Muthu Murugan, an organic farmer and his love for birds has made him offer a quarter of his cultivation to birds and the remaining to the cattle.
Muthu Murugan, an organic farmer and his love for birds has made him offer a quarter of the cultivation from his two and a half acre agricultural land, to birds and the remaining to the cattle.
Birds do a wonderful job of dispersing seeds that give new trees. They are independent in every sense from sourcing food to making their own shelter.
As humans our actions are quite ironic. We offer food to crows believing it to be our ancestors, but we chase the same crows that come to nibble on the crisps we lay out to dry in the sun.
Defying all these norms is farmer Muthu Murugan from Kulathupalayam in Thondamuthur.
His farm is filled with birds like sparrows, mynahs, Yellow-billed Babbler, Lonchura, Woodpeckers, parrots, peacocks and several species of birds.
He does farming on his 2.5 acres land. While rearing native cattle he also focuses on organic farming and on environmental protection and lives in harmony with nature. He believes that his land is for all living beings and hence a quarter of the portion of what he cultivates like corn and rice are left for the birds to feed on. Once the birds have fed on the crops, he gives the remaining to the cattle.
When enquired about his love for birds he said, "Following the path of Thiruvalluvar I have been into natural farming for over ten years and have never done farming for profit. I have never used chemicals in my land and make a livelihood by selling produce from the farm. Ten years back human food was what was left over after all the environmental factors played their part in the ecosystem."
He also said, " There are traces of chemicals in all the food and the birds that consume it are headed for destruction. A portion of my cultivation is left for the birds that come in search of food. No creature should die because of humans."
He also noted, "All other living beings except human beings help the earth that sustains us."
Farmer Muthu Murugan also said, "Deforestation has left the birds with no home and I do my best to save these little creatures as a small part of my contribution to the earth. The money spent on these birds never goes to waste. It is a delight to watch the birds fly around. The world is not just for humans. Social justice demands that food that is left over after consumption must be shared. It is apt in the case of birds and it is only justice to consume food that is leftover by the birds."