Ganuga experts from Srikakulam district set up the mill in early 2014 near
Tarakaturu village in Krishna district. PHOTO: T. APPALA NAIDU
T. Appala Naidu
TARAKATURU (KRISHNA DIS- TRICT): The traditional grinding wood machine, known as Ganuga in local parlance, which has almost disappeared in Krishna and Godavari districts, has come back to Krishna district. Progressive farmer M. Vijaya Ram, who was involved in developing pure breed of Sahiwal cattle at his farm house near Tarakaturu village, had man- aged to own two machines, brining back the 100-year-old traditional practice of natural mode of oil production process.
An expert Ganuga maintenance team led by Mr. Satyam of Srikakulam district was brought to Tarakaturu village where the team had success- fully installed the two ma-
Progressive farmer M. Vijaya Ram installs two machines at Tarakaturu
chines with the help of Hyderabad-based workers. Each machine largely made of wood costs above Rs. one lakh.
"Initially, Mr. Satyam's team taught us how to operate the animal-drawn ma- chine to extract oil from several agricultural products - groundnut and sesame and so on. Operation of another machine will begin soon," Mr. Ram told The Hindu.
Traditional practice
"Our effort to bring back the traditional practice is to preserve the gifted technology from our ancestors. The consumption of oil processed through the grinding ma- chine will have no adverse impact on our health", added Mr. Ram.
A blindfolded ox tied to the big log makes rounds the body of the machine, enabling grinding of the material from which oil can be extracted. However, the machine operator has to monitor the stages of oil production that takes at least a few hours.
Operation and owning the grinding machine was once a profession of a community called Telukula' in Northern Andhra Pradesh, who pre- served the technology.
The remains of old ma- chines can be sighted in parts of Krishna and Godavari districts.