BENGALURU: The Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Syrian Church Bangalore Diocesan Centre has seen a major change from what it was earlier – transforming itself into a major farm house during the recent weeks due to lockdown from Covid-19 pandemic.
Located at No.1 Malankara Veedhi, Dodda Gubbi Post, Bengaluru, the earlier plain barren adjacent land now has a green cover with full of organic vegetables, fruit bearing trees and plants.
HG Dr Abraham Mar Seraphim, Bengaluru Diocese Metropolitan, who himself was in lockdown at the Diocesan Centre for over two months has personally tended to the land along with few of the staff staying at the Aramana.
In about 50 cents (over 2,000 sq feet) area the agricultural land has grown a variety of vegetables, fruit bearing trees and medicinal plants over the past few months.
Aggressive farming has over the season yielded vegetables namely Yardlong bean or asparagus beans, cabbages, capsicum, brinjals, lady’s finger or okra, tomatoes, cauliflower, bitter gourd and others.
In the Aramana premises there are coconut trees, mango, Gooseberry and several others.
Marketing of the fresh harvest to local markets has however not begun but is being sold in nearby villages and also for daily use at the Aramana.
The benefit of lockdown in Bengaluru city due to Covid-19 had enabled the Metropolitan to personally tend to farming with his personal care and prayers during his stay home days.
Mar Seraphim who completed 25 years of faithful ministry in Christ this year had called up on the faithful to take up farming during the lockdown days.
Many responded to the call as they moved to cultivate the land in whatever space and spruced up the kitchen garden with fresh vegetables of their choice.
“Adapting to farming has brought about a change in lifestyles – an aspect which some of the devoted families introduced during the lockdown period,” the Metropolitan had mentioned in a recent interview uploaded on YouTube under MOSC Bangalore Diocese.
His Grace, who was deeply influenced during his stay at the monastic state of Mount Athos, Greece, in February 2019, had observed how the monks leading an ascetic life had cultivated their agricultural land.
Let’s hope the prayers of the Bishop and all the faithful will bring in maximum yield in the coming days and receive God’s 30, 60, 100 fold blessing!