Rice is a staple food of people there but due to commercialization, a few native varieties are fading out of local memory.The rice in paddy fields in Wayanad is not ordinary. They are exclusive to Kerala called the ‘Gandhakasala’. And in the days of experiments in genetically modified crops, only a few families still sow this authentic variety.A farmer in Kerala I S Rajagopalan says, “We have been sowing this variety for a long time now. We grow this crop for our own use. We do not want these seedlings to die out because they are available only in Wayanad.”The Gandhakasala rice is known specially for its rich aroma. Also called Kerala’s basmati, this variety of rice is popular in the scientific community for its tolerance to drought, flood, pests and diseases. They can also survive the salinity and alkalinity of the soil in Kerala.