The Simple Life @ Hideout

I was looking for a quick weekend getaway and thanks to Kits, discovered the Hideout. I was really excited about the place and it proved to be all that its website promised and lots more!

Hideout (www.hideout.co.in) is an eco farm set up by Hemant Chabbra (yes, the one of the bicycle project fame!) in vikramgarh, some 2 ½ hours out of Mumbai. Set among hills, the hideout is a quaint little place done up beautifully, offering an experience of the simple farm life.

The first thing that struck me was the open air non permanent structure of the farm. Thatched roof, lanterns, cow dung leveled floors, earthenware pots and pans, wood fire stoves, fresh flower decorations, beds on swings and no walls… the place was beautifully rustic.

Gramma Chabbra was there to welcome us with some fresh carrot juice and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her. Gramma Chabbra, definitely over 75, was as energetic as ever. She definitely knew how to welcome people to her home with warmth & absolutely awesome food! J

Hemant joined us later in the day and took us around the farm. The farm is spread over 5 acres and has different varieties of banana (he has 21 varieties at his farm!), various salad leaves (I even got to pick some fresh rocket leaves for a salad), mangoes, maize, fresh herbs, lemons, pineapples, chillies, brinjal and a host of other veggies. We got some much needed exercise and an interesting download on organic farming.

Our room, an extension of the theme of no barriers between nature and man, had no walls. To offer some privacy, there were curtains that one can pull around the four corners of the room. Tastefully done up, the room was comfortable and cool. The bathroom was a permanent structure and had all the modern amenities one would need. Well, it would have been nice to have something that would repel frogs… but I don’t think such a device has been invented yet. The frogs, not very threatening, looked scared themselves. And so after we had given in to the fact that there was no getting rid of them, Abhi and I would contest on how many frogs one can pee amongst!

The early evenings were spent in interesting conversations, drinking lemon grass flavored chai, eating freshly made banana chips (thanks to young Aditya Chabbra, who btw is a gifted chef) and listening to the natural passing of the day into twilight.

Mosquitoes were a little bit of a challenge and the ancient way of smoking them out by burning dried coconut shells had our eyes watering. Being a village, it also had its set of electricity cuts, but as long as the electricity stayed the afternoon (it got really hot and sweaty between 2:30 – 4:30), we were ok.

The next day, we decided to go check to local dam and waterfall out. A little bit of the disappointment (the pic on the website looked a lot more happening- apparently that is natural waterfall and on only till December), but we had fun none the less. And we finally wrapped up the day with a nice bon fire.

Hemant, who is one of the cofounders of the bicycle project (read about this interesting idea on Hemant blog – http://thebicycleproject.blogspot.com), made a wonderful host. We had a really great time at the hideout and would recommend it to everyone who wants to take a nice relaxing break, experience the simple life and meet the interesting and warm Chabbra family. J