Rieugleen R
It’s our ancestor’s customary to knock cow dung on the walls of houses, but we are not urged to explore what’s the great scientific fact that is hidden behind it. It’s because even nuclear radiation can’t pierce cow dung. History tells us even information about the Chola’s fort once safeguarded by it. It shields us from many rays such as heat and ultraviolet rays from the sun by sticking them to the wall. This concept was handed over by an IT couple from Chennai by producing paint from cow dung. “We first did a self-experimentation and then calculated the temperature while using a wall putty made of cow dung on the terrace of the house as well as the temperature of the terrace without it. In that, the cow dung putty reduced the temperature. so we came up with an idea that would greatly control the temperature. We tried several times to make paint out of it, but somehow it didn’t work out. Recently the Central government has launched Vedic paint which is made of cow dung that had been invented by Khadi scientists. On hearing that we took part in the training by the central government for paint making. So we are currently in the process of making paint”, Says Mrs.preetha Manikandan.
Apart from this product, they are making 30 value-added products from cow dung and urine. At first, Working like a conventional IT couple, the Jallikattu struggle aroused the desire in them to know about the landraces and to realize its benefits. They started to buy a cow for the house needs and then they were amazed that not only that milk was valuable but the cow dung was so valuable that they quit their job and now take up this as their full-time job with more than 18 cow varieties.
They are not only training farmers but also educating housewives to buy and resell from them. The four main items prepared by them are Pooja manufacturers, household items, medicines, and manure for agriculture which is more beneficial than applying vermicompost. We are amazed to hear that she was practising as a Panchagavya doctor with completing a one-year training. This is a medicine for many diseases like diabetes, AIDS, cancer and asthma. Another artistic part was they were preparing idols out of cow dung. She astonished us by telling us, in North India they were making slippers, ornaments and a lot more innovative products using cow dung. In Sri Lanka, they created paper from elephant dung. These instances are an apt example of how cow dung was utilised as a resource, rather than a waste product. After seeing this they have also come up with a new idea that to mix cow dung with rag paper and make handmade paper.
Now they are selling their products through online platforms and direct purchase is also available. She says, “Initially, it was a bit hard to learn but later it became a good business and the government subsidies also here. They were also providing many innovative return gift packs for special occasions.
For newcomers to this field, she says, “Let’s start with the simplest ingredients and then start making all the products like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, phenyl etc., All these are good for our body and good for the environment.But we are moving towards chemical products. In this instance Valluvar’s sayings, “leaving sweet ripe fruit, the sour unripe to choose”, is just remembered. Not only does this utilise waste into making something beneficial, but the process also generates income for farmers and gives employment opportunities to several workers.
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