In Nature’s Lap

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root available-locales="en_US," default-locale="en_US"><static-content language-id="en_US"><![CDATA[<p>It's a return to the roots. Minimalist construction and pristine conservation define eco resorts across the country. While they are designed for comfort, these retreats have a calming influence on holidayers as they bask in nature's glory.<br><br>At Our Native Village, a holistic health eco retreat in Bangalore, nothing is left to chance. The retreat, designed by Chitra Vishwanath, generates electricity through solar panels and a wind mill. It's hard to move around the 4.5-acre property without acknowledging its commitment to nature. The place has been kept open and airy. The construction is minimalist and doesn't go beyond the basic wood-stone-brick concept. The soil excavated from the construction site was used to make hand-pressed, sun-dried bricks. Alternatively and more realistically, these bricks function as room insulators, in the absence of air conditioners. Most of the water is rainwater gathered from the roofs and stored in an 84,000-litre underground tank. The swimming pool operates on the principle of a village pond, with fresh underground water instead of a chlorinated pool.<br><br>While this is a way of life for C.B. Ramkumar, a former ad professional who envisioned it, it offers a cheerful abandon for its guests. "Our Native Village is the first of its kind in India and I love the concept. In an era of computers and technology, children should know what simple living is. The resort has done a great job in trying to bring out the best in children and adults alike," says Preethi Kini, a tourist from Mumbai. At daybreak, the retreat comes alive with farming activities. As geese gaggle in the background, visitors can try their hand at milking the cows or wait patiently as the hens lay eggs. The agrarian experience also includes a laidback bullock-cart ride. And on weekends, a potter helps people craft a pot, while a kite-flying session and a game of catapult keep children engaged. Among life's other small wonders, hero stones or veeragallus, popular in local history, form part of a rock garden.<br><br></p> <table style="width: 250px;" border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="5" align="right"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="/businessworld/system/files/restaurant-1_250x188.jpg" width="250" height="188" style="float: right; margin: 5px;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td>The restaurant at the Wildernest Nature Resort in Goa<br></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>All these blend in with the rustic setting. Since it is in Hessarghatta, the last 2.5-km approach to the retreat is a flat land and attracts migratory birds. Apart from birdwatching, nature lovers can soak in the rolling uplands of the Arkavathy river, while the culturally and religiously inclined can head out to an ancient Hanuman temple.<br><br>The retreat has moved with the times at its own pace. "This year, Bangalore's Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions planted a few hundred species of medicinal plants that we use for common ailments such as cough and cold. We also have an Ayurvedic treatment centre, where healing programmes integrate ancient and new-age therapies such as Ayurveda, yoga, diet, meditation and acupressure, among others," says Ambika Ramakrishnan, the retreat's executive chef and farm manager.<br><br>While it's difficult to imagine drinking magic herbal potions to heal oneself at a retreat, the wellness extends to the culinary fare. About 80 per cent of the pulses, grains, vegetables and fruit are from the resort's organic farm. "Our food can be described as ‘compassionate' fare, as we are compassionate towards both the ingredients used for cooking and diners who consume the food. The spread is vegan and we avoid all four whites like sugar, polished rice, maida and milk," says Ramakrishnan. Garnishes include calcium-rich gingili seeds and flak seeds, a source of omega-3 fatty acids.<br><br>Going beyond the vegan spread, several eco resorts dotting the country's landscape score with their clever use of natural resources, combined with rural flavours, which make these great places to unwind. No doubt, eco initiatives offer regional cuisines, but they rely on organic farm produce because travel-worn produce never tastes the same as veggies from a herb garden.</p> <table style="width: 500px;" border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="5" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="/businessworld/system/files/front-panaroma_500x315.jpg" width="500" height="315" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 5px;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td>BACK TO BASICS: Our Native Village in Bangalore is a holistic eco health resort (Pic: Our Native Village)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><br><br>break-page-break<br>With its sprawling patios and pastoral charm, the Wildernest Nature Resort in Goa offers a compelling sense of seclusion. While many resorts in Goa are packaged as beach destinations, what probably makes Wildernest different is that it is located in the Chorla Ghat. The resort is nestled in the Swapnagandha Valley amidst lush greenery. Sudhir Naik, director of the resort, says: "I chose to set up Wildernest because I felt if the place was not protected, it would probably end up in the hands of the mining and timber lobby sometime. I wanted to create a sustainable venture that would conserve the forest and biodiversity of the region."<br><br>Wildernest has created the elegance of a rustic getaway through eco-friendly materials such as grass, black mud tiles, bamboo and acacia, a social forestry wood. The huts are styled in the village module and built amidst the forest cover. Besides, the resort has come up with a 100 per cent employment policy for the neighbouring villagers.<br><br>Naik also has a conservation plan. "The Mahdei Research Centre is dedicated to the conservation of the local natural and cultural heritage. The centre works with individual researchers and organisations, local communities and students to address various issues that concern the ecological and cultural diversity of the region," he says. The Chorla Ghat, where Wildernest is located, lies in the north-eastern side of where the Goa-Karnataka-Maharashtra boundaries meet. Being a part of the Western Ghats and the Sahyadris, Chorla Ghat is home to deciduous forests. Given its location, the resort manages to attract people all round the year. Come May and the south-west monsoon brings forth gushing waterfalls that keep photographers engrossed. As rains cease in September, they leave behind a carpet of greenery and gentle streams. Flowers and fruits are in full bloom in winter, while summer encourages nature lovers to set out on trails and walks.<br><br></p> <table style="width: 500px;" border="0" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="5" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="/businessworld/system/files/River-view_500x315.jpg" width="500" height="315" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 5px;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td>BACK TO BASICS: Pepper Green Village in Kerala boasts 200 trees and flowering bushes (Pic: Pepper Green Village)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><br><br>Open balconies, tree houses with the flora and fauna for company seem like whimsical eccentricity, but eco resorts are making informed choices as they put together these elements in an artistic and sensitive manner. It required a group of nature lovers to create what nature lovers would describe as a utopian village. The concept morphed into Pepper Green Village in Wayanad, Kerala, which brings under its umbrella 200 trees and flowering bushes, vines of pepper and the scent of spices. Here wood and bamboo cottages are built on the concept of a tree house. Besides the rustling of wind and the flow of the Kabini river close by, retreat seekers are treated to the occasional sound of the drum beats from the tribal villages. Cottages are connected through tree-top walkways raised on stilts that offer a full view of the paddy fields and forest canopy on either side. "We try to avoid using plastic in our premises and aim to make our resorts 100 per cent plastic free in the near future. In sync with our philosophy, a sewage treatment plant reuses the water for plantation," says Captain T.S. Saju, director of Pepper Green Village.<br><br>The silence is surreal and activities at the resort are languid. Life is chalked out here, as nature lovers can walk down to the river bank to fish or swim. At night, a camp-fire and barbecue by the riverside completes the experience. A boat ride takes birdwatchers to the Kuruva Island. This uninhabited, wooded island is home to innumerable varieties of local and migratory birds.<br><br>A river bank, forest fringe, magical world of birds, spices and a place to relax can send the most reluctant traveller into instant vacation mode. Sanctuary seekers can look forward to a hidden oasis among trees. Even the laptop-wielding, jargon-speaking corporate professionals turn into sanctuary lovers, as these eco resorts take them back to the basics — back to where life began — in a setting that blends greenery with a countryside lifestyle.<br><br><em>The author is a freelance feature writer based out of Bangalore</em><br><br>(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 20-06-2011)</p>