Kem practices in paddy cultivation

Prof. W. I. Siriweera

The term Kem is derived from the Sanskrit kshema which means protection. The earliest references to Kem are found in the thirteenth century literary works Pujavaliya and Saddharmaratnavaliya but it is possible that kem practices existed in society from earlier times.

The ancient Sri Lankan peasant like his modern counterpart considered that plant diseases could be remedied, pests could be controlled and harvest could be protected by resorting to certain Kem measures. For instance, the smearing of paddy plants with ash in the morning was a form of Kem practised from ancient times. The Tamil literary texts Sekarasasekara Malai and Sarajothi Malai datable to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries state that ashes of the burnt wood of a ruined house or hut were spread on the ridges of the paddy field with the belief that it would protect the crop from birds, insects and wild animals.

Even at present smearing ash on paddy plants in the morning is practised by many farmers all over the country. Before smearing ash, water is drained from the field and after smearing, the field is kept dry for four days. Due to the effect of ash, insects on paddy plants move downwards from the plant and on to the soil. The eggs of the insects are also wiped out by the farmer with a bundle of Keppetiya (Croton lacciferous) leaves. After four days the field is inundated again and the insects that moved down due to the effects of ash die in water.

In remote areas of the Kurunegala district, insects that harm the paddy plants were removed by burning dried leaves of Gandapana (Lantana aculeate), Keppetiya, Dodampana (Glycosmis pentaphylla) and Sera (Cymbopogon citrates). It was believed that fumigating would dispel the flies and insects.

The Kem measures associated with smearing the crushed Madu (Cycas circinalis), Valdel (Atrocarpus nobilis), Kokkana (Kokoona zeylanica), Godapara (Dilleniaretusa), Demata (Gmelina asiatica) and Kukuruman (Randia dumetorum) are observed in different regions of the country. Most of these emanate a strong smell which is disliked by insects and so they leave the paddy field.

Likewise, juice obtained by crushing roots or leaves of Katurumurunga (Sebavia grandflora), Devata (Carallia brachiata), Kapparavalliya (Coleus ambonicus), Daluk (Euphorbia antiquorum), Vara (Calatropis giganta), Endaru (Ricinus communis), Niyangala (Gloriosa superbe), Keppetiya and Karanda (Pongambia gabra) was mixed with water in the paddy field by farmers to wade off the pests.

In Nuvarakalaviya and Tamankaduwa farmers prepare a concoction of Magnesium sulphate (Sahinda lunu), Potash alum (Seenakkaran), Copper sulphate (Palmanikkam) and allow it to mix in water of the paddyfield in order to get rid of harmful pests.

A slightly different Kem measure was adopted by paddy farmers in Siyane Korale, Hopitigam Korale, Alutkuru Korale, Hanguranketha and Kotmale. They wetted a large piece of cloth by soaking it with a mixture of resins (dummala) oil and fitted on to a rope. Before sunrise the rope was dragged through the paddy field by two persons holding the ends and insects got trapped in the sticky cloth.

The oil lamp or torch Kem (pahan kema) was another form of charm used to dispel pests. For this purpose in most areas, tiny clay pots or seedless raw papaya (Carica papaya) pieces were used as lamps. The oils of either coconut (Cocos nucifera), Kohomba, Mi, Sesame or Kekuna (Scutinanthe zeylanicum) was poured into these lamps and the wicks of the lamps were burnt for three nights. In some areas torches made of rags of cloth wetted with oil were used for this purpose.

The most elaborate protective rituals connected with paddy cultivation were performed in the threshing floor. Before paddy was brought for threshing, a pit of about three feet deep and half feet in diameter was dug in the centre of the threshing floor. This is called the Arakvala or the protection pit and it was meant to protect the harvest from unseen forces or spirits. These spirits are called Bahirava in Sinhala and Kuli in Tamil. Items such as betel, arecanut, coconut, a bronze plate in which charms (Mantra) have been written, a piece of turmeric, a piece of Kohomba wood, a piece of iron, bronze coins, sea shells, leaves of trees such as Divikaduru (Rejona dichotama), Nika (Vitedx negundo), Bo (Ficus religiosa) and Iluk (Imperata cylindrica), a small round stone (arakgala) along with some ears of paddy were then placed in the pit. The placing of these items in the pit were done at an auspicious time.

Once the pit is closed, the trident (trisula), arrow, sword symbolizing charms (Kamat Yatura) are drawn on the surface of the pit with ash in three concentric circles. This stage of the ritual is called 'aluhan tabima' or ash placing ceremony.

Ash for the purpose was obtained either from the domestic hearth or by burning dried kumbuk (Terminalia glabra), agil (Aquilaria agallocha), citronella and cow dung in the paddy field itself.

In Northern Province, threshing rituals are slightly different and the farmers there encircle the whole threshing floor with leaves or pieces of bark of margosa and some creepers known as pirandai (Vitis quadrangularis). An extempore image of Ganesha made of cow dung or soil is also worshipped and rituals associated with splitting of coconut are also conducted. Instead of making a cavity in the centre of the threshing floor, a stake of a hard wood with a few ears of paddy and margosa leaves is placed in the centre as an instrument of protection. The ears of paddy are heaped round the stake for threshing.

Thus one can note that indigenous crop protection techniques were environmentally friendly, harmless and some of them had a strong scientific basis although peasants could not and did not explain them in scientific terms.