The hills are alive

Our fascination with the hills began when we caught the 1965 musical drama The Sound of Music way before we lost our first tooth And long after you had finished watching the film there was something magical about carrying the visual memory of Salzburg to any place that remotely resembled the verdure Last weekend we had our Maria von Trapp moment minus the apron dress and helmet hairdoUp in the air in circlesMaharashtras roadways never fail to surprise us After a fourhour drive from Mumbai to Raigad that oscillates between bumpy and smooth is the quaint village of Taraste sits in the Tala taluka The driver informs us that the name of the taluka is now synonymous with the ecoluxury resort were headed to Forest Hills at Tala whose campsite has just been relaunched after the monsoon As we circle around the hill the clouds gain definition and were lost in the vast expanse of greenery that is enough to blur our visionMud Houses PicsDalreen RamosThree countries one homeWe stop by to meet Anisha Abraham the head of operations at the property who takes heed of our weary condition and makes arrangements to send us to our accommodation right away On reaching Mud hut number 1 we spot thatched roofs and are handed our room keys And in the scorching heat we are greeted by foliage embedded with bright pink hibiscuses and blackeyed Susans that resemble some of Renoirs paintings set in Montmatre The structure is whitewashed and we unlock the blue door to interiors that are as comfy and utilityoriented as they look with decor featuring little bronze objects kettles locks and bowls The airconditioned room is equipped with a double bed a lounger chair a cable television and basic amenities such as inroom tea an iron and ironing board and refrigeratorSix Degree North cafeA brochure left by the table informs us that all interiors on the property as made using laterite extracted from their land instead of cement in line with the ethos of sustainability Singleuse plastic has also been eliminated from the property The washroom and shower is built in an extended area which is walled with glass panels on the sides so you can truly be one with nature We wonder if the architect was inspired by Santorini perhaps a globetrotter aiming to bridge the distance between India Greece and France When we ask the staff about this we dont draw a satisfactory responseKuda CavesSunsets and spinningFamished we head to the Valley Cafe for lunch and are welcomed by head chef Abhijit Chauhan who serves us a sumptuous meal of rajma chawal with chicken gravy and tandoori roti while guests flock by the open buffet counter We are seated facing the swimming pool of the Camel Cabin a plush 800sq ft wooden tent house and the breathtaking view of the valley on our side After a quick nap we head for some fun and games with other guests But this being a busy day we are taken to the sunset point where light scatters on the clay put up for display on a podium while two potters spin their wheels with enthusiasm And we decide to give the activity a goDeepti Thackre the head instructor and her assistant Bijoy make for accommodating and patient teachers and we are introduced to the basic principles of throwing centering and shaping Even as other guests falter like us Bijoy keenly pushes us Its taken us seven years to study the art you cant possible learn it all in one day The sun is setting and its been quite a dayPopular YouTuber Samarth Swarup performs liveDo Re MiWe head to the campsite for the evening and are seated on a mattress with approximately 100 others including a couple of adorable dogs many of them have been living in tents which are equipped with sleeping bags and a charging port YouTuber Samarth Swarup entertains us with a onehour set featuring old Bollywood songs latest chartbusters as well as Rajasthani folk songs on request from the audience but Swarup is delighted being a Rajasthani himself He even gets an audience member to jam with him We nibble on barbecued meat and veggies while they relight the bonfire The night is still youngThe campground at Forest Hills Tala Picskhyati bohraCaving inAt seven in the morning we are ready for our nature trail to Kuda caves We meet our guide and walk by rough shrubs and cactuses We arent exaggerating when we say this is a very steep 20minute trek that will surely leave your feet in bad shape if you dont wear suitable shoes And most of the skill really lies in putting your trust in tiny stones But needless to say its all worth it when you reach the cluster of 15 rockcut Buddhist caves Forest Hills being a twoyear old property it is still developing and thus most employees do not have detailed knowledge about the area in this case the biodiversity or architecture Improving on the same would certainly add historic and cultural value to the experience we feel But they dont let you leave without asking for your honest feedback with ratings for every facility and service provided With a place thats open to learning we hope things only get betterAT Survey no 1579 Pitasai Kumbet Road RaigadLOG ON TO wwwforesthillstalacomCOST Rs 2900 onwardsMore outdoors funWe also tried rifle shooting archery and horse riding In addition theres a petting zoo with goats and poultry And dont miss the friendly Dodo a white labrador who is a permanent fixture at the property and loves to show up across the spaceCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates