Eco perspective reading: Elijah & Nammalvar

Restorer of Hope

Zarephath’ son raised by: Elijah.

Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk, CSI Coimbatore Diocese

Sometime later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” 19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” - I Kings 17: 17-24 (NIV)

A Messiah for farmers, an agricultural scientist who left his prestigious government job at the research station in Kovilpatti, a small district in the South of Tamil Nadu, paved his green path and went on to become an Indian green crusader, environmental activist and an organic farming expert.

File photo: copied from internet  

Nammalvar, from a small village near Thanjavur is best known for his work in ecological and organic farming. Like Elijah, he regenerates the hopeless situation of farmers who incurred losses due to dependence on fertilizers for cultivation.

He would say, "It is of no use trying to teach a farmer instead, one should make the farmer to understand the real issue". To create awareness amongst the fellow men he used simple sentences and Tamil proverbs, orating short interesting stories that touched the heart of his listeners. Just like how Jesus effortlessly delivered his thoughts to his audience.

Early in Nammalvar’s crusade, once a reporter asked, if he was sure farmers would switch to organic. He replied: "I don’t mind if they do not change now. My work is to tell the truth and sow the seeds.  Some seeds germinate quickly if the field is good. Others will take weeks and some will take years. I am sure my seeds are good seeds and will germinate surely even after decades."

He believes that miracle would take place when people would understand the threat of using chemical fertilizers and realize that all inputs including fertilizers should be a product of the farm and waste should be recycled and used. He acknowledged that this revelation was a turning point in his life. His efforts bore fruits indeed! Some of the political parties supported and promoted organic farming in their election manifesto too.

Isn't that a great revolution, everything lies in the seed that is sown in the right place and this was all possible because of this determined and silent revolutionist Nammalvar who sowed this seed.

Like Elijah who knew the right place to revive the dead son of the widow. He exactly knew where the seed has to be sown.

One of this simple man's sayings was: “Farming is not a way of producing crops to make money. It is a way of living, and a way of living that is possible even in this century.” He has shown the absolute path to organic way of life.

He has slept peacefully, disturbing many people's sleep and continues to kindle the knowledge that he has imparted to us. He has definitely left a vacuum in each one us, who knows his tireless efforts, his mission of speaking about the ill effects of chemical usage in the farm. He has evoked concern for the ecosystem in the vacuum of our hearts. He has rejuvenated the sad plight of the farmers with his tireless efforts and became a hero to multitude of them whom he trained and mastered in organic cultivation.

 A life dedicated and lived for the betterment of the farmers to yield at low cost and most importantly in a traditional, pure and organic way restoring hope once again!

This green miracle story is a witness of how God used Nammalvar to give hope to the aimless farmers just the way how God used Elijah to give hope to the widow!