JENIFER FERNANDES
joseph@herald-goa.com
ALDONA: At 71, Hanuman Vaigankar of Nachinola continues to live the life of a proud Goan farmer, working tirelessly in the fields of neighbouring Aldona where he has cultivated indigenous crops for over five decades.
“My parents were farmers for nearly 60 years, and I’ve simply followed in their footsteps,” he says with quiet pride. “It’s our traditional business, and I will continue doing it for as long as my body allows.”
During the monsoon season, Hanuman grows paddy. In the dry months, he cultivates a variety of vegetables including chillies, red amaranth, radish, long beans, and lady’s fingers (bhindi), which he sells directly at the local market. What sets his produce apart is its purity—grown without any chemical fertilisers, using only natural methods passed down through generations.
“All my vegetables are ganvtti—natural and organic. They may not look as fresh as the chemically sprayed ones, but they are far better for health,” he explains. “People fall sick with skin infections and even cancer from eating chemically treated food, but realise the value of organic produce only when it’s too late.”
Despite the increasing challenges of farming, Hanuman remains committed to his work. He recalls the paddy season with both fondness and frustration. “We prepare the fields and pray for rain. But now the weather is unpredictable. Last year, I spent Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 preparing my field. It stayed flooded for a month. I couldn’t grow anything—total loss,” he says. “We farmers can’t control nature. Everything is in God’s hands.”
Farming, he insists, is anything but easy. “People see us sitting in the market and think it’s an easy job. They don’t know the hard work behind it—long hours under the hot sun, or standing in muddy fields. Farming is not a joke. It takes strength and commitment.”
Hanuman and his wife work side by side in the fields. Their partnership is rooted in shared effort and mutual respect for their vocation. Though the income is modest, he remains proud of his chosen path. “I believe I was born to be a farmer,” he says simply.
He reflects on a simpler time, when he would carry kanji (rice gruel) and raw mangoes to the fields and spend the day working. Though he only studied up to the 4th standard in a Marathi-medium school, he once aspired to a government job. “I applied, but didn’t get one. Bribes were common, and they expected you to know English.”
He later took up marine service work in Vasco, where he handled ship arrivals and crew transfers for five to seven years. “If I had got a government job, life would’ve been easier. But the system didn’t favour people like us, despite our hard work.”
Now, his days start early. “I wake at 5 a.m., say my prayers, have tea, and head to the fields. Later, I go to the market to sell vegetables. The money I earn is just enough to get by.”
Hanuman is quick to point out the rising costs and hardships farmers face today. “Life is getting more expensive. Even fruits are laced with chemicals. My vegetables may spoil in a day—that’s how you know they’re real. Chemically treated vegetables last eight days, but they aren’t safe.”
Over the years, he has seen prices rise. “What costs Rs 50 today used to cost Rs 10 only a few years ago,” he says. “I’ve worked hard to educate my children and build a better life for them. I even worked in wells and did whitewashing jobs at churches. That’s how I bought land and built a house.”
Though age has slowed him down, he continues farming with the help of modern tools. “Earlier, I used traditional methods to water the crops. Now, I have a pump which makes it easier. Still, the work is hard.”
And yet, Hanuman remains deeply content. “Farming may not bring luxury,” he says, “but it brings peace, purpose, and pride.”
During the monsoon season, Hanuman grows paddy. In the dry months, he cultivates a variety of vegetables including chillies, red amaranth, radish, long beans, and lady’s fingers (bhindi), which he sells directly at the local market. What sets his produce apart is its purity—grown without any chemical fertilisers, using only natural methods passed down through generations