Himalayas – Uttarkashi – Agoda Village – Threshing of Gluten Free Amaranth (Youtube)
Agoda/Agora, a small, peaceful, pleasant, covid free healthy village located at an altitude of 2250 mts/7381 ft, 18 km from the nearest town of Uttarkashi. It is surrounded by the magnificent Himalayan mountains.
Agriculture is their main activity, besides some villagers offering homestay and guide services. Agoda came to prominence as it is the main thoroughfare to the majestic Dodital lake, perched at a trekking distance of 18 km from Agoda.
On 29th of Oct., 2021, I was there in Agoda, stayed at Solitude homestay – Agoda – Uttarkashi before proceeding to Gangotri. Early morning it was so cold, I was shivering, unable to hold my camera from my shaking hands. I happened to spend some time trekking around the village, watching the farmers threshing grain by hand and also by running their cattle over the straw. I was enthralled by the harmony, peace, covid free, healthy and pristine atmosphere.
That day they were threshing Amaranth/Marchha from the harvested straws. It was perhaps one of the most blissful sights, seeing them working happily, starting early in the morning till late evening. Amaranth, I read later, is totally gluten free, and highly nutritious food. I was told that not a single straw is wasted, every part is being used. Chapathi prepared from Amaranth flour was highly tasty and highly delicious. More important than anything is, they cultivate their plants by their traditional methods and use only home grown natural fertilizers. Besides Amaranth, they also produce Rajma, Rice to name a few.
Sharing here a video and photos I captured at Agoda Village, while the family members of my homestay owner Mr. Kamal Singh Panwar, were working that day threshing and sorting their product. Last but not the least, almost all their agri products cultivated in their Himalayan mountains are in huge demand worldwide.
The Nomad of Madras 