Panchot
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Jivdaya (compassion for animals)
You have heard of landed gentry. Now, meet the dogs of Gujarat’s Panchot village, near Mehsana, which are landed sentries.
In the past decade, construction of the Mehsana bypass has sent land prices soaring — it’s Rs 3.5 crore per bigha today — and about 21 bighas here belong to the Madh ni Pati Kutariya Trust, an informal village body that administers assets donated for welfare of dogs. The land is not actually in the names of the canines, but the entire income from the land is set aside for them. Thus, the 70-odd dogs housed here could easily ‘have’ over Rs 1 crore each.
Not just dogs; birds, monkeys and cows also enjoy focus
Therefore, the 70-odd dogs benefiting from the trust could easily have more than Rs 1 crore each. Chhaganbhai Patel, president of the trust, said the concept of ‘kutariyu’ (land donated for the welfare of dogs) has origins in the village’s long history of jivdaya (compassion for animals).
“The tradition started with richer families donating a piece of land that was not easy to maintain,” Patel said, adding, “At that time, land did not cost much. In a few cases, land was donated as the owners could not afford to even pay tax and the donation shifted the responsibility.”
A group of Patel farmers — notably Prabha Lallu, Chatur Viha, Amtha Kalu and Lakha Sheth — started the administration of the land about 80 years ago. Patel said almost all the land came to the trust at least 70 years ago.
Every year, each plot in the trust’s land bank is auctioned before the sowing season. The highest bidder gets tilling rights for a year. The money goes into sustaining the system. Dashrath Patel, one of the descendants of the families that had donated 1.5 bigha for the cause, said the village feels proud for this system.
“One of the reasons could be the religious nature of the population,” said Dashrath, who is the husband of the current sarpanch, Kantaben.
Dashrath said that these days 15 persons take the responsibility of feeding rotla (pearl millet flatbread) to the dogs. “Even the flour mill owner doesn’t charge us,” he said.
In 2015, the trust constructed a special building, known as ‘rotla ghar’, where rotlas are prepared by two women. They make 80-odd rotlas every day with 20-30kg flour. Volunteers load a handcart with rotlas and crushed flatbread, and start off the distribution drive at about 7.30pm.
“It takes about an hour to complete a round of 11-odd spots where there are stray dogs,” said Govind Patel, 35, one of the volunteers.
“Twice a month — on full moon and new moon days — we also serve laddoos to the dogs,” Govind added. These villagers do not focus on dogs alone. Volunteers reach out to birds and other animals as well. Abola Trust in the village has an air-conditioned burns ward for cows. It has different units for birds, monkeys and other animals.
As in 2023
Bharat Yagnik, April 23, 2023: The Times of India
Panchot, located about 15km from Mehsana in north Gujarat, could pass for just another village where most people are into farming and agro trading. What makes it stand out, though, is the concept of ‘kutariyu’ (setting aside land for dogs), which the locals have been following for over 70 years in keeping with Gujarat’s spirit of jeevdaya (compassion for animals). Panchot has reserved 22 bighas of land – each bigha worth Rs 60 lakh now – for its 300-odd dogs. Chhagan Patel, trustee of the village’s ‘Madhni Pati Kutariya Trust’, told TOI the practice was started by village elders who had no children or close relatives to leave their property to. Some donated a small piece of their less productive land as an act of charity. It is believed that the first such donation was made 70 years ago by the family of Ishwar Chatur Patel, a farmer. “Along with philanthropy, this was also a way to reduce the tax burden on farmland. Until a few years ago, the land prices were not high, so donating a small plot was not a big deal. However, now, a highway project has reduced the distance from Mehsana to the village by 7km and the price of land along the route has risen much,” said Patel.
He added that land donations increased over the decades and today, “The trust auctions each plot before the sowing season. The highest bidder gets the tilling rights for a year. The money is used to run the trust’s activities. ” But as land prices have increased in recent years and people have found new ways to use their unproductive land, donations have decreased.
In 2015, the village built a ‘rotla ghar’, a kitchen where two women take the responsibility of making flatbread. The volunteers have marked 12 spots where rotlas (flatbread made of pearl millet) are mixed with buttermilk and fed to the dogs.
Akash Patel has modified his motorcycle into a special vehicle – a sign on it says ‘Kutrao maate Shri Ram Roti’ – to carry 300 rotlas every day for the dogs. “This is one job that I will never tire of. I have been serving the dogs for the past 10 years,” he said.
A flour mill donates flour for flatbread and dairies donate buttermilk. The dogs are also treated to laddoos twice a month on full moon and new moon days. Over the years, a welloiled machinery has been working for this purpose. Govind Patel, a resident of Panchot, has been feeding the canines for the past two decades. “In winter, their appetite increases. Every day, 300 rotlas are made and fed to the dogs. They are also fed shero and laddoos (sweets) twice a month,” he said.
Dashrath Patel, whose ancestors donated 1. 5 bighas for the cause, said nobody has revoked their land bequest in all these years. “The village takes pride in the system that is both egalitarian and inclusive. It’s also sustainable with checks and balances in place. The tradition of ‘jeevdaya’ is passed down the generations. ”
Govind Patel, trustee of Abola Seva Samiti, said the village with a population of 7,000 also provides for monkeys, bovines and birds. “About 500kg of grain is provided for the birds by the trust. While humans always have someone to look after them, the abola (those who can’t speak) need to be taken care of,” he said, adding that it makes society humane.
Lalbhai Patel, another trustee, said that apart from feeding animals, the trust runs a veterinary hospital which spends more than Rs 2 lakh a month on offering care to animals. “The trust receives donations from well-wishers on social occasions, especially from families observing death anniversaries or celebrating birthdays. ”
