Karnataka resort, India

Our Karnataka resort is a 100% eco resort.

We generate 95% of our electricity using solar, wind mills & bio gas and our aim is to reach 100%. Up to 60% of the water need is met through harvested rain water. While rain water harvesting is so simple an easy to do, very few do it because of lack of awareness.

We aim to prove to the world that it is possible to depend and live comfortably using renewable energy.

All human, animal and food waste is treated, processed and reused appropriately at Karnataka resort - all black water (w/c wastes) is stored in leach pits for a period of 6 months to a year when it turns into pure manure. After this period it is excavated and used for farming. All grey water (bath, kitchen and wash water) is sent through reed pits and used for irrigation. All vegetable food waste and animal waste is fed into the bio gas digester. All non vegetarian waste (mainly bones) are buried at the roots of plants so that the plants get their natural supply of bone meal or calcium. All paper wastes are preserved for the bonfire in the evenings.

All bottles are painted and used to dispense liquid soap or as candle stands for the resort. All cans are used as targets for the catapult firing range. All plastic wastes are taken out and given to a recycling unit. Our policy at Karnataka resort is to find something useful with everything that is considered ‘waste’ – so we promote re-use of everything, thereby reducing waste. The bricks for construction were made with soil that is excavated for the foundation.

Most of the vegetables in our restaurant are from our organic farm. At Karnataka resort we have the region’s first natural swimming pool – a pool where aquatic plants are used to purify the water rather than chemicals like chlorine. The soaps and shampoos we use are fully natural, and organic, hand made exclusively for our resort. 

More than 40% of the Resort employees are from local villages in Karnataka. We are in the process of setting up a resource center for a school in Hessargatta. A rain water harvesting programme will be implemented in the close by village of Betha. Most of the fresh produce is bought form the local village and from the farms of surrounding villagers. We use a local launderer to do our laundry, thereby helping him expand his outfit.

At Karnataka resort we spread eco living tools and tips e.g. we teach guests about the benefits of home composting and in the end give them a home composting unit to take (at a cost) so that they can start composting and living an eco life immediately. We spread benefits and knowledge of organic farming to villagers in Karnataka in an informal basis – we do this at the village mandi or market when we meet villagers as we all gather there to sell our produce.

We are reviving and highlighting a local village temple which is a 11 century monolithic site called Aivankandapura, by taking guests to this site. Visits to the local temple are also done as part of the local tour. Each of the rooms in the Karnataka resort carry a wall mural painted by tribal and rural artists. By doing this we are reviving interest in 6 art forms, some of which are under threat.

We are reviving interest in old rural games by giving guests the opportunity to play these games. Games like gilli danda, spinning a top, hop scotch, catapult target practice etc. are played at the Karnataka resort.

We are reviving interest in ‘veerakallus’ or hero stones. These are part of Indian culture but sadly being forgotten. We have selected 5 of the most prominent stones and with permission from the archaeology department have replicated them and installed them at Karnataka resort for people to look, appreciate and learn about this part of Indian culture.