March 24, 2021

Indulge In An Idyllic Farm Life Near Nagpur

Farm stays in India or nature-driven staycations in India have become our weekend essentials, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Tatva Farms – an organic farm stay near Nagpur, Maharashtra is an easily accessible weekend escape for those looking for authentic farm life experiences.

Have you ever fancied picking oranges from an orchard? Well, I have. All my fascinations came true when I checked in at Tatva Farms.

I have stayed at various nature-driven homestays and resorts that have their own organic farms. However, staying at a farm was a new experience for me.

Tatva Farms, as the name suggests, is a farm where you find the orchards of lemon and orange, trees of mango, chikoo, guava and banana, cotton plants, and various vegetables that are grown organically without any pesticides or chemicals. Besides, there’s a bullock cart to add to the rustic atmosphere.

It’s a place ideal for day picnics. For those who would like to immerse deeper into the simple charms of a village life, the owners have prepared four basic rooms for sleep and shower. The rooms are named after the elements of nature – Bhumi, Jal, Agni and Vaayu.

It’s a newly built property – quite comfortable and nice. However, there’s lots to be done. The owners have quite a few great ideas in the pipeline, which would make the experience of staying at a farm even more exciting – camping sites and tree houses.

My very first impression of Tatva Farms was of a modest place created with an idea of taking us back to traditional, healthier ways of living by incorporating sustainable elements, such as traditional matkas (clay pots) for storing drinking water, clay dishes for serving food and eliminating plastic as much as possible.

I was also quite impressed with the fresh lemon water bottle that was given to me as a welcome drink. Quenching my thirst with the soothing sight of lemon plantations all across the field was a little extra gratifying.

The owners of the farm, Ashwini and Anubha, are two sisters who share sweet remnants of their childhood through this package of carefree loitering around in the sun, sitting under a tree endlessly, walking through the orchards, plucking fruits, swaying on a swing and watching the day go by.

We need such refreshing and meaningful escapes once in a while. Don’t we?

Being at Tatva Farms is reliving your childhood.

Indulge In An Idyllic Farm Life Near Nagpur

You should care to sojourn at Tatva Farms if your heart melts for the comfort and calmness of nature and the rustic life.

The fiery beauty of Palash.

The first sight that you will fall in love with is of the Palash (Sacred tree or Butea) trees while approaching the farms. The romance of these dark orange flowers enkindles a happy anticipation.

It’s beautiful to walk through these trees in the embrace of soft morning sunlight and also in the early evening. To be honest, my pictures could barely capture the true beauty of these flowers.

The sunrise over the lemon fields.

As soon as you wake up at Tatva Farms, the sight of the mellow sunrise over the lemon fields makes you want to soak in the charms of nature as much as you can. And just when you have settled down to gaze, there’s the bait for a cup of morning tea in the midst of a forest. Who would decline that?

It’s a short walk through the Palash trees to where you are served tea. It’s a great spot to have an overview of the entire vicinity and also the distant hills.

Local breakfast of Nagpur.

A breakfast can make or break a trip for me. Yes, what I have for breakfast in a place makes a huge difference to my opinion of that place. Well, I had poha the way Nagpurians like it – with chana gravy, and they call it Tari Poha. It was really nice. I also had big, farm fresh oranges, and bananas. I appreciate that the hosts served eggs as well.

Farm fresh veggies on your plate.

No matter where I go, having farm fresh veggies is the icing on the cake for me. I can’t thank my hosts enough for preparing a beautiful vegetarian table for me – a mildly flavoured lauki soup, delicious fried bitter gourd as a side dish, lima beans and dum aloo gravy as the main course. And of course, bhakri (jowari roti) and the locally grown rice to go with the veggies.

The best part about a farm stay is to relish fresh, organically produced vegetables. To make it more experiential for me, Ashwini made me pick my own vegetables for lunch. It was definitely fun.

Watch the village-style cooking.

Just next to the dining area, which is quite rustic and charming, is the kitchen. They have an open-air space for cooking along with it, where you can watch your meal being cooked. All the meals are prepared by the locals residing in the nearby villages. Therefore, the flavour and feeling of the food is quite homely.

The good food that you get to eat is one of the reasons to escape to villages once in a while.

High tea under the Mahua tree.

Truly, the highlight of Tatva Farms, for me, is the Mahua Tree, which is by a small pond that has green water. It was absolutely ‘heaven-like’ to sit under the tree and look over the fields and the changing colours in the sky towards the twilight.

They usually serve stuff like pakodas or dhokla along with tea in the evening. I think the essence of a place like Tatva Farms is the time that you spend under the Mahua by the pond – peace, beauty, nature, delicious meals, and invigorating conversations.

Picnic by the lake.

Tatva Farms is a lakeside property. There’s a reasonably picturesque lake for you to enjoy a picnic breakfast or lunch by.

They also provide rafts to those who would like to indulge in some water sports.

And, not to mention it’s a lovely spot to watch the sunset.

Tatva Farms is a great escape during the pandemic because it’s an isolated property. You get to connect with the village life and breathe in the fresh air.

You can visit the farm with your own family, stay overnight, enjoy the simple farm hospitality and come back refreshed.