The very idea behind SaveAGram – is to appreciate the simplicity of life in Indian villages, coupled with the desire to make a difference. SaveAGram, which literally translates to 'save a village', was started in 2014 in a little village in Garhwal in Uttarakhand, with the aim of leveraging tourism to provide a steady form of revenue for the villagers, and at the same time, enable visitors to truly experience life in the mountains through various avenues like the homestay, adventure activities, home cooked food, etc.
So off I went to Koilery, an idyllic hamlet in Wayanad adopted by SaveAGram. While I'd heard of experiential travel before and was looking forward to it, the real thing is nowhere close to what I had imagined. Over the three days, I got a glimpse of Kerala like I've never seen it before, despite being a Keralite myself.
Where did I stay? A home of a local, of course. The homestay is a 100-year-old house that the wonderful hosts have thrown open for travellers eager to taste a slice of the village life. Simple, basic comforts. And delicious, authentic Kerala food. For me, it was like eating my mother's food. Full on nostalgia, yo!
What did I do? This isn’t a vacation where you will lounge around in your room all day long and watch TV. No, sir! The folks at SaveAGram actively encourage you to get out and immerse yourself in the village life. For example, I joined the villagers in their farming activities, drew water from the well at my homestay {I think I heard the ghost of my dear departed grandmother cackling somewhere}, picked my own vegetables for lunch, and visited the local school where tribal children study. I did a bit of touristy stuff as well, like visiting Kuruva Island and some of the ancient temples around there. But if you ask me what the highlight of my trip was, then it has to be getting to visit a kalarippayattu centre. I did try a few adavus, but I had to promptly get myself an Ayurveda massage after that.
So off I went to Koilery, an idyllic hamlet in Wayanad adopted by SaveAGram. While I'd heard of experiential travel before and was looking forward to it, the real thing is nowhere close to what I had imagined. Over the three days, I got a glimpse of Kerala like I've never seen it before, despite being a Keralite myself.
Where did I stay? A home of a local, of course. The homestay is a 100-year-old house that the wonderful hosts have thrown open for travellers eager to taste a slice of the village life. Simple, basic comforts. And delicious, authentic Kerala food. For me, it was like eating my mother's food. Full on nostalgia, yo!
What did I do? This isn’t a vacation where you will lounge around in your room all day long and watch TV. No, sir! The folks at SaveAGram actively encourage you to get out and immerse yourself in the village life. For example, I joined the villagers in their farming activities, drew water from the well at my homestay {I think I heard the ghost of my dear departed grandmother cackling somewhere}, picked my own vegetables for lunch, and visited the local school where tribal children study. I did a bit of touristy stuff as well, like visiting Kuruva Island and some of the ancient temples around there. But if you ask me what the highlight of my trip was, then it has to be getting to visit a kalarippayattu centre. I did try a few adavus, but I had to promptly get myself an Ayurveda massage after that.