Kolhapur–Gurhal 2007By Charudutta Tanksale

An integrated agro based industry, in Kolhapur which helped the people to be forefront in the country.

The perennial river Panchganga and its tributaries, innovative mini dams and percolation tanks make possible large scale sugar cane plantation. The black cotton soil then delivers productivity and sweetness.

We Kolhapuris not only make others lives sweet, but we do not make money like mithaiwalas.

Jaggary is a sugar in most natural form, without any chemicals for removing colour or any of the natural ingredients. Just a stalks of ladies finger plant is used to accelerate sedimentation of foreign materials.

The most successful Cane Sugar industry in the district ( first plant started around 1920) is lateral expansion sugarcane farming and jaggary ( raw sugar )making in Kolhapur.

About 60-65% cultivated land is used for sugar cane plantation. A 12-14 month crop gives harvest of 50-120 tones of cane in this period. We need to learn judicious use of water and chemical fertilizers with effective techniques for higher yield. In some nearby districts of land degradation and salination is observed due to heavy use of fertilizers and excessive water.

The bullock carts ( some times tractor trolleys also ) deliver the harvested cane to Gurhals ( the jaggary plant), the bagasse is used as fuel in customised furnace to deliver heat for boiling operation.

The Gurhal set up is owned individually which is offered for job working to others, who want to process their cane for Jaggary. About 25-30 men work on the plant, headed by an experienced person called Gulvya – the Jaggary maker). He learns by apprenticing and many a times it is his part time job in an year. Key people are retained for next season with advance payments.

The cane crushers ( ghana ) is a mill with three grooved cast iron parts and geared equipment. It is powered by electric motors and oil engine as a standby. In early part of 20th century wooden crushers drives by oxen were used. Old people always remember different taste of jaggary made with wooden crushers.

These crushers and oil engines inspired engineering industry in Kolhapur long back in late forties of 20th century. Today it is on a global map.

The belt transmissions are not the ideal and power efficient system. But cost of modern equipments is prohibitive. Moreover, these cane crushers result into higher juice retentions in the bagasse – which is again a waste.The farmer accepts this as a inevitable cost of production. Many progressive farmers do innovate but a single swallow does not make rain.

Everything is makeshift, no luxury of organized factory. Lower overheads just to realize added value

A cloth filtered juice is collected in an underground sheet iron storage tank.The bagasse is moved with the help of baskets to open fields for drying for better burning for process heat.

Usually in day time the harvested cane is brought to Gurhal location – few kilometers periphery.Process is usually carried at night times.It is always a pleasure to be at Gurhal in otherwise shivering night and cold winds.

The cane has just around 12-14% sugar, 15-18% bagasse ( which no doubt retains the juice) and 70% water. Kakvi – a thick sugar syrup has numerous medicinal values and can deliver a pure crystal sugar with ageing.

The bagasse drying area – a sweet smell every where – you are just intoxicated by all this.

These people do it as a commitment. No instructions , no supervision and full auto sequencing of so many minds and actions.

Everybody wants the jaggary to be good under given situation. The money comes later on – but not a big thing.

These people do not drink, just a tobacco or a bidi ( a cigarette made with tendu leave and a tobacco) after one cycle is over.

They sing bhajans ( spiritual songs endlessly, at every new stage of the cycle loudly pray the local deities – Jotibachya navaane changbhala! Or Pundalika varada Hari Vithhal!

They accept the given roles without complaint or grudge. Result of sweet company.

The Chimney – a way to drive the evils around and also the moist

smoke.Made from red mud bricks and

built locally with around 12-15 feet high.

Look at the white inverted figure – they burry the evil like this.

The superstitions make these people devoted mindset towards

the job at hand.No enmity, no quarrels and

disputes. For no reason the process is interrupted by the human

insistence.The show must go on!

It is a pilgrim for all of them every year.

No wonder that the jaggary is sweeter than the juice!

The bagasse not only helps sugar formation in cane – sun on rain, ultimately it burns itself so that the sweetness of the cane is delivered to others.

Nothing is lost the sun helps cane to grow, cane the bagasse and bagasse the sugar and sugar delivers the carbohydrates to the people as their energy source.; and what the people do?

The Sun replicated

The confined radiations of the bagasse furnace to heat the juice….

Initially the hand held filter spoons remove the foreign particles – a Kahil 10ft dia sheet metal boiling vessel. No cladding , no insulation – just a warmth around in the cold nights.

Vapors and foam – no recycling

The beginning of the boiling process – spread sweet aroma all around, even the passes by are aroused with it.

The juice is now syrup, nearness to the ultimate sweetness

Ready for incarnation–a new life in new form – for the market

Die is always cast – a tiled pit for solidification

A transformation

Ready to loose the heat

and fluidity. On the way to solidification

without rigidity – just

for sake of getting nearer to the people.

Venting the unwanted

All old neighbors gone, now with just sweetness around.

Nearing a new identity

The New identity

Waiting to join a new family and new journey

The shapes are usually tapered for ease of removal from the bucket. The weights usually are governed by market needs and ease of sales. We call it “Rawa” a bale – conventionally weighs between 30-32 kgs. One is enough for family of 5-6 for an year.

Ready for the market – in proper form. We are sweet yet we are commodity . Our value is not determined by the ultimate user but by the adtyas in the commodity market. Farmers take years to be

comfortable financially – for reinvestment and improvements.

This is not a research, just shared observations. Wish this may bring some memories back for the Kolhapurians spread all over the Globe.

Photos and theme by

Charudutta Tanksale

Logicon Networks , Kolhapur

Wish to follow up this work with shows abouta.Statues in Kolhapurb.Temples in Kolhapurc.Artists in KolhapurKeep inspiring my friends ..