Amaravati, January 30, 2026: Farmers in Srikakulam district's Uddanam region along the Mahendratanaya River are letting go of the age-old Paathara tradition.
These underground rectangular pits lined with straw, clay, and sealed with cow dung kept freshly harvested paddy safe from rodents, moisture, and insects for up to six months, preserving household needs, seeds, and ritual rice in joint families.
Two decades ago, nearly every home built them, storing grain by bullock-cart loads. Today, in villages like Jalantara Saasanam, Poorna Saasanam, and others across Kanchili, Sompeta, and Itchapuram mandals, only a few remain.
One village of about 200 households dug just two pits this year, while another keeps nine with two more planned. Modern homes, cement roads, and concrete structures leave no room for pits, often forcing them outside or on borrowed land.
