Innovating Khus Root Cultivation

Khus Root (வெட்டிவேர் / രാമച്ചം) is a medicinal grass known for its delightful fragrance. While we successfully grew a large bush of it in the garden at Kadankode house, accessing the roots has always been challenging due to their depth.

The fragrance of Khus root is beyond description—attempting to convey it is as futile as explaining the nature of God, as some spiritual leaders might attest!

I aim to cultivate this grass at Kalaalayam Farm and produce a small quantity of oil from its roots for use in our soap-making process in the future.

Instead of planting it directly in the ground, I experimented with growing it in a PVC pipe. This method allows the roots to extend further while still being easily removable. The results have been impressive, and I’m now reluctant to disrupt it.

Additionally, if I expand this cultivation around the Meenvalathi pond and Gangamayi well, it might also serve as a natural water purifier. I’ll need to explore this idea further.