KULAGAR
Kulagar is a conventional system of land development characteristic to Konkan and Goa. Even though it is on the decline due to present laws, it is still successfully practised at Parvati Madhav.
In the past, certain people acquired virgin land on the slopes of mountains having natural source of water and constructed houses. They terraced the land around the houses, planned the irrigation system and planted trees.
When the owners were not able to cope up with the work, local people were called in for help. They were allowed to construct houses and stay. Both the families worked very hard to develop the land. They had respect for each other and worked for mutual benefit. This was great example of gainful co-existence of the two families viz. Owner's and Helper's.
Plants:
A lot of thought went into choice of plants to be grown. The project primarily had to be commercially viable, as well as, day to day needs of the families had to be satisfied to the extent feasible. So the range of plants grown were from cash crops, species, fruits, flowers to common medicinal plants.
To make the setup complete, a cow shed was constructed nearby the house. Buffaloes and cows gave milk and also cow dung which forms main manure for plants. No chemical fertilizers were used.
Local Name: Supari
Sanskrit Name: Puga
Common Name: Arecanut
Botanical Name: Areca Catechu
Family: Palmae
Cash crop of Goa
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Mild Intoxicant
Eaten by Indians after meals as breath freshener, but some people eat as a habit many times a day, either singly or with accompaniment of betel leaves Chuna and Kat, tobacco, etc.
When eaten as above, it gives beautiful colour to the lips. (No lipstick is required).
Has medicinal values:
Used in tooth powders
Expels intestinal worms
Effective against malaria
Other uses:
Leaves and hard core are used for constructing huts.