TRAVEL COUNTRY ROADS
Find life in its most
unfiltered form at a village vacation this year...
We are eating ancient
grains, wearing indigenous cloth ing, cooking from grandma's recipes and
gradually putting life in slow gear. There is a universal yearning to go back
to the roots, to live a less complicated and de-cluttered life. While some
people have been able to slow down their everyday madness, others simply look
for it elsewhere...
THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE
Travel trends confirm that
more and more people are cutting away from the lure of big cities and their
trappings, and taking a detour towards small towns and villages on their
travels in India and abroad. Be it a spectacular Swiss village or an enchanting
Northeastern hamlet, pastoral charm is swaying travellers. “What's the fun in
going from one frenzied city to another? The whole point of a vacation is to
find some vacant mind space and you get a lot of it in a rustic setting,“
says Delhi-based website designer Nitin Moudgil. “I find a vil lage holiday a
better substitute for a fullbody detox. You can get your fix of clean air, give
your lungs a good scrub, stock up on homegrown fresh produce and flush out all
the mental toxins!“ he adds. In fact, a rustic holiday can be so much more. It
could be a walking vacation, exploring the ethnicity of the place on foot or a
vacation in sync with a music fest or annual cultural procession. You could
stay with a local artisan and learn a native craft or check into a heritage
homestay and enjoy a bit of luxury in the middle of nowhere.
GO LOCAL
From misty Himalayan
hamlets and the sunny north Indian countryside to the arty heritage villages of
Gujarat and Rajasthan, it really takes a village to see India in its
characteristic colours.
“There is a growing desire
amongst city dwellers to re-connect to their roots and enjoy the tranquillity
and cultural refreshment offered by traditional rural environments,“ shares
Manisha Pande of Village Ways, a social enterprise with the specific aim of
promoting rural livelihoods through community tourism in Binsar villages,
Mothakkara village in Kerala, villages in Satpura and Pench amongst many
others. On their tours, they offer guests seasonal food bursting with flavours,
leisurely walks from village to village, night stays at different guest houses
with well-informed guides to update you on the wildlife and rural cultural
life.
Sometimes it's just for
that one pure food experience that you head to a village dollops of fresh
white butter, the wonderful aroma of simmering saag on the chulha and chunks of
gur as an appetiser. At least, that's what is taking hordes of travellers to
the interiors of Punjab for a `rusticcation' (rustic vacation). “There is a
saying that India lives in its villages. We have made cottages for people to
stay and experience the iconic Punjabi pind with sprinklings of a dairy farm
visit, a dip in the tubewell, tractor tours and a trip to Wagah Border,“ says
Bikash Chaurasia, general manager, Punjabiyat by Itmenaan Lodges (an hour's
drive from Amritsar). They have also redone two traditional Kumaoni village
houses and carefully renovated them without compromising on the original
architecture. “Our Himalayan walks and treks take guests through the unspoilt
villages of Kumaon. The programme allows them to walk around freely and
interact with local communities, exchange stories with the elderly over a cup
of chai or help villagers working in the fields,“ adds Chaurasia.
Charmed by the idea? It's
time you left for one of these beautiful villages...
Where to go...
TURTUK:
This is an insulated
experience as Turtuk is the last village up to which travel permits are issued
to visitors in Nubra Valley of Ladakh. Being lower in altitude than most towns
around, this place is a breath of freshness in the form of green pastures, in
an otherwise barren landscape. The village (9,846 ft above sea-level) is
inhabited by the Balti people of Tibetan decent. It grows four different
varieties of apricots and this fruit is the major source of income. Climbing
one of the innumerable apricot trees to pluck the fruit is a must do for
traveller.
Best time to visit: May to
September
THIKALNA:
Deep in the oak,
rhododendron and pine forests with uninterrupted view of the Himalayas, lies
Thikalna village in Kumaon. If you have dreamt of staying in perfect mountain
solitude, miles away from civilisation, Thikalna Village House is made for you.
A renovated village house without electricity (though not without cozy comfort),
it offers a splendid retreat for adventurous travellers.
Best time to visit: May to
November
PRAG GPUR:
A small heritage village in
the panoramic Kangra Valley in Himachal, Pragpur has cobbled stone streets, old
water tanks, mud-plastered walls and slate-roofed houses. It offers angling
opportunities in the Beas nearby, and a panoramic view of the snow-capped
majestic Dhauladhars. The village is known for its cottage industry.
Best time to visit: May to
October
HODKA:
A craft village in Gujarat,
travellers can enjoy a remote desert village experience here. It is symbolic of
the distinct beauty of the Banni region that borders the Rann of Kutch.Hodka
consists of mud houses painted with natural dyes. You can go for star-gazing,
guided walks, bird watching excursions, camel safaris and embroidery workshops.
Best time to visit: July to
March
ZIRO:
A layered landscape of rice
fields, rivers and picture-postcard villages of the Apatani tribe, Ziro is the
high point of any trip to the North-east. For four days in September, Ziro is
invaded by thousands of music lovers who come to attend the Ziro Music
Festival, which showcases the best of regional music as well as a great
selection of bands from across India.The Apatani people design beautiful
handloom and handicrafts, besides, practicing the famous paddyfish
cultivation.
Best time to visit: March
to October
|
supriya
sharma
|
TL22MAY16
No comments:
Post a Comment