Adarsh Othama Village
Gram Svavlamban – Reimaging Othama Village, Sirari, Sheikhpura, Bihar for self-reliance
Mayank Pincha – pincha.mayank@gmail.com & 9845199081
Gram Svavlamban – Adarsh Othama Village
We believe that to create a world that is regenerative, naturally self-reliant and poison-free one has to start with enabling local communities and clusters in villages to reflect such alternative and indigenous lifeways.
A Living Example
We are in the process of doing just that. We have chosen Othama Village in Sirari, Sheikhpura, Bihar to come up as an abode for regenerative, self-reliant and indigenous living. Othama will be a living example of natural self-reliance while providing healing experiences to both inhabitants and visitors by helping them stay connected with nature, in its pristine beauty. Othama will also have hand-crafted houses built by community artisans and tribal elders, using naturally available materials. Common village space is being earmarked for native vegetable nursery, medicinal plants and a sacred food forest. Project involves watershed conservation, sacred forest, food forest, natural farming, desi seed conservation, planned open herd grazing, bull driven power – food processing/ power generation, Gobar gas plant, Panchagavya, Gurukula and more.
Ravinder Kumar of Othama and his brother have 26+ acres of family based agriculture land in Othama, Sirari, Sheikhpura, Bihar. Ravinder Kumar has been doing Natural Farming, predominantly Paddy, Sarson and Lentils for 8 years. Other brothers have been more inclined to commercial farming, until May 2023, when they met with proponents of Natural Farming. From that point onwards, they too started getting inclined towards being Self-Reliant and living a Poison-Free Life.
Now we have here as a group of awakened villagers and urbanites who came together on September 2023. Since then they are working on mission mode to achieve local food autonomy, for themselves as well as the rest of village.
We have decided to set-up a Master Nursery cum Native Seed Conservation Scheme in this village to support their own farming, at Othama, as well as neighbouring farmers and will eventually support the rest of the Bihar & Jharkhand region.
We have already helped source 150+ varieties of Greens, Vegetables, Cottons, Fruits, Exotic Veggies, Millets, Paddy/ Maize, Roots/ Tubers and Pulses, each set. 🌾☘️🌴🍉🍍🍌🍅
Overall we are working on the following projects –
1. Master Nursery cum Native Seed Conservation Scheme –
– Seed/ Sapling procurement is done and ongoing
– Bed preparation is done partly and being extended
– Sowing has started and will continue, until completion.
Budget – 0.25 Lac including one time tilling and manpower.
Actual (So Far) – 0.15 Lac
2. Barrication of a 50 decimal Farm (Nadia Tar)
… to protect farm from entry by tractors, Neel Gai, cattle, etc. for horticulture. We have sown chana, tisi, sarson, masoor for the purpose of improving fertility of the soil. We will develop this stretch of land for multi-strata agroforestry & horticulture. Amongst others, we will be growing spices, roots, sugarcane, onion, garlic, groundnut, maize etc.
– 2 quintals Barrication wire purchased
– 100 bamboos purchased
– Bamboos have been erected on the boundary
– Barrication wire is to be drawn around the farm
Budget – 0.5 lac
Actuals (So Far) – 0.36 lac
3. Farming Tools
We wish to add bull driven Hal, Bel Gadi, a bull driven manual seed drill, a hand driven manual seed drill, automatic Chara cutting machine for assisting in farming, dairy and transport. Apart from that we have already sourced 4 delivery pipes of 3” each with an outlay of INR 5,800/- for irrigation. Further we need to source a submersible pump worth 12,000/-
Budget – 1.25 lacs
Actuals (So Far) – 0.06
4. Gauchar area for Nandi, Bel and Gau Mata with barrication.
We have received 4 bull calves as a gift from Atul Agarwal’s Gau Mandir in Begusaraiya. We need to prepare them for working as matured bulls in a year’s time. Now, we need to source two matured bulls and five Gau Matas with an outlay of 1.8 lacs. We are growing grasses for future food sovereignty of the cattle, for which seeds have been procured. A bamboo shed is being made to act as Gaushala and for Panchagavya.
Budget – 2.5 lacs
Actuals (So Far) – None
5. Workshop for Blacksmithing and Pottery incl. Solar Power
A 3KVA Solar Power for Workshop and Community Living will cost around 3.5 lacs. Pottery tools will require around 1.89 lacs (listed in the section “Budget Details). Blacksmithing budget would take an approx. outlay of 16 lakhs (listed in the section “Budget Details). However, for now we will allot INR 1.5 lacs for Blacksmithing workshop.
Budget – 7 lacs
Actuals (So Far) – None.
6. Traditional Food Processing Unit
We wish to set-up bull driven low RPM Jata (Flour making) and bull driven Kolhu/ Kacchi Ghani (Cold Pressed Oils). Also add to this Dhenki (Rice Husking), Gobar Gas Plant. We wish to spend Rs. 1 lac on research & development by attempting to make a bull driven generator using four gear boxes and fly-wheels for not only powering the food processing unit but also generation of electricity.
Budget – 4 lacs
Actuals (So Far) – None
7. Carpentry incl. Lathe Machine
Carpentry tools will require around 1.81 lacs (listed in the section “Budget Details)
Budget – 2 lacs
Actuals (So Far) – None
8. Sacred Forest
We have identified 150 sacred trees like Arjun, Seesham, Ashok, Peepal, Neem, Karvand, Gulmohar, Gular, Bargad, Imli, Jamun, Aam, Bel, Kachnar, Baheda, Palash etc., using which we will set up a sacred forest in the village. This will help spread more saplings and seeds across the region while bringing positive vibrations to Othama Village. Drill for making holes in the ground for plantation purpose.
Budget – 1 lac
Actuals (So Far) – None
9. Prevent Paddy Straw to be burnt after harvest
… and rather use it for Bhoosa, Ground Cover, and as Natural Building Material. We have to spend 2000/- per acre of paddy fields of other farmers which will give 5 quintals of paddy straw each acre. We are planning to take this from 100 acres of neighbouring paddy fields.
Budget – 2.0 lacs
Actuals (So Far) – None
10. Minor repair to the village roads
… to enable vehicles to come inside the village to enable elderly members of the village to be conveniently ferried.
Budget – 0.5 lac
Actuals (So Far) – None
11. Community Living Cottages cum Workshop cum Gaushala cum Gauchar Area Development in 68 Decimal land. Initial developments will happen in existing village. Eventually all habitat will be moved to a separate farm land of 68 decimals.
Phase 1 Budget – 5 lacs (For 4 families)
Actuals (So Far) – None
Total
The overall budgetary estimate works out to INR 26,00,000/-
Out of 26,00,000/- we already have sourced material (vegetable/ spice seeds, barrication wire, 100 bamboos, manpower), worth INR ~ 60,000/- internally.🙏
Please help meet the budget by making contributions to Mayank Pincha.
You may share your Contributions via IMPS
to –
Mayank Pincha
ICICI Bank
Nandidurga Road, Bangalore
Account No. – 343801501692
IFSC – ICIC0003438
UPI – pincha.mayank@icici
Paytm/ PhonePe/ Gpay – 9845199081
Detailed Budgets
| Carpentry | UOM | Amount |
| Electric Randha Machine for Wood | 1 No. | 7,000/- |
| Cutter Machine (Wood) + 5 blades | 1 No. | 7,000/- |
| Angle Grinder + Grinder Chakri + Siris paper | 1 No. | 2,000/- |
| Rooter | 1 No. | 6,000/- |
| Impact Drill | 1 Nos. | 3,000/- |
| Sikanja (6 ft), Aari, Batali (1’3”, 1’6”, 1’), Kachhak (4 & 3 soota), Basulla, Hatori (Bada & Chota), Batam, Inch Tape, Aagar, Bijali Board, Patthar, Reti, Rookhana, Pakkad, Kulhadi, Kanti (2”, 2.5”, 1.5”), Fevicol, Pechkas Star | 1 No. each | 6,000/- |
| Wood Lathe Machine | 1,50,000/- | |
| Total | 1,81,000/- |
| Pottery | UOM | Amount |
| 1- Chak 24 inch 1 HP motor | 1 no. | 15,000 |
| 2- Chak 18 inch 1 HP motor | 1 no. | 14,000 |
| 3. Mitti mixer 3HP motor | 1 no. | 50,000 |
| 4. Mitti Grinder (Pisna) 5Hp motor | 1 no. | 50,000 |
| 5. Pad Mill – 3HP motor | 1 no. | 50,000 |
| 6. Budget for Dyes | 10,000 | |
| Total | 1,89,000/- |
| Blacksmithing (Detailed Budgeting To Be Done) | Phase | UOM | Amount |
| 1. Baaees (1 to 4 nos.) | Phase 1 | ||
| 2. Press Machine | Phase 2 | ||
| 3. MIG welding | Phase 2 | ||
| 4. Electric welding | Phase 1 | ||
| 5. Gas welding | Phase 1 | ||
| 6. 150 – 200 kg Electronic Weighing Machine | Phase 1 | ||
| 7. Drill Machine | Phase 1 | ||
| 8. Lathe Machine | Phase 2 | ||
| 9. Iron Plate Folding Machine | Phase 1 | ||
| 10. 50 kg Batkhara | Phase 1 | ||
| 11. 20 kg Batkhara | Phase 1 | ||
| 12. Blower | Phase 1 | ||
| 13. Nihai | Phase 1 | ||
| 14. Hammer 4/5 kg, 2kg, 1kg, 500 gm., 200 gm., 100 gm. | Phase 1 | ||
| 15. Sadsi | Phase 1 | ||
| 16. Chisel. | Phase 1 | ||
| 17. Wrench, Pliers, Screwdriver Tool Box Set | Phase 1 | ||
| 18. Hand Grinder | Phase 1 | ||
| 19. Desk Grinder | Phase 1 | ||
| 20. Railway Line Nihai | Phase 1 | ||
| 21. Sheet cutting scissors – 4 big and small types | Phase 1 | ||
| 22. Flat Reti + round Reti | Phase 1 | ||
| Total | 16,00,000/- |
Future Initiatives
1. Village Heritage Structure Restoration and Aesthetically Design The Village.
2. Develop More Community Grasslands for Planned Open Grazing.
3. Marital Arts and Traditional Sports.
4. Rocket Stove.
5. Kisaan Bhojanalay (Free Natural Food) on the Highway.
6. Wellness Center.
7. Gurukulam Curriculum Development.
8. Handloom through self-help groups
