A hectic work life ? Too busy with all the gizmos ?? A tight rope walk all the way ???Then you are the right candidate to take off on a long weekend with your loved ones to an easily accessible holiday destination.We are just back from one such trip. It was our children's wedding anniversary and my son declared he could not spare much time on a holiday. So we put on our thinking caps and thought in earnest. Where do we go in such a short time ? I certainly believe that however caught up we are with our bread winning , special days need to be kept special when your family has to be made to feel good. As the adage goes ' Give the devil his due '. Maintaining a healthy work life culture is so important in the present day context. It is not only for the family but for your own self. You too need to surface at times for those large gulps of fresh oxygen, spending quality time with the family and indulging in some healthy activity different from your every day routine. Don't forget, traveling is also education !
We decided to head to Red Earth Kabini , a resort and spa. It is a comfy 4 and 1/2 hrs drive from ' namma Bengaluru' across the lands of Haider Ali, Tippu Sultan and the Wadayars. This resort is on the banks of river Kabini also known by its ancient name 'KAPILA', after the Vedic sage Kapila Maharishi who lived around 700 BC. Here the river bifurcates into the Nagarhole and Bandipur game sanctuaries. This is also the ' Project Tiger ' belt. Red Earth borders the NAGARHOLE game park., known for its Deer, Sloth bear, Indian Gaur, elephants and the shy predators the Tiger and the Leopard. It is a fun combo of activity and total relaxation !
Red Earth Kabini boasts of 20 luxury cottages with private Jacuzzi, open to the sky in true Balinese style.The property is sprawled over 10 acres of verdant landscape. Hardly any cement, concrete or steel has been used in the creation of this infrastructure. The cottages are made of ' in rammed' construction. The roofs are made of locally procured elephant grass with bamboo matting from inside. This keeps the cottages cool in summer. Of course air conditioning is inbuilt in every cottage. The furniture thrown in is also from yesteryears. The honeymooners have 3 honeymoon huts complete with four poster beds and additional goodies.The resort has a great swimming pool which is filtered without any chemicals. It was designed by a French architect. This resort also has a floating, colonial bar with a professional Snooker table. It is quite quaint with the whiff of a jungle lodge.
There is strictly ' no room service'. This is to give an opportunity for folks to mingle. The dining room is a large open gazebo in true Kerala style supported by 18 antique wooden pillars. No fans here but there is excellent cross ventilation. If you are lucky to have a heavy downpour then the place gets so cool to the extent of getting nippy. I was really impressed with the food they served. It is a fairly large buffet with a lot of choices catering to different palates. You do have a choice of continental cuisine to Desi khana, well cooked and very tasty. Fish lovers would relish ' the catch of the day' and don't be surprised to have prawns too! The veggies and fruits mostly come from their very own organic farm.
There are a number of activities you can indulge in on this property. Coracle rides are facilitated across the river which is exciting. I came across people going to the Nagarhole sanctuary every evening that they were there. This is also well arranged by the resort. Special dinners by the river side and Bar-be-ques are also arranged. Do try this out on a full moon night. It is exotic. We were fortunate to be there on one such night when the moon was in all it's glory and had draped the entire expanse in its silvery shimmer. For not the so adventurous you still have choice. In case you are the artistic kind ask for a river facing cottage and see the magic you can weave. Do not miss out on the Spa ZVASTHI ( breathe in Sanskrit) which gives you an invigorating Swedish Massage with aroma oils. We indulged ourselves there everyday for the full body massage with ' hot stones '.
Across the river Kabini is a 1600year old Shiva temple by the name of Thiranimunti Parameshwara temple. On Shivarathri amidst the floating lights on the water, the Red Earth send their coracle which carries 3 priests and the Shivalinga from the temple along the river. Legend has it that at a particular spot on the river the coracle spins round thrice and any amount of maneuvering is of no avail. Locals believe that there is a submerged temple at this spot. When the water levels recede , it is not uncommon to see ancient engraved tablets on the floor of the river , probably in the Devanagiri script.
What I was absolutely impressed with was the ethos of the Red Earth, which is 'rejuvenation'.
Extreme emphasis is given to preserving the ecology of the area. No chemicals are used in any form. Extensive plantations of fruit bearing trees like the mango, jack, rambutan. Mangustin, pineapple, Chinese cherries, passion fruit is indeed a visual treat. Perennial flowering plants are strewn all around- cannas, alamandas, verbenas, geraniums, bright coloured crotons, roses, fuschia and a what not. They have three borewells and no water from the river is used for any purpose by the resort. The water used for the farms is recycled and treated in a plant and goes back through drip irrigation. Two artificial water bodies are created on the property which get filled up during the monsoons and attract a large variety of the winged species. If Salim Ali was here, I know exactly where he would have perched himself with his binos!
The locals are from the Betakurbar and the Jainkurbar tribes. They were living a hand-to-mouth existence till this resort emerged as Goddess Annapoorna to them. 95% of the staff are from these villages. The tribals are employed, trained, given various skills, which indeed has made poverty take to its wings from their midst. I chanced upon speaking to a few locals and they did not have to express themselves in many words. A sense of achievement and victory oozed out of every pore. Ravi Parameshwaran Iyer, a planter by profession and his beautiful wife Thankom Rachel Ravi own this fab property. They are intimately involved in every going-on here. You can see them just about everywhere. I feel it is their personal involvement in every sphere which has made Red Earth a success story!
Do try out this resort the next time you are in Karnataka - it is sure to overpower you!
We decided to head to Red Earth Kabini , a resort and spa. It is a comfy 4 and 1/2 hrs drive from ' namma Bengaluru' across the lands of Haider Ali, Tippu Sultan and the Wadayars. This resort is on the banks of river Kabini also known by its ancient name 'KAPILA', after the Vedic sage Kapila Maharishi who lived around 700 BC. Here the river bifurcates into the Nagarhole and Bandipur game sanctuaries. This is also the ' Project Tiger ' belt. Red Earth borders the NAGARHOLE game park., known for its Deer, Sloth bear, Indian Gaur, elephants and the shy predators the Tiger and the Leopard. It is a fun combo of activity and total relaxation !
Red Earth Kabini boasts of 20 luxury cottages with private Jacuzzi, open to the sky in true Balinese style.The property is sprawled over 10 acres of verdant landscape. Hardly any cement, concrete or steel has been used in the creation of this infrastructure. The cottages are made of ' in rammed' construction. The roofs are made of locally procured elephant grass with bamboo matting from inside. This keeps the cottages cool in summer. Of course air conditioning is inbuilt in every cottage. The furniture thrown in is also from yesteryears. The honeymooners have 3 honeymoon huts complete with four poster beds and additional goodies.The resort has a great swimming pool which is filtered without any chemicals. It was designed by a French architect. This resort also has a floating, colonial bar with a professional Snooker table. It is quite quaint with the whiff of a jungle lodge. |
| 'Flame of the Forest' - a must try cocktail! |
There is strictly ' no room service'. This is to give an opportunity for folks to mingle. The dining room is a large open gazebo in true Kerala style supported by 18 antique wooden pillars. No fans here but there is excellent cross ventilation. If you are lucky to have a heavy downpour then the place gets so cool to the extent of getting nippy. I was really impressed with the food they served. It is a fairly large buffet with a lot of choices catering to different palates. You do have a choice of continental cuisine to Desi khana, well cooked and very tasty. Fish lovers would relish ' the catch of the day' and don't be surprised to have prawns too! The veggies and fruits mostly come from their very own organic farm.
Across the river Kabini is a 1600year old Shiva temple by the name of Thiranimunti Parameshwara temple. On Shivarathri amidst the floating lights on the water, the Red Earth send their coracle which carries 3 priests and the Shivalinga from the temple along the river. Legend has it that at a particular spot on the river the coracle spins round thrice and any amount of maneuvering is of no avail. Locals believe that there is a submerged temple at this spot. When the water levels recede , it is not uncommon to see ancient engraved tablets on the floor of the river , probably in the Devanagiri script.
What I was absolutely impressed with was the ethos of the Red Earth, which is 'rejuvenation'.
Extreme emphasis is given to preserving the ecology of the area. No chemicals are used in any form. Extensive plantations of fruit bearing trees like the mango, jack, rambutan. Mangustin, pineapple, Chinese cherries, passion fruit is indeed a visual treat. Perennial flowering plants are strewn all around- cannas, alamandas, verbenas, geraniums, bright coloured crotons, roses, fuschia and a what not. They have three borewells and no water from the river is used for any purpose by the resort. The water used for the farms is recycled and treated in a plant and goes back through drip irrigation. Two artificial water bodies are created on the property which get filled up during the monsoons and attract a large variety of the winged species. If Salim Ali was here, I know exactly where he would have perched himself with his binos!
The locals are from the Betakurbar and the Jainkurbar tribes. They were living a hand-to-mouth existence till this resort emerged as Goddess Annapoorna to them. 95% of the staff are from these villages. The tribals are employed, trained, given various skills, which indeed has made poverty take to its wings from their midst. I chanced upon speaking to a few locals and they did not have to express themselves in many words. A sense of achievement and victory oozed out of every pore. Ravi Parameshwaran Iyer, a planter by profession and his beautiful wife Thankom Rachel Ravi own this fab property. They are intimately involved in every going-on here. You can see them just about everywhere. I feel it is their personal involvement in every sphere which has made Red Earth a success story!
Do try out this resort the next time you are in Karnataka - it is sure to overpower you!
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