Aham Anubhava: Traditional Plantation Home in Rural Wayanad, Kerala

It is here that you wake up to the chirping of birds. It is here that you are fed delicious home-cooked organic food. It is here that you can learn how to be a farm hand. It is here that you learn to enjoy the simple joys of life. It is here that you become one with nature. It is here that you recharge your physical and mental batteries and rediscover your ‘joie de vivre’. ‘Here’ is a traditional plantation home in a quiet village of Wayanad in northern Kerala. It is a combination of a lovely Brahmin household, their plantation and farm land and their new hospitality offering called ‘Aham Anubhava’ or "’I Experience”.

Above Photo Credit:  Pradeep H Gowda



They are not your typical homestay and certainly not a resort or a hotel. They are simply a traditional plantation home and if you opt to stay here, you become part of this home. You become one in the family. You stay in their home, albeit in your own private room in the first floor. You eat with the family. And if you wish you can work with them in their home garden, farm and plantation. And you share lots of lots of interesting conversations amidst pristine nature with a hot cup of home grown coffee or tea. Sounds sweet right? This is exactly how I spent my festival holiday with them a couple of weeks back on a motorcycle trip to Wayanad. And did I say that I hated leaving this place and returning to Bangalore. Such was the simplistic, yet nurturing and nourishing charm of this place.



Aham Anubhava is that perfect place where you can unwind and yet pick up new skills, learn about new subjects or simply indulge in good food. It doesn’t matter whether you are single, a couple or traveling with your family, Aham Anubhava will appeal to everyone. And it certainly doesn’t matter whether you are here for a few days or for a much longer duration, you will still yearn to stay here longer.



Following are the key highlights and benefits of living in this traditional plantation home environment:



1) An absolutely quiet village surrounded by greenery

Benefits: Better sleep, digital detox, relaxed body and mind, rejuvenation, off beat holiday, pure air, lots of Vitamin D

Everyone knows Wayanad, a popular hill getaway in Kerala. Its easy and fast access from Bangalore has made it a hot weekend getaway from Bangalore. Now, have you heard of Mylambady? I didn’t think so. It is a small village located in Wayanad and most of the people living here have farms or plantations. There should be not more than a hundred homes and less than a thousand people living in this village. Aham Anubhava is one such home tucked in a corner of this village. So, not only are you located in a remote village in Wayanad, you are located in a remote part of the village too. This means that the bulk of the sounds that you hear during the day are sounds of nature. Vehicle sounds are a rarity. And nights are eerily quiet. Apart from BSNL, connectivity is a bit poor. So, if you are looking for digital detox, then this might be the perfect place for you. If you wish to stay connected, Aham Anubhava has free in-house wi-fi that you can use to stay connected with the outside world.



This is the kind of place where you sleep early and wake up early to the chirping of birds (nature’s alarm call). This is the kind of place where you can switch off from the humdrum of regular life and enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like a walk in the morning sun towards the nearby stream or watch the sunbirds jump from flower to flower while you sip on your morning cup of coffee or stretch out your legs on the balcony with a book in your hand.



You can get plenty of Vitamin D here, either by sun bathing right in your balcony or you could go on those short or long village walks. Greenery is all around, either in the form of plantations, native trees or farms. So, you are sure to be relaxed at all times. And the air is so pure that it feels so good and refreshing when you fill your lungs to the brim with it. It is indeed a far cry from the foul air we breathe in our cities and certainly one of the top perks for me.

During the night, you can request the property to switch off all lights and stare at the star studded sky while sipping on some hot herbal tea or may be a stiff drink (the choice is entirely yours).



2) Birdwatching right from the balcony

Benefits: Bird lover, Bird photography

Every morning and late evening, I would simply stand on my balcony with a hot cup of coffee in hand and see purple sunbirds, greater flame-backed woodpeckers, common mynas, jungle mynas, hill mynas, greater coucals, swallows, barbets, wagtails, flowerpeckers, red vented bulbuls, red whiskered bulbuls, Malabar whistling thrushes, black drongos, racket tailed drongos, jungle babblers, large billed leaf warblers, parakeets and so many other species of birds. And all this without any binoculars or big zoom lenses. I could simply spot all of them with my naked eye. Which means that if you have a good pair of binoculars, zoom lenses and tripods, you can not only see and study their behavior from close quarters, but you can also end up taking some amazing bird photographs.


Above Photo Credit:  Pradeep H Gowda

3) Being in the wild

Benefits: Wild animal sightings, wildlife photography, an adrenaline rush

Aham Anubhava and the entire village of Mylambady is surrounded by national parks, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests. To one side there is Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Muthanga forest and to the other is Wayanad and Tholpetty wildlife sanctuary and somewhere in the middle is Nagarhole and Kabini Tiger Reserve. This means that you can almost always come across a wildlife crossing in this village as it falls in various animal corridor zones. While wild boars and peacocks are common here, elephants are known to pay a visit almost every week. You can sense this by seeing the elephant dung lying on the various plantation trails. The Malabar giant squirrel is also commonly seen here. So are many types of macaques and langurs. Tigers and leopards are also seen here from time to time, though it is rare to catch a view of these stealthy animals. In principle, it is almost the same experience as a wildlife safari, but you are not inside a forest jeep but on foot and there are no armed forest guards, which makes this so much more thrilling.



4) Learn how to be a farm hand

Benefits: Lots of sunshine, good exercise, pick up a thing or two about farming, pick up a thing or two about plants, may be plant a few plants to do your bit for mother nature

It is not often that you get to learn how to be a plantation owner, a farmer or an agriculturist. At Aham Anubhava, you can join the family while they go back their daily work in their farms and plantation. Not only will this give you good Vitamin D and exercise, but this will also make you learn a thing or do about farming, plants, fruits, vegetables, spices, irrigation, composting, recycling, etc. Depending on the season when you are visiting, you could even plant a coffee or other sapling. This is one unique attribute of staying with Aham Anubhava.

If you have a lot of time at hand, you could also explore the possibility of volunteering or teaching at the village school nearby.



5) Indulge in traditional Tamil and Kerala cuisine

Benefits: Sattvic food, organic food, happy gut, pick up some traditional recipes for home

Most of Aham Anubhava’s daily fruits and vegetables are home grown. Whatever is not home grown comes from nearby farms. So basically, all the raw ingredients are fresh, organic and full of rich nutrients. Add to it a brilliant cook, also the lady of the house, and you have a gastronomy extravaganza. Traditional recipes cooked using ancient techniques ensures that you get the best taste possible. Raw jackfruit vegetable, green pepper pickle, sweet mango sauce, fried okra in yoghurt sauce and many other traditional, yet super delicious dishes are on offer here.

If you are interested, you can help with the vegetable picking from the garden, assist with the cooking or even learn some recipes and take it back home. Whatever you do, the smell of fresh firewood, the vapors of coconut oil floating in the air and the smiling conversations are bound to linger in your mind forever. Such is the charm of the kitchen atmosphere here.

And even if you haven’t stepped into the kitchen, the meals in itself are good enough to create an everlasting memory of tastes, flavors and smells. I would simply return to this place in a heart beat just for its food. It is vegetarian food only, but it spans a diverse menu. I think all foodies will fall in love with this place.


Above Photo Credit:  Pradeep H Gowda

6) Go on long nature, farm and plantation walks

Benefits: Lots of Vitamin D, good exercise, pure air and quality de-cluttering time

The delicious food and the guilty pleasures that you enjoy in the dining room give you an incentive to explore the nearby village, nature, farm and plantation trails by foot. Not only do these walks allow you to burn all those calories, it somehow makes you ready for more of that amazingly yummy food. Lots of sunshine, good exercise, pure air and plenty of nature are some other excuses to go on those village walks. One of my favorite things to do here is to go to the village center, order a cup of hot lemon tea, buy a small piece of cake, feed the family of house sparrows and watch the village life go by while listening to the happy chirps of the birds. Definitely a far cry from our mad city life.



By now you would have realized the rustic charm of this place. I am sure there are ton more things to do, experience and discover here, but I guess I would need many more trips for that. For the time being, I can tell you that this traditional plantation home in rural Wayanad is truly a slice of god’s own country, without any of the frills of modern tourist infrastructure. If relaxation and rejuvenation in pristine nature is your thing, head to Aham Anubhava. If good food and family is what you are looking for, head to Aham Anubhava. If a rural holiday experience is what you are seeking, head to Aham Anubhava.

To know more about Aham Anubhava, look up their website. If you need any additional information or if you are interested in booking this place, contact Menaka Ramanan (menaka at ahamanubhava dot com).


Above Photo Credit:  Pradeep H Gowda

How to get here:

By air: The nearest airport is Kozhikode, about 2 hours away. But, if you are looking for an airport with a wider connectivity, Bangalore airport, at 300 kms away, is your best bet.

By rail: Mysore, Bangalore or Kozhikode would be 3 train stations with good pan India coverage.

By road: Mylambady is somewhere between 260 and 300 kms away from Bangalore depending on which route you opt for. The Bangalore –> Mysore –> Gundlupet –> Muthanga Forest –> Sultan Bathery –> Mylambady is possibly the fastest and the road in the best condition. There is an alternate route via Hunsur and Mananthavady that passes through Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. Only four wheelers are allowed on that route. Both routes are open only from sunrise to sunset.



Nearby Hidden Tourist Attractions:

1) Karapuzha Dam

2) Wayanad cricket stadium at Krishnagiri, a scenic cricket stadium surrounded by jungles and mountains

3) A small mountain stream completely cut off from outside view and that is surrounded by lush greenery


Above Photo Credit:  Pradeep H Gowda

Nearby Mainstream Tourist Attractions:

1) Kuruva Island, a lovely island on the Kabini river

2) Edakkal Caves, known for its cave paintings from the Neolithic era

3) Banasura Sagar Dam, one of the largest earthen dams in the region

4) Chembra Peak, the tallest peak in the region and a stunning trekking location

5) Soochipara Falls, a beautiful waterfall accessible to all

6) Meenmutty Falls, a gorgeous forest waterfall that requires a decent trek

7) Pookote Lake, a beautiful lake known for its lilies, lotus flowers and boat rides

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Wayanad’s Rain Country Resort: Dropping in standards!!

The belt of Lakkidi-Vythiri-Banasura Sagar is one of the most beautiful areas of Wayanad. And thus, this is one of the most popular tourist destinations in god’s own country of Kerala. A lot of diverse accommodation options are available to cater to this year-round tourist in-flow. There are tree-houses, up market resorts with pools and spa, private home stays and the normal budget hotels. Out of these, the Rain Country Resorts, located close to Vythiri comes in the ‘up market resort’ category. But, based on my recent experience, I would definitely not put this resort in the ‘up-market resort’ category.



In the last decade, I have been to this resort multiple times either alone, with friends or along with office colleagues. Over the years, I have seen a drop in quality and service at this resort, while the cost has steadily gone up. What was once a chic Ayurveda resort is today a glorified corporate getaway with sub standard facilities. The nearby Vythiri and the tree-houses offer much more for the same price range. Since this place is about 10 kilometers from the nearest shop, one is completely dependent on this resort for food. The food, is certainly very sub standard here and the service times can certainly test your patience. This is something that really irks me given the fact that there are no other options. Even the cottages, which once used to be built in tasteful style is now built using local wood, is not maintained that well and has lost the ‘immersed in nature’ tag. A quick walk around the property will show the huge garbage dumps lying around. Personally, I have seen a lot of deforestation around this property. What was once a paradise for tropical birds is today a measly reflection of its past.



I totally know the fact that the people of Kerala, especially the ones living in the hills, love their relaxed lifestyle and their afternoon siestas, but it is here that you see shoddy attitude with the staff and their total lack of interest. To me it looked like that the resort management hardly cares about its customers. They charge a premium and somehow manage to rope in the corporates who send in their employees on team bonding or off site sessions. Guess, they are able to fool in other first timers too. But, if you wish to listen to my opinion, I would recommend that you look at this place only if you don’t have any other options left. To me, this place doesn’t offer any value for money. If I were to rate this place out of 5, I would give it 1 to 1.5. I hope you would have got the message.

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Tropical Moss and the Enveloping Mist

Monsoons are the best time to spot nature in its vibrant form. Everything in the forests seem to be in a re-birth mode and adds colour, variety and spice to the jungle life.


This time in the monsoons, I spent a weekend at Soochipara Falls, which is located in the Wayanad district of Kerala in India.


While returning from the waterfalls, me and my friends were drawn to the bright green moss that clung to trees, steps and nearby chunks of wood.

 
In simple terms, they seemed to be everywhere. I have seen moss before, but not in such a fresh state and I guess the monsoons and the trees of the Western Ghats offered them an ideal place to grow.


In this fresh form, they have an extremely velvety feel and shine against the dense mist that intermittently kept enveloping the trees.


On the other side, the moss on the side of the steps formed what I would call a ‘green line carpet’. This carpet offered a great platform for some macro/close-up photography.

 
After spending a long time amidst such vibrant surroundings, we left this place to get back to civilization, but am sure that the sight of the tropical moss and the enveloping mist will remain etched in my memory for a long time.

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Banasura Sagar Dam – A Green Zone

This is a great place for a long nature photo ops session. The reservoir, the flowing hills of the Western Ghats in the background and the many islands on this dam account for a very serene and picturesque view.


Situated about 20 kms from Kalpetta, the district headquarters of Wayanad in Kerala, Banasura Sagar Dam is the largest earthen dam in India and the second largest in Asia.


While approaching this dam, one can admire its large sluice gates and the small green villages situated close to it.


But, it gets really better when you walk and then climb the short distance from the parking lot that takes you to the top of the walls of the dam.

 
The various shades of fresh green simply stuns you. And when I was here, the rain-bearing clouds formed a classic backdrop.


The green hills surround the dam nearly all the way and the fringe boundaries have coconut, betel nut and other plantations.


This year the monsoon has been good so far, but the dam doesn’t seem to have found its top mark. But, it didn’t matter to me and my friends who simply went click click click.


There is also a small flower garden and decorative setting that is being developed on the dam top as a small park. The flowers here look extremely pretty and danced in vibrant shades of various colours.


Close by, one can also find another small area where the tropical tree varieties have been grown, maintained and tagged with local and biological names.


For the holidaying family and their children, there is the option of taking a speed boat ride on the dam waters and encircling the various islands on its way.

 
Overall, this green zone is a great place to relax, have some family fun and offers a wonderful photo opportunity for nature lovers.

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Soochipara Falls in the Monsoons

Thundering water amidst dense greenery in the Western Ghats is what I saw when I visited Soochipara Falls recently. Soochipara Falls, one of the more famous tourist attractions of Wayanad is located about 13 kms from the town of Meppady in the Wayanad district of Kerala in India.

 
To reach Soochipara Falls, one has to drive through tea, coffee and spice plantations. The drive itself can be quite intoxicating with nature in full abundance. The feeling of being enveloped by mist adds to the WOW factor.


By the time me and my friends reached the parking lot, we were completed covered by mist and could hardly see anything in front of us. All of us had plans to take a shower under the waterfall, but were having second thoughts due to the dropping temperature. However, we stalled our thoughts for a while and proceeded to buy the entrance tickets from the ticket counter.


We paid 20 rupees per head for entry, 25 rupees per camera and 20 rupees for car parking and got ourselves our entry permits. We found out at that ticket counter that we have to walk a kilometre and a half downhill to reach the waterfall.

 
We walked for five minutes before arriving at a ticket checking counter. This is where all our baggage was checked for plastic content. After all, we were entering a NO PLASTIC zone. The interesting thing here is that if you want to carry even a plastic bottle inside then you pay a security deposit at the checking counter. Upon safely bringing back the plastic bottle, the security deposit can be collected.

 
A unique and very apt concept and thanks to such environment friendly policies, we hardly found any litter, leave alone plastic during our downhill trek to the falls.

 
It took us about 10 minutes to complete the descent and soon we could hear the thunder of the waterfall. The final 200 feet was covered in slippery and steep rocks and we had to watch our steps. From this point onwards all of us were slowly getting drenched in the spray coming from the waterfall.

 
On seeing the waterfall up front, we realized that we could not take a shower under the waterfall and instead decided to take a dip in the fast moving and extremely cold water. The dip was really refreshing. The only sad part here was that I could not take a lot of pictures as my lens filter kept getting fogged by the water spray. Guess, I needed a lens wiper or something like that.

 

After spending an hour here, we slowly climbed our way back to the trail and only stopped to have a hot glass of lemon tea (kattan chaya in Malayalam). The cold bath and the hot tea charged us so much that we indulged in some tropical photography. More on that soon.

But, overall, I would definitely recommend a visit to Soochipara Falls in the monsoons. The trek is not that tough and shopping for local crafts are also available. And then the place is truly mesmerizing.

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