In Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, a young couple has been the subject of discussion with their unique initiative. This is Arpit and wife Sakshi Maheshwari. Both left the job of crores in the IT sector and chose the path of farming. Today both are doing Parma culture farming by buying one and a half acres of land in Ujjain. Both of them are growing fruits, vegetables, pulses and cereals. Both have planted 75 types of saplings. Half of them are fruitful. It has banana, papaya, guava, cilantro, pomegranate, orange, gooseberry, palasa, gooseberry and mulberry. IIT Gold Medalist This couple has been living in Badnagar for the last five years.
This is how the two met
Arpit Maheshwari, who lives in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, says that he has graduated in computer engineering from IIT Mumbai. Second rank in All India in pre exam. Sakshi had met during the Physics Olympiad 2007 in Mumbai. Both got gold medals in this Olympiad. Sakshi has graduated from IIT Delhi. He told that we got married in the year 2013. Both worked in Bangalore and then went to America. Went on a trip to South America in 2016. During this time, it was seen on the most beautiful forests, islands and mountains of the world that nature is being destroyed in the name of development and modernization. Cement-concrete forests are being created by felling lakhs of trees. Pesticides are being used wildly for higher yield. We felt that if this continues, then nature will be in danger in the coming time.
change from here
Arpit says that this thought shook him from inside. At the same time he decided to spend the rest of his life in search of a better way to be in harmony with nature. We could not understand what to do and how. But it was decided that something different needed to be done. Except for the package of crores where our health and happiness will be more important than money and status. After this, we decided to leave our job and do permanent farming to connect with nature. After returning from there, he started farming after buying one and a half acres of land in Badnagar town of Ujjain district.
Didn’t even step into the farm five years ago
Giving further information, Arpit and Sakshi tell that we are currently working on preparing a model of sustainable farming (Parma Culture). In Perma Culture Concept, we are cultivating according to Bio Diversity System. We have planted 75 types of saplings on one and a half acres of land. Of these, half are fruitful, like banana, papaya, guava, cilantro, pomegranate, orange, karonda, palsa, pulp, mulberry. Four wild plants have been planted as a support tree along with one fruit plant. It increases the fertility of the land. He told that we husband and wife had never even set foot in the field till five years ago. To begin with, we worked as volunteers in organic farms across the country. Leaving the life of a big city like Bangalore and living in a town was completely new to us. He told that we do online jobs for three hours. Financial needs are fulfilled by him, the rest of the time is being devoted to agriculture.
Now people coming from abroad to see
Arpit told that a friend lives in Badnagar. He kept coming and going here. We saw land at many places. When the land in Badnagar was found of black soil, it was decided to do farming here. He told that we also grow crops, do not sell them. They eat themselves, when friends and relatives come, they also give it to them. To meet the expenses, both do online part time jobs for 3 hours. According to Arpit, Karanj tree has been planted due to black soil in Badnagar. Karanj draws nitrogen from the air and transfers it to the ground. A decoction made from karanj leaves is sprayed on the leaves of insects. As biomass, karanj twigs are cut and spread near fruit plants. These leaves act as fertilizer in the soil. On the basis of such biodiversity, he wants to present to the world a model of a sustainable system of farming. There is a thought and technique called permaculture which has spread from Australia to all over the world. In this, the land is developed in such a way that the land remains fertile and does not become barren. People from Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Manipur and foreign countries are also coming to see our agro tourism.
