Thakran Farms in Gurgaon is 19 acres of greenery with farm animals and beautiful cottages. It’s a traditional farm retreat with open-air dining and a bunch of fun activities – but good for us that it’s a healthy mix of comfort and rustic.
We know folks who want to ‘do stuff’ on a vacation and there’s plenty to keep them occupied. Point them to the obstacle course or sit them on the farm’s trusted tractor. They can also try their hand at Warli painting or ploughing the field to experience the typical village life. If there’s still more time to kill, there’s a crazy mud bath or cooking classes where everyone can discover the village folks’ culinary secrets. Oh and the macho ATVs loves being taken for a bumpy ride. Imagine what’ll happen after all this… Fatigue, probably? Then’s the time to revive yourself by petting the farm animals (doggies, rabbits, ducks and guinea pigs) and eating plates full of hearty food (desi chicken lohaka?). But for those of us who just want to chill, we suggest hogging one of the gardens for morning yoga or sketching in the hedge maze (it’s lovingly called the bhoolbhulaiya). The action and activities apart, there’s another aspect that’s endearing us to this property. The mud houses have all been made by the local villagers using traditional building materials and techniques. Naturally ventilated and stunning to look at, they make us feel a tad bit better about the world that’s fighting bigger battles like global warming.
The general vibe of the place combined with the fact that it’s not too rudimentary for us comfort-loving peeps (thank God for clean loos and pretty wall art in comfy cottages) makes this a tempting staycation option. We’re also going to be camping in their Swiss tents once the weather gets better and we can stargaze without burning ourselves to the ground.