Last year during this time, we have just moved back to Ma's old house which was kind of a big mess back then. Though nothing much has been revived so far, one big and beautiful change that Ma has bought to it was the garden surrounding the house. Vegetables, fruits, and flowers have now got their respective place and care out of the fertile land and Ma. She takes care of them as if they are her children, she talks to them, scolds them, plays with them and it is her kind of self-relaxation platform. Well, this corona induced vacation, made me spend a good amount of time there amidst her garden and the things I learned are so mind-blowing that now I kinda wish if I could have a garden of my own back in my hostel area.
One of the best places that I love to spend my time here is in her passion fruit garden. I remember how she planted them last year after growing seedlings out of some seeds she collected from somewhere. She with my father was so careful while cleaning the lands, picking the weeds, and plowing it so that the seedlings get the apt environment to grow in. After planting them, they would add organic fertilizers like compost and cow dung from our cow farm. Though I had to leave for my education by this time, when I came back and inquired about this beautiful garden, everyone was kinda excited! Everyone had something to share about how it grew and how they joined Ma and my father to grow and nurture them. I was lucky to have come back during the time of harvest that when I and Ma went to pluck them she told me the story behind how she grew this beautiful and powerful immune booster.
IT ALL STARTED AS A RELAXATION REGIME...
When we came back to Ma's house, everyone was in a very bad state of mind, all of us wanted to start fresh. I wanted to leave the place and go study far away from where I could start all over again. But neither my father nor my ma could do that, they had to stay back as my brothers had to continue their schooling and due to many other reasons. My father always loved the idea of starting a farm and the whole organic route, so he started building a shed and working around that for generating income as well as to relax his mind. But unfortunately, Ma had no choice as she was the house maker, she had to wake up early in the morning and all she had to work on was kitchen and house chores but none of these helped her to relax and be in peace with her mind. That's when she decided to get incorporated with gardening just like her mother. She started to work on the land around the house to make a kitchen garden of her own. Thus what once started as a small kitchen garden now has many varieties of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
HOW PASSION FRUIT FOUND ITS WAY TO OUR GARDEN...
Ma was brought up in a big south Indian family that owned a lot of agricultural land and farms. Farming wasn't something new to both my parents, though the only exposure to this sector for my father was during his vacation, my mother was brought around this. She learned a lot about growing crops, nurturing them, and even had many good contacts with people who used to work in her family house back then. This knowledge and contacts did help her a lot to bring up the garden and farm like how it is now. Ma collected the seeds of passion fruit and many other plants from her family members and then grew them up in her garden. Finding the seeds wasn't that hard as her late Uncle had already got such plants grown around his house.
GROWING THE PASSION FRUIT PLANT...
You see Barter system still prevails in between neighbors and families in India, though it is now an act of love and affection rather than trade. I have grown up seeing this barter system flourish a good bond between people. Ma would have some vegetable ready to harvest in her garden, after collecting them she would take a little part of it to neighbors and families nearby and when she come back she would have another five varieties of vegetables and fruits. This helps these housewives cook a meal of the day without depending on the market. It's not just vegetables and fruits that get exchanged even seeds, seedlings, and young crop are also exchanged along with the share of knowledge regarding how to grow them.
When Ma brought the seeds of passion fruit from her late Uncle's house; she was quite sure of how to grow it too (You see this is where the above mentioned Barter System comes into play). After fixing the seedlings into the fertile soil, Ma would water the seedling adequately every morning and evening. Since my father owned the shed, he was in charge of fertilizing. He added cow dung and let it grow peacefully and organically. Once the seedling grows and is ready to climb, Ma and my father fixed firm support and let it grow up the support. Once it gets fixed to the support and starts to grow more cow dung is added. One thing that should be kept in mind is that the root of passion fruit should be kept damp and in shade, to ensure that cow dung mixed with dry leaves was put above the roots. Later as the plants climbed above the support, the net was made by my father using ropes by tying them in a crisscross manner, and then the plant was let to grow. Periodic watering, organic fertilization, and ensuring that the root was kept in damp and shade helped the plant to thrive, after 7 months of constant caring, the plant started to flower and on the eighth month, the climber was filled with fruits. Not only did my family enjoy it but so did my neighbors and relatives. I mean, what more of a great gift can you give someone now than a freshly harvested bucket of organic passion fruit?
WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT PASSION FRUIT?...
Passion fruit is a treasure house of immunity boosters as it is filled with Vitamin C, beta-Cryptoxanthin, and alpha-carotene. Not only is the fruit so beneficial but so is its leaves as they are used in many home remedies. It is even filled with Vitamin B complexes like riboflavin and niacin, helping to control thyroid functions and also with antioxidants. Plus it is a rich source of fiber. The list of its specialty goes on. Though I fell in love with its delightfully sweet and sour taste, these facts do help as well.
Well, you see a small relaxation regimen brought a smile on many faces...
So, COVID induced quarantine did give us all a little bit to more time to invest in our hobbies and passion. Well, I am curious. What is your quarantine hobby?
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