Bajra (Pearl Millet) - Simren Rai
Simren Rai reconnects with Bajra through family knowledge, home gardening, and an artistic partnership rooted in shared ancestral grain.
- Seed sovereignty
- Oral history
Transforming unused space into a home garden can help you reconnect to and protect ancestral foods
After hearing Simren’s story of learning about Bajra from her elders, Fatema was inspired to ask for her own Grandmother’s story. Bajra was a primary staple grain in both Punjab and Rajasthan before the rise of the Green Revolution in India. This connection over a shared ancestral grain is what initially launched Fatema and Simren’s artistic partnership.
In 2021 Simren also convinced her dad to build a terraced agriculture space in the rocky hillside behind their house. Now they are growing Bajra there, alongside many other Punjabi crop staples, plants native to Washington's Pacific Northwest, and other heirloom produce varieties.
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Simren's father speaks on growing his own food and how it reminds him of his history
The art of this square is an iteration of the Revolutionary Grains logo. The hand-cut felt bird carries embroidered millet, towards the sun, symbolizing the possibility for alternative food systems.
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