UNksz Kalai, ongumlimi esifundazweni saseNdiya esiseningizimu yeTamil Nadu, ukhuluma ngokutshala umoba nokubaluleka komkhosi wendabuko wokuvuna iPongal ngoJanuwari. Inhloso yePongal ukubonga unkulunkulu welanga ngesivuno futhi amnike okusanhlamvu okuvuniwe kokuqala. Ngazalelwa futhi ngihlala edolobhaneni elincane eduze kwaseKavandhapadi. Emini ngisebenza esikoleni, futhi kusihlwa nginakekela ipulazi lomkhaya wakithi. Umndeni wami ungabalimi bofuzo. Ukhokho wami, ubaba kanye nomunye wabafowethu bamatasa kwezolimo. Ngabasiza emsebenzini wabo ngisemncane. Uyazi, angikaze ngidlale ngonodoli, amathoyizi ami kwakungamatshe amatshe, umhlaba kanye ne-kuruwai (isithelo esincane sikakhukhunathi). Yonke imidlalo nokuzijabulisa kwakuhlobene nokuvuna nokunakekela izilwane epulazini lethu. Ngakho-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi ngihlanganise impilo yami nokulima. Sitshala umoba nezinhlobonhlobo zikabhanana. Kuwo womabili amasiko, isikhathi sokuvuthwa siyizinyanga eziyi-10. Umoba ubaluleke kakhulu ukuthi uvunwe ngesikhathi esifanele, lapho ususuthiswe ngejusi okwenziwa ngayo ushukela. Siyakwazi ukubona uma sekuyisikhathi sokuvuna: Amaqabunga omoba ashintsha umbala abe luhlaza ngokukhanyayo. Kanye nobhanana, sitshala nekaramani (uhlobo lukabhontshisi). Nokho, awathengiswa, kodwa ahlala ukuze asisebenzise. Sinezinkomo ezimbili, inyathi, izimvu ezingama-2 nezinkukhu ezingaba ngu-20 epulazini. Njalo ekuseni ngisenga izinkomo nezinyathi, ngemva kwalokho ngithengise ubisi kumfelandawonye wendawo. Ubisi oluthengiswayo luya ku-Aavin, umkhiqizi wobisi eTamil Nadu. Ngemva kokubuya emsebenzini, ngiphinde besenga izinkomo futhi kusihlwa ngidayisele abathengi abavamile, ikakhulukazi imindeni. Ayikho imishini epulazini lethu, yonke into yenziwa ngesandla - kusukela ekuhlanyeleni kuya ekuvuneni. Siqasha abasebenzi ukuthi bavune umoba benze noshukela. Ngokuqondene nobhanana, umthengisi uza kithi futhi athenge ubhanana ngesisindo. Okokuqala, umhlanga uyasikwa futhi udlule emshinini okhethekile owucindezelayo, kuyilapho iziqu zikhipha ujusi. Le juice iqoqwa ngamasilinda amakhulu. Isilinda ngasinye sikhiqiza ama-20-80 kg kashukela. Somisa ikhekhe emihlangeni ecindezelwe futhi siyisebenzise ukuze sigcine umlilo, lapho sibilisa khona ijusi. Ngesikhathi sokubilisa, ijusi lidlula izigaba eziningana, lenze imikhiqizo ehlukene. Okokuqala kuza ama-molasses, bese kuba i-jaggery. Sinemakethe kashukela ekhethekile eKavandapadi, enye yezinkulu eNdiya. Abalimi bakamoba kumele babhaliswe kule makethe. Ikhanda lethu eliyinhloko yisimo sezulu. Uma kunemvula encane kakhulu noma eningi, lokhu kuba nomthelela omubi ekuvuneni kwethu. Eqinisweni, emndenini wethu, sibeka phambili ukugujwa kukaMattu Pongal. Asilutho ngaphandle kwezinkomo. Ngesikhathi somkhosi sigqoka izinkomo zethu, sihlanze izibaya zethu futhi sithandaze esilwaneni esingcwele. Kithina, i-Mattu Pongal ibaluleke kakhulu kune-Diwali. Nezinkomo ezivunulile, siphuma siyoshaywa umoya emigwaqweni. Bonke abalimi bagubha i-Mattu Pongal ngokuzithoba nangokukhanyayo.
2022-11-11