Yoga holiday in Goa

Alongside providing employment for hotel staff and paying rent to support three separate neighbour landowners, many self employed people benefit such as drivers, car and bike hire, tour guides, shops, restaurants etc. Buffalo milk is bought from the herd which wander the fields and eggs are from the farm’s free range hens. All dry goods are purchased locally from small shops and organic produce we don’t grow ourselves is bought from nearby smallholdings or the traditional town market. Most furniture, soft furnishings, lighting and uniforms are deigned in-house using local tailors, blacksmiths, glaziers and carpenters with local suppliers providing the materials. At times, during construction or rebuilding after monsoon, up to sixty local tradesmen and women will be on site: electricians, plumbers, masons and labour. Donations and support is given to nearby temples for improvements and cultural exchange.

Where possible buildings are constructed from locally sustainable materials such as mud, clay, sand, stone, bamboo, jute, coconut and betel wood, rice grass, palm leaves and cow dung combining traditional village design elements with natural air cooling, solar power and luxury. Ecotoilets separate solids from liquids: urine is diverted to feed banana plants whilst solids fall into a tub of woodchips where beneficial micro organisms are introduced along with fresh woodchips producing rich, nutritious, sweet smelling compost in just 6 weeks.

Photovoltaic panels provide electricity for lighting all the tents and pathways whilst solar panels provide hot water for the showers and kitchen. Jatropha bio-diesel plants are being grown for future use in vehicles and experimentation is under way on a bio-gas generator. Barren lands have been transformed to produce trees, shrubs, palms, organic vegetables, healing plants, herbs, fruits, nuts and spices, which are all used in cooking, therapies or fuel. A reclaimed pond harvests monsoon rainwater and provides a rich habitat for a variety of tropical birds and wildlife.

The tents have natural composting woodchip toilets and waste management using EM (effective micro-organisms). All the bio waste from toilets, kitchen and gardens is composted in a six week cycle being reintroduced to the gardens before the monsoon and all grey water goes to feed the flourishing bananas. All glass, metal and plastic waste is collected for recycling by neighbouring charity, Green Goa Works and a close association is shared with local environmental action groups and NGOs regarding solutions to the wider garbage problem and alternative energy in Goa as a whole. All natural building materials are sourced locally, many grown on or around the property.

All but one of our 16 staff come from the surrounding villages. Over the years help has been given to build housing, cover medical expenses and provide school fees and uniforms for many of the staff and their families. Awareness of alternative technology, power generation and an organic approach to horticulture has not only benefited the staff and their families but a number of villagers too, and educational articles have appeared in the press. Alongside the use of EM (an organic preparation of beneficial micro organisms) in the gardens, an ancient 5000 year old Vedic technique called Rishi Krishi is being practiced and encouraged involving a concoction of water, cow dung, honey, ghee and the soil from under a Banyan Tree.

A proportion of compost made on site is shared with local rice farmers encouraging the continuation of indigenous red rice crops and a Jatropha plantation has been created to demonstrate to, and educate Goans about this bio-diesel wonderplant.

Fundraising events have been held in aid of the local government school to help provide basic amenities such as running water and toilets whilst membership of the International Lions Club supports local charities, community ventures and helps raise environmental awareness. Meanwhile plans are afoot to introduce a Karma Yoga programme of feeding the poor and homeless in Mapusa Town in association with a nearby temple. Guests are invited to come and get as involved as they like.