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THE DRINKING HOLE


By Dr. R Sudarshan

Five years ago when we had just begun planting and were still broadly clueless about the craft of farming, a leopard family had walked in search of water that had seeped from the just laid drip lines, punctured by rats on a summer night. That eventually inspired us to dig some depressions here and there at the farm to impound water, but it is just over a year ago that we made 3 permanent water holes, the biggest of which is this.

That's our major link to the wilderness at the organic farm. Leopards may still be walking in but due to green ground cover, we hardly see the pug marks. Wild pigs do come in hordes to drink. The peacock families are regular. Lots of other birds, frogs, squirrels, rabbits, and mongooses aren't day-shy and we see them all the while. A rat snake has almost lived in the pond in recent weeks and it even molted on the shore.

The drinking hole is getting a makeover this week. Some water lilies and lotuses will begin to grow in it soon. When the leopards come to sip and snakes hiss in the lonely nights, the lilies could watch the drama in our absence, in the wilderness since.

For any relevant query, message 81051 12990.

Padma Farms (Gaddige Road), Farmer's House, 1A, 13th Cross, Kalidasa Road, VV Mohalla, Mysore.

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