SOUL: Introduction to the Series on Agriculture

The strength, complexion, immunity etc. of a living system is under the control of diet which in turn is under the control of six rasas

Suśruta Saṃhitā, Sūtra Sthāna, Chapter 1, verse 28.

Concept and Classification of Āhāra

In the ancient wisdom of Āyurveda, āhāra (food) is one of the pillars of life (upastambhas); the other two being sleep and a balanced sexual life. Food is crucial to health and well-being on a psychological, physical, and mental level. The classical texts of Āyurveda of 300 BCE – 700 CE dedicate elaborate sections to foods, classifying them according to their various qualities, their composition and effect on the body. They also contain prescriptions on how the food must be processed, cooked, and consumed based on the individual. The primary classification of food is based on its appropriateness to the body and mental constitution based on the pañcamahābhūta system (a system of classification based on the levels of the five constituent elements that compose any material in the universe) and the tridosa theories. The pañcamahābhūta are ākāśa, vāyu, agni, jala and pṛthvī. Āhāra is categorized as hitāhāra (wholesome) and ahitāhāra (unwholesome) and into other categorisations according to its prakṛti, and the pañcamahābhūta system. These domains are helpful to understand food, however, they are a holistic and integrated part of the whole — and tie into our physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

What is “good food”?

Clearly, “good” food according to Āyurveda depends on a number of factors, including but not limited to how and where such food is grown, and the manner, timing, and quantity in which it is consumed. It is not just what is consumed at the end of the chain, but rather, all the processes that produce it and its overall environmental impact. What we eat, therefore, is equally important as where it comes from. Selecting “healthy” foods over unhealthy can only have an impact if food is grown in a wholesome manner. “Good food” is, first and foremost, grown sustainably, ideally using traditional farming methods that are kind to the environment and to the farmer, that work alongside natural systems rather than push them into intensive, unsustainable agriculture.

Food as Medicine

This is perhaps the reason that agriculture occupied such a seminal place in the Indian lifestyle and consciousness. In the setting of the agrarian economy, the active agricultural/pastoral lives, with the consumption of wholesome food meant that comorbidities and chronic degenerative diseases were rarer, although lifespans were shorter. Today, the chemical-aided growth, the industrial processing of food, its surplus availability and the way retail markets are designed have led to an all-out health crisis. Due to top soil mineral depletion, the nutritional value of fresh produce has declined to such a significant extent that we now have to consume about ten times the weight to receive the same nutritional value¹. Being starved of vitamins and minerals means that humans are overeating calorie-dense and nutrient poor food, leading to vicious lifestyle disorders. The entire food and dairy industry, including both its production and consumption has become a centralised and toxic capitalist enterprise with inadequate focus on environmental and health impact. Currently, dietary intake is not in keeping with nutritional recommendations. A large proportion of modern diets consists of high-glycemic-index foods that are low in fibre and high in salt, sugars, and oils. This, coupled with the imbalance in caloric intake with caloric expenditure is exacerbated by the sedentary modern lifestyle and leads to a number of degenerative and lifestyle disorders.

This is the reason that ancient Indian texts, including the Vedas, the Purāṇas and Itihāsa focus on relaying messages of interdependence and respect for nature, and the centrality of food to civilization and in the circle of life. There is sufficient evidence of the interconnectivity of energy systems through ritual and religious practice. Vedic rituals are centred around pleasing the gods though praise and offerings for rain or a bountiful harvest. A verse in Ṛgveda sums up this message. It says, “Let our ploughs open the soil happily, let our ploughman walk happily with the bullocks, and let clouds soak the land with water…”

Apart from mentions in religious texts, agriculture, or kṛṣi, has a large body of specialised literature as well. The texts that have survived include Kṛṣiparāśara, Kaśyapiyakṛṣisūkti, Kṛṣi Gītā, Vṛṣṭivijñānam, Kaśyapīyakṛṣipaddhati, Kauṭilya’s Arthaśāstra, the Sangam literature of early Tamils, Manusmṛti, Varāhamihira’s Bṛhatsaṁhitā, Amarakoṣa, and Surapāla’s Vṛkṣāyurveda. These texts provide information about agriculture, horticulture, arboriculture and plant biodiversity. In addition, treatises on horses by Śālihotra and on elephants by Pālakāpya are also available. We get a wealth of information on agricultural practices, tools, and a multitude of other subjects such as manure, pests, the types of crops and the types of land, sowing and seeds, irrigation, etc. from these texts.

India celebrates a whole host of harvest festivals that sacralize the act of farming and embody gratitude for the life-giving force that is the mother earth. The cow, that occupies a central position in any agricultural unit, whose waste is an integral biofertilizer, is the most sacred of animals to our civilization, equated to a mother and epitomising the role of a provider and a generous giver in our purāṇas. Since survival was reliant upon the condition of the land and the ecosystem, traditional farming relies on the harmonious management of land, air and water. Only when a deeper, more spiritual connection with land, livestock and ecology itself is revived and promoted can there be a natural shift towards sustainable agriculture. This is the purpose and goal of TCBT (Tarachand Belji Techniques) of organic farming that is practised and propagated by SOUL. It aims for a more holistic approach to food production, health, and environment as deeply interconnected systems.

A Shift to Organic Farming

There has been, veritably, a shift in public discourse to pay more attention to the food we eat. The exponentially burgeoning consumer market for “organic” produce and grains is proof of a shift towards this — whether these products are truly organic in every respect or not, is a different issue. This shift to natural farming was spearheaded by Tarachad Belji, who founded SOUL, Society for Organic Living. One of our most earnest beliefs here at SOUL is the interconnectivity and crucial significance of our life systems — our health, food, agriculture, ecology and the economy. We strive towards svāsthya, the state of being firmly established in one’s own natural self is a state of optimal health according to Āyurveda. In order to achieve this, one must strike a balance between structural and physiological factors, metabolic and excretory processes, body tissues, the senses and the mind, and attain a state of self-awareness and contentment.

Traditional knowledge is severely threatened by the State’s agricultural policy that forces farmers to implement modern agricultural techniques and practices that are based on international standards set by the monopolistic Big Agro industry. SOUL is therefore elated to announce our series on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and agriculture, on recognising the need for the revival of traditional farming and the knowledge of Āyurveda. We will be exploring various aspects of food, agriculture and health through discussions on various aspects. Stay tuned!

Endnotes:

1. The average mineral content of calcium, magnesium, and iron in cabbage,lettuce, tomatoes, and spinach has dropped 80-90% between 1914 and 2018 according to various studies

• Beeson K.C. The Mineral Composition of Crops with Particular Reference to the Soils in Which They Were Grown: A Review and Compilation. U.S. Department of Agriculture; Washington, DC, USA: 1941.

• USDA, Agricultural Research Service USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28. Available online

• Davis, D. R. (2009). Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Composition: What Is the Evidence?. HortScience horts, 44(1), 15-19. Retrieved Aug 2, 2023, from here

• Payyappallimana U, Venkatasubramanian P. Exploring Ayurvedic Knowledge on Food and Health for Providing Innovative Solutions to Contemporary Healthcare. Front Public Health. 2016 Mar 31;4:57. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2016.00057. PMID: 27066472; PMCID: PMC4815005.

• Cover Image : Galeri ega