Usheera Grass

Usheera or Lavancha is known to Indians for at least five thousand years. But this less explored Indian grass went abroad just 25 years ago. Now people from more than 25 countries are teaching us to how to use it for organic farming to Tsunami prevention.

Ramayana stories teach us how twins of Lord Rama were brought up by sages. They were named after two living beings of Nature.  The word Lava literally means a type of small bird. Kusha is a grass type. Even today an aromatic rooted grass Vetiver, having a shape of Darbha grass is called as Khus grass in Hindi. The original word derives from it’s Sanskrit root Kusha. The Hindi word Khus means joy and happiness. Thus the aromatic root of Vetiver is considered to be not only useful in Vedic rituals but also as grass to bring happiness. As a matter of fact this grass has number of functions to conserve our nature. It is a life saving drug. It is a panacea for all problems of Environment and farming.

A grass which can have its aerial blade growth up to two meters can have its root as deep as 10 meters! People often call it as living nail. This is a fact without any exaggeration. Imagine a height of one coconut tree under the ground. This is the depth of matted grass reach underneath the ground! Thus the soil binding and water harvest capacity of your land is facilitated by planting Vetiver in your village or farming land.  Even bulldozers can not uproot its strong deep root systems. So this can definitely work as a “living nail” particularly in sea coasts not only to prevent Sea erosion in Monsoon months, but also dreaded Psunami currents! Many experiments with the cultivation of Vetiver  to prevent land slides has also yielded. It keeps soil intact. Cement uses reduce greatly.

Other uses of Vetiver plant is hereunder:

• The well grown plants yield lot of herbage in the form of leaves. This is very good material for mulching.
• The tender leaf is a wonderful grass. It can be used as a very good fodder for livestock. It enriches quantity and quality of milk.
• The grass blade is used for thatching roof at villages. Such friendly sheds and houses are very useful to prevent cement use in excess.
• The grass blade is a good source of raw material for handicrafts. It can also be used for making hand made paper. Thus it is good resource for rural employment generation.
• The root systems are very powerful to rejuvenate soil. It can improve soil fertility. It can also convert fallow lands in to fertile in course of time.
• Vetiver grass can be grown in contaminated water. It can definitely work as a natural water purifier. So heavy metals of water can be purified using Vetiver. This is good in case of industrial sewage water flows in to fertile land.
• Aromatic oil distilled from root is very expensive. It has good market potentials.
• Roots are considered as a very good medicine in Ayurveda. It is used in Human and livestock medicine. Hyperacidity, piles, Bleeding disorders, Skin diseases, any problem with urinary tract is cured by employing various medicines containing Vetiver root.
• Senegal farmers are finding very good yield, increased out put in many horticultural crops which are mixed with cultivation of Vetiver grass. Mr. Tony Cisse, a farmer says that the fruit trees are to be covered with this grass in the ground. This facilitates increased absorption of nutrients. It also helps for optimal water conservation.
• Vettiver can sustain any hostile climate or situation. It can be grown in rain shadowed area also in view of making land fertile. Even mine dump can facilitate the growth of this soil. Thus the mined soil can be converted as useful soil gradually. Water clogged area, seacoast can also be ideal. Even if fire destroys the areal part, roots can generate shoot system.
• Diluted Vetiver root oil is working as a very good pesticide. It can be employed to prevent many plant pathogens. It is also good termite repellent.  Leaf concoction is also mild fungicidal. Roots can also be used to prevent microorganisms. It can be used in the form of fumigation.
• Leaf of this grass is very good raw material for vermi compost.

Aditi Organic Certifications Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore – Dr. Sathyanarayana Bhat & Mr. Narayana Upadhyaya