The real farmville

Soma Das beat sleep deprivation and a three-hour journey to reach an organic farm in rural Thane to pick veggies, cook her own food, sleep under the stars and bathe in a stream

To most city dwellers, the idea of living in a farm comes with its own set of misgivings. In fact, the closest association that one might have with a farm is its modern-day virtual avatar, "Farmville". But since the real deal was our idea of experiencing the outdoors, we plumbed for a stay at Hide Out, 49 year-old organic entrepreneur Hemant Chhabra's farm site.



Located a 100 km north of Mumbai in Thane district, it is an environmentally friendly farmhouse, which promises an experience of rural living in an organic set up. We set off in an MSRTC bus; the nearly three-hour road journey was uneventful until we reached Wada. Here, we hopped off and changed to a seven-seater tuk-tuk rickshaw (the locals call it "dukkar", meaning pig rickshaw!). As the road led us into the rural hamlet, the city's grip over us began to fade away.

On a veggie trail
Before reaching the actual Hide Out (aptly named), the aroma of food being cooked on the mud chulha had already drifted towards us. The farm consists of a main reception area where you can lounge around and keep your belongings. It is sparsely decorated with artefacts made by traditional artisans from all over India. The floor felt invitingly cool; that's because it was made from cow dung while its roof is thatched with teak leaves.

Nearby, there are swings and hammocks to unwind or indulge in light hearted activity. Famished after our journey, we headed straight for breakfast. And it couldn't have been more inviting. A health freak's delight, we settled for juicy black grapes, fresh papayas and tender muskmelons, served fresh from their farm.

What sets Hide Out apart from most eco farm set ups is that there isn't any fixed itinerary; one can participate in any or every activity or simply amble around the farm, looking for one's peace quotient. Tempted to plunge into the activities, we went salad picking with four other young working professionals. Our chore was to prepare a meal for the following day's batch of visitors to the farm. This was a concept probably inspired from the movie Pay It Forward (of people helping one another). Clearly, there were no free lunches here (even on holiday)! As we ploughed our way through the farm, there were interesting discoveries u2013 never pluck a top leaf as they are still in a nascent stage of growth; always go for the bottom ones. Bio class was never this fun! "... pick 50 leaves of basil, cilantro and lettuce or there will be no lunch," Hemant directed us city slickers as we went about the task.

Soon, it became clear why Hide Out had started off as a children's camp, ten years ago. The flora and fauna was abundant, making the farm largely self-sufficient. You can spot 21 varieties of bananas, chikoos, jamun, pineapple, coconuts, mangoes, lettuce, cilantro, 6 varieties of basil (Italian, fine, Thai, violet, lemon, monstrous mammoth basil) and French tomatoes. Chhabra gave us a crash course in distinguishing types of basil (Thai basil emits a very faint aroma while the Italian basil gives out a very strong one). One of the high points was when we spotted 5.5 feet sunflowers.u00a0

By afternoon, three families had dropped by the farm, kids in tow. We pitched in with the kitchen chores u2013 from chopping veggies, getting our wholesome salad in order, while a tribal woman cooked for us. Lunch was a hearty affair u2013 rice bhakri, jowar bhakri, five types of pickle, potato and bean sabji, papad, dal, fresh curd and coconut sweets.

Stream session
After a short siesta, it was time for an outdoorsy adventure to a waterfall stream, 7 km away. More accustomed to walking on cement floors, the rocky river bed didn't exactly make for smooth walking. As we made our way over the moss-covered rocks towards the stream, to dunk ourselves under the gushing waters, it felt blissful, almost as if the connect with nature was complete. The waterfall created a natural slide in the stream, thanks to the moss-covered sloping riverbed.

Sleeping with the stars
Like lunch, dinner was a fun affair. The food was somewhat similar to lunch, with the addition of corn soup and til-gul ladoos for dessert. By this time, we were ready to hit the sack. Choose from the brick house or the mud house or the eco cottage (no walls, only curtains). If you're the adventurous sorts, we suggest you camp in the outdoors. The Hide Out staff sets your bed outdoors, covered with a mosquito net. And as you drift into slumber land, rest assured the stars, the moonlit night and the singing crickets will ensure you stay in sync with nature, just as it should be.

How to reach
The nearest railway station is Thane. Opt for a bus at the MSRTC bus depot, Thane (West), next to Kunj Vihar Hotel. Board a bus to Dahanu or Jawahar. The bus stop is Jhadpoli, which is a 2.5-hour ride. Alert the conductor / driver to halt the bus at Jhadpoli which is immediately after Sajan. Alternatively, if you don't get a bus for Jawahar or Dahanu, take a bus to Wada; they ply every 10 minutes. Alight at Wada Naka, before the last stop. Hail a private jeep or a tuk tuk to Vikramgarh and get off at Jhadpoli, which is a 20-minute-drive. Once you reach Jhadpoli, walk a 100 steps north where you will spot a sign u2013 Tappar Pada. Walk straight along this stretch for 700 meters and take the left at a green-coloured open gate to reach Hide Out.

Hide Out, Thappar Pada, Jhadpoli Village, Vikramgarh Taluka, Thane district.
Call: 9820149022.
Log on to: www.hideout.co.in