This weekend, we travelled to a farm about two hours outside of Bangalore.
The farm is called Navadashanam, which translates to "new vision." The space is a living example of existence in harmony with nature. This trip came after our first full week in Bangalore and served as a great contrast to the overwhelming urbanized setting of the city.
For example, traffic in Bangalore is so constant that horns have become regular sounds in even our soundest of dreams. Horns are used in the same way blinkers are used in the U.S. It's hard to believe, so you'll just have to trust me.
In Navadashanam, the vehicle we saw most frequently was livestock. Cows and goats were seen just casually running down the road.
It was hard to believe that just a few hours away was a city of 9 million people. The 15 people living on this idyllic settlement were so separate from the disconnects we have already seen in Bangalore. That fact made some of us skeptical of the success of a living lab such as the farm.
The food there healed our bodies and souls, which we desperately needed in order to rejuvenate after a stressful week.
We all reconnected to nature, a pillar of the success of Navadarshanam. Although there are trees and beautiful flowers in some pockets of Bangalore, it is still an urban jungle, disconnected from nature and the way it impacts human life.
To have the opportunity to connect with our food, the land, and each other was a welcome opportunity for this group of friends.
