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BARAMULLA: In order to generate awareness on the importance and the demand of the world-famous spice ‘Saffron’ within and outside the country, and to impart skill-training to the students as well as local farmers regarding its cultivation practices, the Department of Botany in collaboration with Department of Anthropology, Govt. Degree College Baramulla celebrated ‘Jashni Zaffron-2024,’ here.
It is worth mentioning here that the Department of Botany, GDC Baramulla has been successful in cultivating Saffron, aptly called ‘Red Gold of Kashmir’. The ‘Jashni Zaffron-2024’ was organized under the patronage of Prof. M.A. Lone, Principal of the college, who also threw open the event. At the outset, Dr. Zahid Hussain Najar, Head Department of Botany gave the introductory remarks on the programme.
The event was joined by Prof. Fayaz Ahmed Lone, Former Principal Govt. Degree College for Women Kupwara, Prof. M. Aslam, former Head Department of Botany, GDC Baramulla, and Prof. A. M. Chalkoo, HOD Botany, Govt. Degree College Anantnag and a former faculty member of the institution.
The lead speaker Prof. M A Lone in his remarks praised the faculty of the Botany Department for their innovative approaches for inculcating student oriented agro-based skills and creating a history of saffron cultivation in North Kashmir region. He assured the Department of Botany for every kind of support to carry forward the skill-enhancement courses in consonance with NEP 2020 and impressed upon the students to learn these skills and enable themselves for self- and sustainable employment.
Earlier, Prof. Fayaz hailed the initiatives taken by the college and the Principal Investigator of the project, Prof. A. M. Chalkoo to take the cultivation of saffron beyond the boundaries of Pampore belt. He emphasized that this spice should be cultivated in the backyard of every household.
Prof. Aslam, Prof. Chalkoo and Dr. Zahid Hussain highlighted the importance of phyto-chemical constituents, cultural, medicinal and ethnic importance, its method of propagation, its sowing, flower timing, harvesting and post-harvest management.
The ‘Jashni Zaffron-2024’ was later on carried forward by the students of Botany in the saffron farm maintained in the Botanical Garden of the college. The students plucked saffron flowers in wicker-baskets under technical guidance of Prof. A.M. Chalkoo and Prof. M. Aslam. After harvesting, the crop was piled on a white carpet and the programme progressed with the plucking of stigmas from the flowers by the students. Afterwards, Prof. A.M. Chalkoo explained the difference between the pure saffron and adulterated saffron.
The proceedings of the programme were spiced-up by the students of Anthropology Department of the college who presented showcased traditional Kashmiri agricultural practices of nostalgic bygone years notably hand-made mud chula (Daan), stone grinder (Kaaj wokhul), wooden plough (Albaen), charkha (Yender), milk churner (Madani), paddy mill (Kanz), flour-maker (Grat), and so on which made the event highly attractive and enchanting.
