National Year of Millets - 2018

A couple of years ago a family friend suggested us to try millets in order to have a better control on diabetes. As I am diabetic for over a decade, my wife took special interest in this experiment.  On    day-1, as usual I had 3 rice-dosas  and checked for sugar level post breakfast, which was about '195'.  On day 2, we prepared millet dosas and I consumed 3 dosas and checked for sugar level post breakfast. We were pleasantly surprised when it read just '135'! Since then millet dishes have become a regular feature of our family diet and we are witnessing consistent results.

Karnataka leads.....
Karnataka is leading in millet cultivation.  Both the Government and farmers are taking special interest in spreading awareness about the good effects of millets consumption.  Just 4 years ago, area under millet cultivation was just 4000 hectares and today it has reached 94,000 hectares rising the hopes of Karnataka farmers!  Today in almost all grain shops in Karnataka, various types of millets are available for sale.  Shopkeepers say that the sale of millets is picking up day by day.  Buoyed by all these developments, Karnataka Government took initiative to hold the 3-day 'Organics & Millet 2018 International Trade Fair' at Bengaluru (19-21 Jan 2018).  This grand mela was well attended and the much impressed Central Government has declared the year 2018, as the 'National Year of Millets'.

What are Millets?

Millets are being cultivated since more than 10,000 years especially in Asia.  Millets are a group of small seeded grasses (see pic.above) which are drought resistant and grown on dry land. They are short term crops.  Their cultivation cost is said to be very economical when compared to the high water consuming rice and even wheat! In this era of ever decreasing rainfall, switching over to millet cultivation and consumption may be the answer to fight shortage of water. As per one study 4000 litres of irrigated water is required for producing 1 Kg. of rice whereas this cost is virtually zero for millets, as its cultivation is totally rain-fed!


Presently millets are being sold in shops at a price of about Rs.70-80 per Kg giving good relief to our ever suffering farmers.  Compared to the traditional crops of rice and wheat whose cost of cultivation is very high, millet cultivation is  ensuring better profit to our farmers.

One of the pioneers in popularizing millets as staple food to control diseases and improve health, is Dr.Khader (see pic above), Food & Nutrient expert from Mysuru. He claims that switching over to millet diet for six months can totally cure type-2 diabetes!

Benefits of Millets 

Compared to rice and wheat, millets are nutritionally superior and have high medicinal value because of their high fibre content, higher protein and the essential amino acids.  They are rich in Iron, Calcium and other minerals too.  Their insoluble fibre content ensures slow release of carbohydrates enabling better control of diabetes.  The use of these grains is also ideal for fighting obesity, constipation, cancer and heart diseases too.

Millet dishes.....

There are about 6-8 different varieties of millets.  Each of them can be used separately or even as a mixture to prepare a variety of dishes like Pongal, Bisi-bele bath, Dosa, Idli, Upma etc. The methods of preparation are same as that of rice/wheat.  Even rice can be cooked from millets for meals.  With some trial and error efforts, consumers can master millet cooking. When consumed hot, the dishes would be as tasty as the preparations of rice and wheat.  But the nutritional and health benefits outweigh the taste aspects. 

Mouth-watering Millet Meals!

In southern parts of  India, Pearl Millet (jowar) roti and Finger Millet (ragi) ball meals are very popular since many years.  They are tasty and highly nutritious.

Father of our green revolution Dr.M.S.Swaminathan (see inset in the Pic) too is a great advocate of the water saving and drought resistant millets, as a great source of health and nutrition. He has recommended to the United Nations to declare 2018 as the International Year of Millets!

Therefore switching over to millets can be a win-win game for all stakeholders including farmers, traders and the consuming public. Besides it can be our country's answer to the twin challenges of  depleting water sources and the ever increasing cost of cultivation.

(Notes: I have referred to a few sites and articles.  Thanks to all of them.  Also I am neither a doctor and nor a dietitian.  Please consult your family doctor on all health related tips).
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The story of real Bahubali!

The just bygone year 2017, was the year of filmi Bahubali.  But the year 2018 is the year of real Bahubali, whose mammoth 57-feet statue can be seen above.  Bahubali, also called Gomateshwara, is a digambara Jain Saint. His statue, one of the largest statues in the world was carved out of a single rock (and hence called monolithic statue) on

Vindhyagiri hill of Shravanabelagola (Hassan Dt), about 158 kms to the west of Bengaluru in Karnataka. Bhagwan Bahubali's statue on the hill can be seen from even a distance of 25 kms all around. 

Shravanabelagola is in news now, because the most awaited Jain religious event, Mahamastabhisheka of Saint Bahubali, which happens only once 12 years is being held from 17th to 25th of Feb 2018.

The year was 1967 and I was only a 11 years old boy.  I had gone to this place (just 50 kms from my native place Hassan) for this great event along with my elder sister. Although I was too young, I was amazed to  see the gathering of huge number of people from all over the country.  Besides it was delightful to watch 57-feet Bahubali statue soaked with 'abhishekam' of large volumes of holy milk, curds, ghee, turmeric, chandan amidst the chanting of devotional prayers to the Lord!

I had asked my sister then......who is Bahubali?  why this Mahamastakabhishekam? why only once in 12 years? My sister who was a teacher too by profession had told me the story on top of the hill itself.

Bahubali and Bharata were the sons of the Jain King Rishabhanatha who later on became the first thirthankara of the Jain religion. Later Bharata became the King of Ayodhya, whereas Bahubali became the King of Paudanapura in deep South.  Ambitious Bharata started conquering all Kings around and annexed his Kingdom by leaps and bounds. His 'digvijaya chakra' rolled all over without any inhibitions. But it got struck at the main entrance of his Kingdom 

itself!  Priests reminded him that he is yet to conquer his own brother Bahubali.  Bahubali, a born fighter, gifted with super-strong arms offered one-to-one fight in the form of dhristi-yuddha, jala-yuddha and finally malla-yuddha.  In all the three events Bahubali emerged victorious.  But he was pained by the violence and killings of war and felt like renouncing worldly pleasures! He gave away all his Kingdom to his younger brother Bharata.  Bahubali became a digambara sanyasi  and stood in 'tapas' for one year seeking 'moksha'.  He was so deep in tapas that all over his limbs creepers coiled and ant-hills grew around his feet! Finally he attained 'moksha' and became a revered Jain Saint. The statue of Bahubali reflects the mood of his deep tapas.

During 10th Century, it was the rule of 'Ganga dynasty' in the South.  Chavundaraya, the commander of Gangas who was a jain by religion got the 57-feet statue of Saint Bahubali carved in his town Shravanabelagola during the year 981 A.D. Mahashilpi Aristanemi is said to be the sculptor who carved this statue of Bahubali in a single rock. (Thus the 85th Mahamastakabhisheka which was held during 1981 marked '1000 years' for the world famous statue of Bahubali).

Priests advised Chavundaraya to conduct the Mahamastabhisheka for the mammoth statue befitting its size and the tradition started. Since then this religious event is being held once in twelve years. The ensuing event is said to be the 88th one.  

Swasti Shri Charukeerthi Bhattarakka Swamiji of Shravanabelagola Jain Math is the man behind these celebrations.  With the active support of State and Central Governments, elaborate arrangements are being made for grand celebration of the event.  More than 10 lakh jain piligrims, other devotees and tourists from all over India and the world are expected to take part.


I appeal to you all to mark your days for attending this great event. You can also include the nearby,  equally ancient, world 

famous Belur (above) and Halebeedu (below) temples in your program. 

In a single day return-trip, one can cover all the three places from Bengaluru.

Let me conclude with a couple of stories connected with Mahamastabhisheka event.  Chavundaraya, who was the first to conduct the event

during 981 AD faced acute shortage of milk.  Therefore he sent a 'dangura' (order by beat of drums) among his people to contribute a tumbler of milk from every household for the event.  As it was the local kings order, every family head came forward with a tumbler of milk. They all stood in the queue to pour the milk into the big vessel kept at a central place.  Only one citizen stood with a tumbler of 'water' , as he wanted to save milk for himself and he had thought that it won't make any difference when every one is contributing milk. Next day when the chieftain checked the vast vessel, he was surprised to see that the entire vessel was only water, not milk!  Obviously all people had thought on similar lines, and in order to save milk for themselves, had only poured water silently!  The message is loud and clear.  In any big event in our organization, we all have to contribute our mite without fail.  We should not fail in our duty,  hoping that all others will do the needful. Little drops of water  make a mighty ocean!

The picture above is the statue of the the deity Kushmandini devi  on the Bahubali hill in Shravanabelagola.  She had come to the first ever Mahamastakabhisheka as Gullakayajji (an old woman) with a small bowl of milk as her contribution, to test the local chief.  Dwarapalakas refused to accept her milk and she was sent out. At that time success probably had gone to the head of Chavundaraya and he was beaming with pride of accomplishing the historic task. When Chavundaraya performed abhishekam with all his huge volume of collected milk, the sacred statue could not be soaked beyond the thigh portion.  Worried leader consulted his priests, who told him about the insult meted out to Gullakayajji.  Chavundaraya with all humility searched the old lady and did the abhishekam with her bowl of milk.  The chieftain and all devotees gathered were dumb-stuck to witness that with that small bowel of milk, mammoth statue of Bahubali and even the entire hill were soaked with milk!  This incident reminds us not to ignore the contributions made by small people at the lower level.  Irrespective of great achievements, one should remain thankful and humble to one and all. I humbly thank my colleague and the learned Professor Shri. Keshava murthy for reminding me about the story of Gullakayajji, but for which my blog would have been incomplete.

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