Babli - a perfect hideout for romantics Incurable romantics thirsting for an authentic rural experience minus the warts of village India will find a perfect hideout in Babli. The 12.5 acres of farm, orchard, vegetable garden, pond, pen and barn provide a complete natural therapy to wash away the grit and grime of urban existence. It takes a while to get used to the lush greenery for eyes tired of dull city greys. But once the idea of a rural farm resort set in the midst of the russet earth of Birbhum sinks in, one is all too willing to hibernate under the canopy of towering trees and fragrant flowers.

Situated at a distance of 11-13 km from the university town of Shantiniketan on the Illambazar-Bolpur Road, Babli offers basic modern amenities like water and electricity along with Spartan lodging in quaint cottages. Food at the common canteen is homely fare minus all frills.

There are printed instructions about the code of conduct that includes not wasting scarce resources in the area like water and electricity. If the constraints put you off, Babli is not for you. But if soaking in the pristine ambience in the midst of abundant flora with the resident livestock adding to the variety is your idea of a cosy weekend getaway, Babli is just the place for you.

Aiming at complete self-sufficiency, Babli grows almost everything it needs (rice, part of the wheat, sugarcane, turmeric, ginger, seasonal vegetables, fruits and even fodder and timber) and sells some surplus produce as well. Building a virtual forest out of barren land through over 10 years of composite farming, Babli also boasts over 80 varieties of flowering trees, several ornamental trees and ayurvedic plants. Planned water harvesting ensures that Babli has sufficient supply through the year to meet its sundry needs in an area plagued by a perennial water crisis, except during monsoons. Three wells, a miniature tube well, a series of underground brick channels to harness rainwater and contour embankments to collect rain water in ponds for ducks are the simple but effective measures taken by Babli planners.

There is seasonal cultivation of fish in the ponds (depending on the availability of water), along with poultry farming and animal husbandry. The cows, goats, hens and ducks can be caught at their active best in the early hours of the morning when they are all let out of their barns and pens for grazing and feeding at select areas on the farm. Apart from its own consumption of eggs, meat and milk, Babli also fulfils a larger role as Basudhara: The Doodhwala, under which it combines its own milk production with that of 50 small farmers in the vicinity, which is supplied to over a 100 customers in Bolpur and Shantiniketan. The fresh milk, with a distinct taste of its own, is a far cry from the packaged varieties delivered at your doorstep. The full-fat treat, however, is not for the figure conscious city slicker.

What you can’t have enough of is the calm that surrounds the place any time of the day. So let the birds serenade you into a siesta post a sumptuous lunch at Sahadeb’s canteen under one of the straw and wood sheds or give in to the stillness of the night under a starlit sky.

How to get there: You can take a train from Howrah to Bolpur. Babli arranges for a car pick-up from Bolpur to the farm. Or board any bus for Durgapur and alight at Bonovilla stop where the local people will guide you. If you are going by car (180 km from Calcutta), take the Kona Expressway to Burdwan and continue on the Durgapur Road. Turn off after Panagarh towards Illambazar and continue towards Bolpur till Bonovilla, which is 7 km from Illambazar. Turn right on the lal matir rasta and drive down half-a-km to Babli.

Where to stay: Neela Sen, Babli, Village and P.O. Dwaronda, P. S. Illambazar, Birbhum, West Bengal, Pin: 731 236 Ph: (03463) 71203, 71285

Or Contact: Swayambhar 5-A Valmeek Street (Maddox Square), Calcutta – 700 026 Ph: 2474 7822/2454 1862

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