Two Rescues, A Sexagenarian & A Mismatched Couple: Our Recent Trip to A No-Network Village in Maharashtra

Going offbeat comes with its own set of issues, but I am not complaining. I rather be at a place that cuts through the noise than one that creates it! BUT with an eco-conscious twist. Nothing better than offbeat Maharashtra!

It was time for a long-awaited break close to Mumbai and I ended up booking a beautiful sustainable homestay on a hillock. Hardly a three-hour drive from Mumbai, the quiet village of Vasunde is the picture-perfect example of one of those pristine hamlets which has remained untouched by the dangers of urbanization and the distressing mobile network.

Cradled atop a hillock lies Banyan Bliss – a homestay that’s hosted on Airbnb, but not the one to book through an online portal I decided to speak to the host – a great way of connecting with hosts instead of directly booking. What followed was an ascertainment on the boarding choice.

 

How to Reach

The best way is to reach is by your own vehicle. With no network after a certain point, it is imperative to follow directions that the host Viinod shares.

A 2.5-hour drive from Mumbai Banyan Bliss is around 25kms from Kenisha Resort Residences. You can consider taking Atal Setu.

 

The Travellers

Off course my 68-year-old mum (the sexagenarian), two rescues – a dog and a cat and the Mismatched Couple – my husband and me!

Why Mismatched? – Because of our polarizing travel choices and everything else; our only common connection is Food.

Why Did I Choose Banyan Bliss?

With shifting preferences in travel, the choice of accommodations have been subjected to change where sustainable homestays or eco-stays or heritage places replaced hotels; because there is always something inspirational about them – either they are created from ground up and create history or they have history living within their walls. Not to mention factorizing the eco-conscious and sustainability aspect. Also, a pet-friendly stay was a necessity.

Letting you all on a secret – I think I was looking forward to the symphony of the critter clan as darkness descends!

 

The Hosts

Viinod, a retired advertising professional with a background in psychology and his wife Beena, left the comforts of city life and shifted to their weekend home for good in 2009. With their sons and daughter settled abroad, Viinod and Beena run the homestay with the help of Sanjay – the caretaker and his family.

 

The Stay & Architecture

Nothing less than a rocky landscape once, you will be amazed at what Beena has transformed the place into – a green canopy welcomes you the moment you set foot within the premises of the homestay.

Built around a 100-year-old banyan tree that also inspires the name of the homestay, this was supposed to be Viinod, Beena and their family’s own little paradise away from the urban chaos.

Characterized by the sourcing of local materials for construction, Banyan Bliss is an example of vernacular architecture wherein building materials like rammed earth, clay tiles, thatched roof, recycled wood for the doors and windows were locally sourced. Rooms with rustic wood furniture, devoid of television and air-conditioning, Viinod and Beena are bringing you closer to a natural living space than the manufactured air from the coolers and reconnecting with meaningful conversations rather than being glued to a noisy screen.

This magnificent piece of digital detox wouldn’t have been open to public if not for their children who initiated the conversation of turning it into a homestay and without waiting for their assent, published the post on Facebook – that was the beginning of Viinod and Beena’s hospitality journey.

Not just different room types that boast of vernacular architecture, Banyan Bliss also offers a guppy pool where you can dip your feet allowing the guppies to become your chiropodists!

At one point his children’s den, now these artsy spaces belong to travellers who respect the tranquility of Banyan Bliss. These 5 rooms are completely unique to each other and nothing alike are Not to offer the same types of accommodations to all guests, there are 5 unique types:

1. Cob Cottage
2. Earth Room
3. Valley Room
4. Loft
5. Den
6. Master Room (Lotus Suite)

The only common thing among the rooms is their size which are humongous compared to the matchboxes in Mumbai.

An extension from the end of the kitchen wall that was constructed later is the perfect sit-out area to soak the beauty of the cottony clouds in solitude as they brush past the Sahyadris, leaving behind fluffy residues as a reminder of their checked off ‘bucket-list’!

 

Cost

INR 5,900/ night inclusive of breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.

You can check the price here.

Pet-friendly

Yes! Which was the best part. But do remember there are other pets too – owners have 2 Boxers, caretaker has an Indie, and other guests would also bring their pets.

Things to Remember While Bringing Your Pet

• There will be other pets too so keep your dog on leash. I know mine is an alpha female who doesn’t get along with other dogs (only when we are around) but of impeccable behaviour and mentality around humans. We still kept her on a leash because there was another dog – a Labrador. Unfortunately, the Labrador was not kept on leash and came to sniff mine, which didn’t bode well with Butlee (my dog) and she snapped. Thankfully she doesn’t bite but she growled baring her canines to warn the Lab. Also, the Lab kept chasing the resident cat, while the dog-parents did nothing to correct her behaviour. This is not acceptable. As a pet-parent, one should be mindful of the behaviour one’s dog displays to avoid discomfort to others.
• Try and carry a portable vacuum cleaner to clean the fur in the room. We carried one since our dog was shedding and it helped us keep the room clean. Although there are helps to do that but as responsible pet-parents, this is something we try to do.
• Carry beds for your pets. Since we had a dog and a cat with us, we carried a bed and also a crate. Do not allow dogs on the beds. But cats are from Mars and listen to no-one so spread your own bedsheet to avoid getting the stay’s one getting messed up. We did the same.
• For our cat we carried a litter box along with the sand that helped him defecate without stress and it was easy to dispose.
• We also carried poop bags to clean up after our pet.
• Bowls along with dry and wet food.
• Newspapers to avoid the muck and dirt that follows.
• Bedsheets to spread on the floor for the dog/ cat to lay.
• Carry a towel to wipe their feet.

 

Highlight Around the Stay – An ‘Off-the-Grid Waterfall’

Easy to miss the right turn and end up at the top of a hill instead of the bottom, where the waterfall takes the plunge, it is better to head there with a local – Nilesh from the homestay can accompany you.

A good 30-min walk followed by a 25-min trek would have taken us to our destination, but we chose to drive for the 1st leg of the trip as my 68-year-old mom had accompanied us (she was ecstatic to hike!). Beyond a certain point, the car had to be parked, and the journey continued on foot. Since we were carrying something smaller than a golf umbrella, my mom used it as a stick for our way onward through the uncertain terrain.

 

From the vast open green spaces, the scene quickly changed once we entered the green façade created by the canopies of old trees, tertiary roots and creepers hugging them with all their might! Covered in moss, the forest floor looked nothing short of a page out of the ‘Lord of the Rings’. With only the sound of wilderness accompanying us, that consisted of cicadas, frogs and exotic birds cleverly camouflaged behind the shades of browns and greens, we made our way into the depths of the green abundance.

Carefully dodging slippery slopes and mossy rocks, we finally reached the waterfall which appeared like one of those picture-perfect ‘off the beaten trail’ waterfalls everyone raves about on Instagram. But unlike those treasures doing their social rounds and becoming popular, this place is blessed to still remain relevant only among locals.

An early departure from our stay allowed us plenty of time to splash in the gushing waters until sundown. So, after reaching we crawled into the cool waters – first our guide, then my husband and lastly me. Unhappy with my mom sitting on a rock while we shrieked with joy, my husband coaxed her into getting inside the plunge pool. Wailing at the top of her lungs as my husband slowly guided her into the chest-high water, my mom displayed a series of emotions – anxiety, apprehension, confusion, bravado, euphoria and finally a sense of accomplishment, in the exact sequence! After a rejuvenating plunge pool session, my mom led the group on our way out of the wilderness!

I have had my share of adventures with my mother, but this short off-track trek will remain dear to me for two reasons.

Firstly, the fact that she stepped out of her comfort zone and agreed to do something that she had never embarked on before, is truly inspiring. While I wasn’t sure if my mom could pull off this debilitating trek, her resilience came as a pleasant surprise as she dared on – never stopping to raise a concern, never asking us to head back or giving up but trekking at her own pace, stopping to take a breath and carrying on.

Secondly, this was her first dip in a waterfall. Even when we had visited Dudhsagar, she was happy on a rock, never setting foot into the cool gushing waters. But this time, thanks to my husband’s coaxing and cajoling, she gave in and marked her first feat and overcame her fear of water!

Then there are villages that you can drive around. We lost our way and ended up with some great vistas.

The Do’s & Don’ts at The Stay

Do’s

• Carry your own bottle and refill it. Since three of us were travelling, we had carried a 5-litre jerrycan that was enough to last 2 nights. When it got over, we refilled.
• Be mindful and respectful towards the residents of the homestay – be it the locals who are employed there or the animals around. It is their space that they have allowed you into. Treat it like your home.
• Carry your own toiletries.
• Carry with you a piece of your culture to share with them.
• Allow your senses to soak in the naturalness around.
• Unwind through all your senses.

Don’ts

• Do not litter. There are bins in every room and washroom to be filled with trash.
• This is not a hotel but a homestay hence do not expect the same kind of services. Adhere to the breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner times.
• Ensure you carry some snacks or titbits as the kitchen closes at 9:30 pm and you might get hunger pangs. The nearest market is 10 kms away!
• Do not play loud music and disturb the tranquility of the place.

Responsibility as a Traveller

• Leave the place better than how you found it.
• Stitch stories with relationships you build on every journey you take.
• Leave a bit of your culture behind.
• Be kind, be respectful, be mindful, be conscious – the world needs it.
• If you are a paw-rent, travel with pets as much as you can BUT responsibly.
• Gather the native knowledge, note and re-share.
• The difference in our cultures is what makes us unique – be courteous towards traditions.
• Leave footprints behind and carry smiles and wonderful memories.

The most precious of stories unravel when you least expect. In my attempt to look for the best possible homestays that align with my sustainable preference and the need for pet conducive, I am often left disappointed. Most places either don’t allow pets or they ask of us to keep them confined or levy exorbitant overhead charges. A reason why I end up with well-researched choices that can also help pet-parents to know about stays.

Also, I have realized pets help to forage great bonds with fellow travellers – reason enough for us to bring them along in our adventures (even when train travel is involved since they are allowed in trains with 1st class compartments) create lasting memories and capture your favourite memories.

If you are looking for a sustainable farm stay closer to Mumbai, then Aatmann Dahanu in Dahanu which is around 1.5 hours by the local train or a 2-hr drive and also Red Stone in Panchgani is a great choice. It even has a plateau in its backyard for a quiet trek! For offbeat coastal travel, you can give Alibaug a little rest and move on to Murud-Janjira.

Until the next blog, live sustainably, travel responsibly & stay tuned to My Blog for interesting itineraries, unique travel insights and culinary adventures!