The 4-acre plot adjacent to his house at Cherapally, near Parandode at Aryanad has a number of bee-boxes with ant-wells at the bottom and rain guards at the top. The bees are seduced into entering these boxes and producing honey.

Swami, who has a sustainable relationship with the bees, takes care of them during the rainy season, when they cannot gather food for themselves. He prepares sugar solution, and a finely ground powder of 'porikadala' mixed with sugar, and places it in the upper chamber of the hive. He also checks on the health of his worker bees and the queen periodically.

A Gandhian to the core, he does not use any gloves or protective gear while handling the bees. Patience is the key, he says. Has he been stung? Oh, yes, several times. Only last week the bees placed a swelling on his left cheek. One gets used to it, he says and adds that the bee's sting keeps arthritis away. To the disbeliever he explains that scientific research is going on in different parts of the world on this traditional knowledge.

He supplies the honey in bulk to vaidyasalas at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram like Dhanvanthari Madom, Santhigir and Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala.

"Instead of complaining about unemployment, youngsters should take up bee-keeping. It is an excellent source of income," he says, adding that he is ready to teach all he knows to interested persons absolutely free of cost.