What does a great adventure usually start with? ‘Spontaneous Packing’. Exactly.
It was a warm sun-filled afternoon when we decided that we must visit Konkan. It was pretty much a need at that point.
I’m proud to say that we packed 9 days’ worth of luggage in a few hours for a 5-day trip. My family is awesome.
How we got there:
We woke up early credit to our dearest alarm clocks.
Road trips are the best. You can nap all you want, vibe to the music, and munch all day. The car magically takes you places even though you personally haven’t moved an inch in the last hour. Hail modern technology.
The sky was misty. The weather was perfect. It wasn’t sunny, wasn’t too cloudy either.
On our way, we were greeted by one of nature's most majestic creatures…monkeys.
Charming as they are, they were munching on bananas and posing for photos. Quite a busy life they lead, really.
After a journey of 7 hours, from Pune we reached our destination. We enjoyed the journey too, no doubt, but sometimes, the destination is equally important.
This time it was. The ‘Koyari Vacation Home’ in Gimavi, Guhagar, Maharashtra.
KOYARI VACATION HOME:
Creator: Koyari is a concept created by Aniruddha Phadke. He fulfilled his lifelong dream of owning an Amraai (Mango orchard) in Konkan, along with a country home to go with it. An architect by profession, he designed the place using locally available materials to give it a rustic feel. Living country life to the fullest, in a responsible, sustainable way!
Logo: The ingenious logo is also the brainchild of the creator. He designed it in such a way that it is self-replicating.
Reminds you of wooden printing blocks that are used to print clothing.
Koyari: Koyari is the Marathi name for ‘mango seed’. Its shape is considered auspicious. The name suggests deep love for the Konkan region which is India’s major mango producer; the mango capital. It is a symbol of fertility and new beginnings. The seed grows into a sapling, bears flowers, and finally bears fruit which has a ‘Koyari’ in it again. It signifies a continuum. The circle of life is indeed delicious.
Koyari is built around the concept of holiday homes. The creator wanted the guest to experience the proper village life coupled with the comfort of a modern ambiance inside the home. Best of both worlds!
Architecture: The home is made up of local red stone (laterite).
The picture on the left is a laterite stone. What's special about it? It's a fossil.
The housing structure follows a traditional layout composed of:
Aangan: It is the front portion of the home where feasts are organized. The flooring is made of cow-dung and hay paste which is spread evenly (शेण सारवणे).
2. Otti: It is a semi-open space that has a permanent roof over the head. This otti has colorful pillows and soft lighting perfect for leisure.
3. Majghar: It is the central hub of the home where the pooja ghar (praying place) is located and is connected to the bedrooms and the kitchen.
4. Kitchen: The kitchen is the soul of every house because that is where the food is!
5. Bedrooms: The bedrooms are new age and comforting for city folks. It’s enjoyable to live in a place with wooden furniture and also an AC and some television.
Entertainment:
1. Mini Golf: The home has a mini-golf course near the 'aangan' made up of cow dung, hay, and wooden planks! You get to play with a wooden club too! Perfect for amateurs and pros.
I however am 100% a pro. That is exactly how a golf club should be held. (Please don't take me seriously.)
2. Hammock: Need I say more? What’s better than to just laze around in the afternoon? You can sleep, read, or spy on the humans below. Perfect.
3. Birdwatching: The birds live with you there. They flutter and they sing… A pair of binoculars and a comfy chair is all you need to have a lively afternoon.
I was super lucky to get a click of the brahminy kite (red-backed sea-eagle). With a twig in its beak, it was making a nest on a tree. White chest, brown wings, and a yellow beak…it’s a treat to the eyes.
4. Be one with the soil: If you’re lucky, (and trustworthy) you can get a chance to do some hardcore farming.
In this video, I can be seen weeding the garden wielding a sickle. You can also see the big heap of weeds that I cleared. I did that myself. I felt immensely proud.
5. Stargazing: The night sky sparkles like jewels. You can clearly see various constellations. The magic of this… can’t be explained in words…it must be experienced.
6. Campfire / BBQ: Provisions are made on a cold night to keep you warm and cozy. A campfire in the dark coupled with some delicious barbeque munchies is all you need.
7. Chase cocks: Last but not the least, if you’ve done everything to entertain yourself and still have bundles of energy…try to catch cocks and chickens. They come from neighboring farms to eat seeds. Need motivation for running after them? No worries. They’ll annoy you by cock-a-doodling in the morning.
FOOD:
We can’t forget the delectable delights of Konkan, can we?
Koyari has unique homegrown treats that satisfy your tastebuds.
1. BLUE TEA: Also known as butterfly pea tea it's a caffeine-free herbal tea that soothes your stomach. The flower, locally known as Gokarna or Aparajita, is planted in Koyari itself!
Fresh flowers are plucked and dried and brewed into a fragrant tea.
2. AAMRAS: There is no Konkan without aamras (mango pulp). A special technique, using just sugar as a natural preservative, they have made bottles of aamras that stay fresh and delicious for a whole year! All the mangoes used are handpicked with love from their organic orchards.
3. PAAN: The classic digestive betel leaf that you eat after lunch is homegrown here! You can just pick it off the tree and enjoy it! Look at the size! After a big meal, you definitely need a big paan.
4. HONEY: The bees in the mango orchard are of the species - trigona stingless bee. They are natural pollinators for the mango blossoms. The natural honey they produce is runny and has a sweet and tangy taste.
NEWEST ADDITION:
Cows! The cowshed has been built in the premise of Koyari using red laterite stone with organic local material.
These are pure breed local ‘Konkan Gidd’, procured after an intense search in nearby villages.
The owner understands the importance of preserving indigenous breeds and hence his efforts are towards breed improvement.
A stay in Koyari brings you closer to nature and helps you pause.
You learn to marvel at the beauty of the earth.
The little things bring you immense joy.
It helps you understand why you were put on this planet in the first place...to fall in love with its simple pleasures.
Konkan's tropical beauty is unlike any other.
A simple walk in your surroundings helps you experience the rich biodiversity it has to offer.
Dewdrops cling onto the silky web of the spider.
It gives the appearance of a bejeweled piece of cloth.
A single drop clings onto the branch.
The Sichuan pepper plant has spicy fragrant red sap that glistens in the sun.
Climbing up the ladder in the lighthouse. Was on "serious" duty.
Ballerina on the beach.
Gravity conquered me a few milliseconds later.
The local mammal having a quiet luncheon.
Managed to click a no filter pic with the sunlight morphing into a rainbow.
Taking "inspiration" from all the farm work I've done, I planted a little something in my home garden.
They say home is where the heart is, but my heart was still at the farm.
Why not create it at home?
Thank you Koyari