PALAKKADAN MATTA RICE

(Registered with the GI Registry,Chennai Under class 30)

Description of goods:

This variety of rice grown in Palakkad District of Kerala.The PALAKKADAN MATTA RICE is an indigenous cereal plant of Palakkad in Kerala. It is a coarse variety of rice with bold grains and red pericarp. The Palakkadan Matta is a unique cereal having high content of nutrients and is indispensable for those who do hard physical work.

Specifications :

It originates from the definite territory of Palakkad District (Erstwhile palghat District). The grains are bold and the pericarp is red.

Proof of origin (Historical Records)

The Palakkadan Matta rice has been very popular from early days because of the richness of rice, its unique taste and use in preparations of rice-snacks like Kondattam,Murukku etc. The Palakkadan Mattayari Kanji is also famous for its rich nutrient qualities. The PALAKKADAN MATTA is referred to in the work Rice in Kerala authored by Sri.P.C. Sahadevan and published by the Government of Kerala in the year 1966. The unique rice is mentioned in Tamil Classics like Thirukkural. During the ancient times Palakkad District was part of Tamil Nadu. Rice in the days of Chera/Chola Kingdoms was considered as a royal food. The commoners were happy with Chama (an inferior variety of cereal). One adventurous farmer chanced upon this unique rice variety in the kings farm and carried it away in a MATTA meaning Areca Leaf. The rice variety fell into the public domain and was sown by the farmer and soon became a regular rice crop in Palakkad. This rice was popularly referred to as Matta and exclusively cultivated in Palakkad and later came to be known as the PALAKKADAN MATTA RICE. Some of the old and popular varieties of Palakkadan Matta are Chenkazhama, Chettadi, Aruvakkari, Aryan, Vatton, Ilupappoochampan, Chitteni, Thavalakkannan and the newer varieties like Kunjukunju and jyothi. In page 65 of the 2nd volume of KRISHISASTRAM, a book authored by Mr. J.V. Akkarappatti (a Retired Agricultural Officer) in 1957, there is a special reference to the PALAKKADAN MATTA RICE.

Method of production

The build of a typical Palakkadan Matta farm is scientific. This is called a kalam (farm). The kalam consists of kalappura (farm house) built as aynkolpura kattakkalam (courtyard for curing paddy), aeri (pond for irrigation), thalakkulam (a tank at the higher part of farm for storing water). In this structure the farm has a sound infrastructure for storage of rainwater, irrigation, drying of grain after harvest and storage of grain. The seed is dried in sunlight for three days and after that during one full moon night is spread in the courtyard and exposed to moonlight. This is called Mampookkattal-seed cured like this is kept in special rooms with wooden panels. After Mundakan i.e. the second crop harvest in the fields are ploughed 4-5 times till the topsoil attains almost powder form. On Vishu(medam-1-when the Palakkadan rice cultivation season starts) day, farmers take some quantity of these seeds to the field and after doing Pooja, plough again and sow-this is chalidal an auspicious start for a new farming year has been made. After this, within a month, during one of the njattuvelas (13 Â½ days cycles named after stars and called njattuvela), depending on the optimum moisture availability on the plot (called Pooval), the seeds are sown and land is ploughed again two times (process called vithumatam, kalamattam). The broadcasting of seeds also requires skill, as the seed has to be distributed evenly in the field. A special kind of plough is used to powder and spread the soil evenly so as to cover the seeds (this implement is called chikkumaram). The timing of sowing is very crucial as germination of the seed and establishment of the plants depend on this. This timing is named pattu. Pattu on some particular njattuvelas are preferred- like karthika. It is called karthika pattu-kanaka pattu, meaning, if the timing is perfect for eg. In karthika, it will be kanakapattu ie, one can expect a golden harvest!! And it will be proved true too!!The above process for virippu (1st crop) is termed podi vitha, ie dry sowing an ingenious technique of rice farmers of Palakkad. There are special agricultural implements used by Palakkad farmers. The sickle is of a special kind with karikku, so that the lodged rice plants can also be harvested without loss of hay. Then there is the special tying of bundles of harvested paddy using rice plants called kathuvu. This kathuvu is kept in a special tray made of bamboo called thotti to minimize loss of grain while speedy harvest. This bundle of paddy carried to the kalam in bigger bamboo trays called kattaparambu and these bundles are tied using palmyrah tree leaf strings called kattanar. At the kattakkalam the paddy is thrushed termed as kattathallal -one more special method from Palakkad. The harvested crop is thrushed the same day, the paddy is cleaned and sun dried the next day to retain color and quality of the rice. The hay after taking the paddy is sun dried. For this also the Palakkadan farmers have a special method vaikkolpani. The spreading of hay in the courtyard is called thambidal. The hay is turned over at intervals for uniform drying and the stick used for this purpose is called vaikkolvadi. If the hay is not completely dried in the days drying, it is kept in long heaps calledthandika and when fully dried is heaped in big formations called aanakkunda. Hay kept like this will survive heavy rains at least for a year. After drying, seeds are kept in bamboo containers called vithu valloms. At the last day of the harvest the head of the labourers is given three big bundles of paddy called mallan churuttu. The individual farmers do pooja at their kalam after the successful completion of harvest. At the community level there is kathiru festival where seeds are taken in palmyrah leaf containers to the neighbourhood temples by the farmers with gaiety and joyous shouts (aarppu) and offered to the deities.

The farming activities starts with the land preparation on the auspicious day of VISHU (the 1st day of Meda Masam). The land is specially prepared with a religious ceremony leading upto a stage where, the seeds are sown after pooja and offering to Mother Earth. The entire activity is done in tune with nature. Direct sowing is mainly adopted for the first crop. The first crop is harvested by September-October during the harvest festival of ONAM. Simultaneously the preparatory activities for the second crop begin. Transplanting is usually done for the second crop since the availability of the water increases over the months. The second crop harvests are celebrated with a variety of local festivals including Kongan Pada, which is the only war festivalof Kerala.

Uniqueness

The rice is, coarse bold and red in color. The rice has got a unique taste. The coarse rice with red pericarp by itself ensures high content of nutrients. Par-boiling of the rice further ensures retention of nutritional value. The grains is grown on unique black cotton or regur soil, derived from rocks rich in lime peculiar to Palakkad also in Poonthalpadam where the soil is heavy, containing 60-80% of clay and silt and posses low permeability and high water holding capacity. These soils, the humid weather of Palakkad, easterly winds that blow through the Palakkad gap and the rivers that flow from the Western Ghats, and the bright sunshine determine the unique taste and quality of the Palakkadan Matta Rice.

Address :

Palakkadan Matta Farmers
Producer Company Limited
Karukamanikalam,
Chittur College, P.O.
Palakkad 678104,
Kerala, India