Agathiee - Way back to Nature

  What does it mean to live a life of absolute honesty? For Krishangini, a Tamil writer, tireless translator, and keeper of marginalised voices, the answer is simple: you write the truth, you speak the truth, and you act truthfully. Nothing else will do. In a deeply candid conversation, Krishangini traces her extraordinary journey from a nine-year-old girl craving a cream biscuit to a writer whose translations have given voice to Dalit communities, autistic children's mothers, and widows long silenced by society. A Mother Ahead of Her Time Every remarkable writer has a first reader, and Krishangini's was her mother, a woman of breathtaking progressiveness in an era that demanded conformity. Self-taught in Hindi simply by listening from inside her home to men studying on the front porch, her mother spent decades from 1935 to 1960 teaching Hindi to women confined within four walls: widows forbidden from dressing up or stepping outside. “God is not a servant you can bribe ...

1. Introduction: My name is Vinoth Kumar, and I come from Paramakudi. I stayed in Chennai for about ten years, starting in 2011, working during that time. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, I moved out of the city and began working in several villages, mainly engaging with gram sabhas and rural development initiatives. I am currently associated with an NGO that supports village-level governance and strengthens gram sabha activities. 2. Beginning My Journey with Agathi: I became part of the Agathi community around 2015. It was around this time that we took a bicycle journey across Tamil Nadu, inspired by people like Bharathi. After that, we were offered a small piece of land – a cent – with an old house on it. We were told we could stay there and possibly grow vegetables. Though we paid rent, our intention was to use the space for something valuable. That space slowly became the foundation of a seed bank, built from the seeds we grew and preserved. I was part of this initial effort ...

Prashanth, a young chap from Chennai, was always drawn to environmental and social causes. His journey took a significant turn in 2016, when he first encountered the Agathiee community through Vanagam and Mr. Bharathi during a gathering at the Nammazhvar memorial in Karur. He recalls, “It was New Year’s time. People from different towns had gathered in Karur, all in memory of Nammazhvar Ayya. That moment shaped something inside me. Later, a group of us came together to revive the Puzhal lake. That’s when I truly got to know Agathiee. At that time, it wasn’t even a registered organization — just a shared spirit of volunteerism.” Reflecting on the early days, he shared, “We were a handful of young people, collaborating with senior activists. It wasn’t just limited to Tambaram. We were dreaming of direct actions for the environment and society. One such initiative was the ‘Chennai to Karur Nadai Payanam’. The very next year we undertook an expedition on bicycles to promote natural far...

I asked myself this question once. Back then, I wasn’t part of a movement. I wasn’t dreaming of communities or revolutions. I was a man with a thought—simple, quiet, persistent.   "I didn’t start out thinking of Agathiee as a community," I shared one day. “It began as a simple desire to do something meaningful—social and political activities that mattered.” It wasn’t a grand vision. It was just... right. And then, I met someone with the same fire—Bharati Kannan. One became two. Two became many.   “More people with the same thoughts joined us. We found a space to do seed ball-making and other natural farming activities.” That space turned sacred. A patch of earth where hands dug soil and hearts sowed hope. And then came a name.   “We named it ‘Agathiee’ because it's the first plant in an organic garden. It gives nitrogen to the soil, and it was attractive to us.” Agathiee. A name as grounded as  the soil it stood for. Growth. Nourishment. A beginni...

Nithyanandham, a 35-year-old from Thiruthuraipoondi, found his path to purpose through Agathiee — a community rooted in resistance, reflection, and social transformation. “I came across Agathiee during a time when I was deeply questioning the social structures around me,” he said. “Through Agathiee, I learned to speak fearlessly, think freely, and understand what kind of journey I truly wanted to take in life.” One moment that especially stood out for him was the birth anniversary of natural farming pioneer Nammazhvar. “That day, we set out on a 500 km long march by foot for continuous 30 days , a journey honoring nature, questioning the destruction around us, and reclaiming what it means to live meaningfully.” Reflecting on Agathiee’s influence, he said, “It made me realize that real learning doesn’t always come from classrooms — it comes from standing up, asking questions, and living with intent. I began to see that this journey wasn’t just mine. Others could walk it too. I’m l...

Does building a successful life mean constructing skyscrapers, or nurturing saplings with natural compost? Mr. Prabu from Villupuram, once an MBA graduate working in Chennai’s corporate world, had a turning point during 2015,  when he met Mr. Bharathi Kannan and others — a meeting that changed his life. In the same year of  Tamil Nadu floods while we were involved in doing extensive relief work.  That encounter led to the formation of “Tambaram Makkal Kuzhu,” and "The Agathiee community" — rooted in values, sustainability, and collective action. Their work included raising embankments in Pudhuthangal Lake, tree plantation drives, green awareness programs, and natural healing practices — all of which drew him towards organic farming. “Agathiee was not built by any one person — it was the power of unity,” he reflects. Among the highlights was the cycle campaign titled “Ride for Rights to Save Tamil Nadu”, which inspired youth to become aware and act for a greener fu...

  Perumal once believed that a professional life was a straight path. But at one point, even the path he was walking on made him question its direction. The answer he found — was Agathiee. Mr. Perumal was thriving in Chennai’s tech world. But when he got involved in Agathiee’s services like “Medicine-Free Healing,” he began to see life through a new lens. He says, “Self-sufficiency doesn’t mean living alone, but living in harmony with others.” Through Agathiee, he embraced social awareness, sustainable living, and inner peace. His journey with Mr. Bharathi Kannan, Mr. Tamizh selvan, Mr. Rajesh, and others reshaped his thinking. “Life is not a race — it’s meant to be lived with understanding and peace,” he says, now encouraging youth to walk the path of self-reliance. Today, Mr. Perumal creates nature-based palm products such as palm jaggery, palm sugar, and palm candy in Uthiramerur. His journey from tech life to natural living stands as a powerful example for others.

“I found Agathiee during my final year of college... through a cycle tour around Tamil Nadu.” That one ride changed everything. It wasn’t just a cycle tour. It was a discovery—a meeting of minds in Rameshwaram where he saw the Agathiee team in action for the very first time. From there, his journey began. “The cycle tour led by Bharathi Kannan Anna changed my life.” While seed ball making and sandhai (organic markets) were inspiring, it was the cycle tour that sparked something deeper—a sense of direction, connection, and cause. From then on, whenever he came to Chennai, he stayed at the Agathiee base, soaking in the energy, working alongside members, and immersing himself in social change. “Before Agathiee, my idea of politics came from movies. It was narrow. But after joining, it expanded.” For him, Agathiee broadened politics beyond voting or headlines. It became about everyday life—how we live, how we act, how we lead. The experience taught him that politics isn’t something far awa...