Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jun 13: Despite facing numerous challenges, including water scarcity at a few locations and harsh heatwave conditions, the traditional paddy transplantation season—locally known as Thaejkaad—is currently underway in full swing across various parts of Kashmir.
Farmers, both local and non-local, are working tirelessly to complete the process before the ideal window of June 21, ensuring the continuation of a centuries-old agrarian legacy.
In many areas of the valley, lush green nurseries have transformed into bustling paddy fields, where the rhythmic planting of saplings is underway. While most agricultural activities in Kashmir are now dependent on non-local labourers, this season has witnessed a collaborative effort—local farmers, their families, including women and children, and outside workers are all actively involved in the strenuous task of transplantation.
Ghulam Rasool Dar, a seasoned farmer from Litter Pulwama, said unseasonal rains in late April delayed the initial sowing process, and further rainfall at the end of May pushed back transplantation timelines. “Despite the delay and the prevailing heatwave, we are working round-the-clock to ensure that transplantation is completed by June 21—considered the most suitable time for a healthy crop and better yield,” he said.
Dar said that wherever water is available, many farmers are hiring skilled non-local workers to speed up the process. “Every inch of land matters. We are trying our best to cover as much ground as possible before the soil dries up,” he added.
Currently, hundreds of families can be seen across south, central, and north Kashmir engaged in the fields. The picturesque rural settings are filled with the sight of people knee-deep in muddy waters, transplanting saplings in perfect lines—a timeless image of Kashmir’s agrarian culture.
According to farmers, Thaejkaad is not just an agricultural exercise, but a cultural ritual deeply embedded in Kashmir’s identity. “For some, it may just be paddy transplantation. But for us, it carries immense cultural and emotional value. It is believed that this season brings blessings, prosperity, and a spiritual connection to our ancestors,” said a farmer from Budgam.
Explaining the process, farmers said that paddy cultivation involves a three-stage cycle. It starts with sowing the seeds in a separate nursery known as Thaejwaan, which matures over 40 days. Once the saplings grow to around 9 inches, the main fields are prepared—tilled and enriched with farmyard manure. Then begins Thaejkaad, the meticulous transplantation of each sapling into the main fields
A decline in water levels in many streams, canals, and rivers has rendered several irrigation schemes defunct.
People from the Shaar area of Khrew in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district said they have sown now maize, moong and other pulses as there was no water available to transplant paddy.
Agriculture experts and the Department of Agriculture have been advising farmers in water-deficient areas to opt for less water-intensive crops such as pulses and vegetables.
They said that though water is available at most places, there are a few locations where people have been facing problems, which are being looked into.
An official of the department said that there is a need to protect the paddy land. “Kashmir was self-dependent on rice, but now the conversion of land to horticulture and construction of houses and other buildings has reduced the paddy land,” he said..
“Currently, Kashmir is dependent on over 60 per cent of rice from other states, and the percentage has been increasing with each passing year,” he added. (KNO)
