The Paathara, a traditional underground grain storage practice, is gradually disappearing from villages along the Mahendratanaya River in the Uddanam region of Srikakulam district near the Andhra Pradesh–Odisha border. Farmers in Kanchili, Sompeta and Itchapuram mandals still preserve a few such storage pits, but changing housing patterns, reduced space and declining paddy cultivation have made the practice rare.
What Paathara Means
Paathara is an ancestral storage pit used mainly for paddy after harvest. In Odia, the same practice is known as Khoni. The pit is dug in a rectangular shape, lined with straw and clay, and sealed with cow dung. It was once a common feature of rural homes and reflected the strength of joint families and self-sufficient farming households.
Ritual and Household Use
Before Sankranti, families clean the pit and place harvested grain inside it. Women often perform a small ritual by offering wildflowers, paddy grains and prayers. The stored grain is usually kept for about six months, until the monsoon arrives. It is reserved for household consumption and traditional rituals, including wedding customs such as Talambraalu.
Why the Tradition Is Declining
The tradition is fading because many thatched houses have been replaced by cement structures, leaving no space for pits in front of homes. Bullock carts and oxen, once used to transport harvests, are also disappearing. In several villages, only a few Paatharas remain. Farmers now depend more on modern storage, while paddy cultivation itself has reduced due to limited Rabi irrigation in the canal command area.
Food Security and Cultural Value
Paathara-stored paddy is valued for its taste, perceived health benefits and protection from rodents, contamination and theft. The practice also represents local food security and indigenous knowledge. Its decline marks the loss of a sustainable rural system that combined storage, ritual and community identity.
Last Modified: April 27, 2026