“Little is
written about William Carey and his contribution to Indian agriculture and
horticulture” .This is the sentiment of the architects of William Carey University, Meghalaya and is
expressed in their web page titled Our Vision , where they acknowledge the ‘numerous
contributions’ of William Carey .(www.wcu.co.in/Vision.htm).
Rev. Dr.
William Carey’s contribution towards Modernising Indian Agriculture and
Horticultre will have to be ‘duly acknowledged’ and then critically
examined. His thoughts and ideas forms the basis of modern Indian Agricultural
Universities and Vet nary Colleges. And if such ideas are allowed to continue
and have a free reign, sufficient availability of non-toxic food
(food-security) for the Indian population will be AT RISK. Are’nt we already
experiencing the consequences of imitating STUPID Western concepts in food
production and distribution, which is reflected in high food prices ?
Carey’s
Depreciating View about Indian ingenuity
and Livestock.
In his address
to the Agricultural and Horticultural Society, (200 yrs back,),
Rev. William Carey made the
following observations about Indian livestock “ No attempt to improve Stock,
appears ever to have taken place in India, but every thing has been left to nature; there is however every reason to
think that the breed of Horses, Cows, Sheep, Goats, Swine, and every other
useful animal, might be improved as effectually as it has been in other
countries, were proper (www.wmcarey.edu/carey/aghort/viii.jpg)
means employed to accomplish the end. The quantity
of milk in cows might
undoubtedly be increased, the quality of
wool might be improved, a stronger and more useful race of cattle both for draught and burden
might be gradually introduced, and in short every thing might be expected from persevering attempts to
improve those animals which come under the denomination of stock, whether
intended for Labour, the Dairy, or of Food. This then would form a proper object to call forth the
exertions of an Agricultural Society.”
The ideas brought
to Indian shores by men like Carey over the last 200 years, has inflicted great damage and suffering to ordinary
Indians. The local varieties (nadan) of rice has altogether disappeared from
our food basket. There used to more than 3500 species of rice in India.Such
rice had taste and also had medicinal /health reinstating values, guaranteeing
public health. Maybe the life-style disease ‘diabetics’ would not have assumed
epidemic proportions as of now, in the
face of which public health authorities are helpless.
Coming back to
livestock issues, the MILK of indigenous(INDIAN
) breed of cows had medicinal values. And many indigenous breeds are on the
verge of extinction. In Kerala, Vechur Cow and Kasargod Dwarf are examples. Pursual of modern ideas in agriculture with an eye on plentiful yield & profits lead to neglect of traditional wisdom and practices. Moderns gave weightage to quantity over quality. In the span of just 200 years, it has become incumbent on us to retrace our steps and pattern our life as per ancient Indian wisdom. Though Carey may have had good intentions regarding the welfare of heathens, ultimately all his actions are proving to be injurious to the very people, whom he tried to 'SAVE". (Such are the nuances of KARMA !!)
Kindly go through the following links which are a few(but realiable) among the numerous ones available on the web.
Then all natives of this land will realize what they have lost.
(42
comments for this article, too many to ready fully)
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/sainath/article2775282.ece
( 40 comments, came across some negative comments about THE PERSON featured in
this news item)
