Indians celebrate their traditional festivals with cultural pride.
Divine intervention
Dolphy had suffered from high blood pressure and chronic leg pain. However, when he resolved to grow and distribute paddy sheaves for the harvest festival free of charge, he witnessed miraculous improvements in his health. Today, his family feels blessed as they continue this annual practice of distributing paddy, attributing their good fortune to divine intervention.
Dolphy's father, Mark D'Souza, was also a progressive farmer known for cultivating areca, coconut, and vegetables. Paddy farming has been a significant part of their agricultural heritage.
"My decision to share paddy sheaves is a personal vow. There is no commercial interest involved. Even when I faced challenges like a lack of farming tools or damage from birds and storms, I stuck to my organic methods. I intend to continue this tradition of free distribution," says Dolphy D'Souza, Mulky.
"Dolphy has been doing this for several years. His dedication to sharing the harvest embodies devotion, and we only wish for his continued success," said Varun Bhat, Sri Lakshmi Janardhana Mahaganapati Temple, Elinje.