We all know that Lord Rama and the Pandavas were made to undergo ‘vanavas’.

While many of us fail to see an important aspect of food habits in ‘vanavas’, K.S. Kamath, an ayurvedic expert from Karingana village in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, finds that angle in these epics.

According to him, both Rama and Pandavas won the battle because of their food habits during ‘vanavas’ as they had to depend on roots and tubers in the forest..

His point conveyed the message of the potential of roots and tubers in the food habits at an informal get-together of likeminded farmers at Manchi village in Dakshina Kannada recently.

Farmers discussed, displayed and savoured little-known varieties of edible tubers and roots there.

Some of these tubers have cultural significance also. Cassava, which is known as ‘Puttari Genasu’ in Kodagu (Coorg) district, is an integral part of Puttari (the harvest festival).

However, farmers at the meet agreed to the fact that the changing food habits among many consumers are pushing the minor roots and tubers to the oblivion. Many elders shared traditional knowledge on cultivation, harvesting and medicinal importance of these tubers and roots. Each one had his/her own package of practice for cultivation based on the availability of land and manpower in their respective places.

You may be wrong if you think that little-known tubers and roots lack market. C.R. Shivakumar, a farmer from Kodagu, said that at least eight tonnes of cassava grown in Harangi backwaters in Kodagu are being sold in markets in Puttur of Dakshina Kannada district every week.

After savouring an ‘idli’ prepared from one of the tubers, a city dweller was surprised to hear that ‘idli’ was prepared from the locally available cassava by a local cook. For him, it was a new lesson in a rural setup.

vinayak.aj@thehindu.co.in