Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Nov 21: Aditya Bhagwandas (43) was employed in the world of advertisements at Mumbai. His income was handsome and he was leading a colourful life.

Aditya basically belongs to Sajipamunnur in Bantwal taluk. He however was born and brought up in Mumbai. His father had shifted base to Mumbai when small in 1975. However, he used to visit his native place with his family once a year. Therefore, Aditya continued to be in touch with his family from a young age. He, however, did not have a cosy feeling about visiting the native place. His father passed away 16 years ago after which he did not have much contact with his village. However, he used to keep track of information about his relatives back in the village.

Aditya learnt visual arts at the famous J J School of Arts Mumbai and stepped into the world of advertisement. He got busy with designing advertisements, publicity of movies etc. He had good income, a luxury car and married a girl who too was in the same field as him.

A few years back, his boss wanted to casually know what he did with the money he was earning. His boss said he was putting together money to buy agricultural land. This statement got embedded in Aditya's mind. He was struck by the awareness that at a time when his boss was saving money to buy agricultural land, he was forgetting his own land back in his village which he had allowed to go barren. He then got attracted towards farming. He visited a nearby village and started to observe the way the tribal people there conducted farming. He learnt to grow jowar, ragi, rice etc.

His wife, mother and close relatives extended support in his plan to change the direction of his life. Aditya confesses that but for their support, this would not have been possible for him. "From the last six years, I have been cultivating fertile land located by the side of River Netravati at Manjallpade in Sajipamunnur village," he says. Initially he prepared the land in his barren field and in the first year, got only a couple of bags of paddy. The next year he took more interest and continued with work. Now he grows paddy in about one and half acres of land. Even though he hires labourers in the field, he too takes interest to join them. He says he gets a different experience when he stands in the slushy field. The old house standing there is being renovated. He also is constructing another house there. His close relatives live nearby and they too have been supporting his plans.

Aditya had a luxury car in the past and he weighed 104 kg. Later, to reduce his weight, he reduced the use of a car and bought a bicycle. He has a lot of interest in cycling and also has a shop on his bicycle. Now the only vehicle he has is his bicycle. He lives in a flat at Padavingady at Mangaluru. He leaves home at 5 am by bicycle and reaches Sajipamunnur at 7 am. After working in the field, he returns to Mangaluru in his bicycle. Aditya says that bicycle is a simple vehicle which he used when undertaking tough tours including Khardungla in the Himalayas,