Planting saplings amid folk songs, sips of noon chai mark Kashmir’s peak paddy season

Srinagar, May 31: As the season of paddy transplantation reaches its peak across the Kashmir Valley, the green fields are resonating with the soulful melodies of traditional Kashmiri folk songs, painting a picture of joy, unity, and cultural revival.

For over two week now, families in larger numbers, their relatives and neighbours have been stepping into the muddy fields from dawn till dusk, carefully planting tender paddy saplings.

The air is filled with rhythmic ‘Rouf’ and other folk tunes, turning back-breaking labour into a festive community celebration.
Videos of farmers singing in unison while bent over the fields have gone viral on social media, drawing widespread appreciation and nostalgia. “Be it a student, government employee or a shopkeeper, everybody participates so that it ends early,” said Muhammad Akber Lone of Pattan, Baramulla. “All of them step into the fields amid excitement. The activity is done on a community basis — all relatives and neighbours happily join each other to plant paddy in their fields. The dominating feature of this hard task remains the folk singing which one can hear coming out from every field these days.”

The tradition of singing while planting had faded during the COVID-19 pandemic but has made a vibrant comeback this season. Farmers say these age-old songs not only ease the physical strain but also bring peace and rhythm to the exhausting work. Mukhtar Ahmad Sheik from NatnusaHandwara said that folk songs or Rouf give peace of mind and help them finish the work within a short span of time. “We take a break to relish Kashmiri namkeen chai (salt tea) and other special dishes cooked at home specifically for the day. All our family members and relatives, including cousins, are in the fields to help. This year it is a joyous atmosphere,” he said.

Families often work together for days at a stretch. Sheik’s extended family has been planting for nearly a week, with possibly one more day left. “We have an extended family,” he said with a smile. “We enjoy taking a break from regular work to come together in the fields.” Paddy sowing in Kashmir traditionally begins before the arrival of the monsoons in June-July. Most traditional crops here are photosensitive, making the timing of sowing critical for a good yield. Farmers are optimistic this year, hoping for bountiful harvests as they continue working in the fields until the harvesting season begins in September. According to officials from the Agriculture Department, transplantation of paddy has been progressing well. “We have got reports of 100 percent sowing of maize and paddy seeds across the valley. Transplantation of paddy has begun in entire Kashmir since the last two weeks,” they said. The department has ensured timely availability of fertilizers and even home delivery of seeds to boost agricultural activities. Official data shows that around 3.15 lakh hectares of land in Jammu and Kashmir are under different crops. Paddy, the staple crop, is cultivated on 1.41 lakh hectares, followed by maize on 80,000 hectares and vegetables on 30,000 hectares.