Nisarg Niketan

What will I experience?

At Nisarga Niketan, you'll engage deeply with sustainable farming, learning firsthand about growing vegetables organically and preparing natural manures. The retreat focuses on practical experiences, allowing you to actively participate in planting, grafting, and various farm operations. You'll stay in eco-friendly treehouses that exemplify living in harmony with nature. Complementing your farming education, daily yoga sessions and nature walks will enhance your mindfulness and deepen your connection to the natural world. Each day culminates with meals crafted from fresh, organic ingredients harvested directly from the farm.

Benefits of this experience

Participating in Nisarga Niketan allows you to cultivate mindfulness by working directly with the soil, planting and nurturing crops. This hands-on interaction fosters a deep, meditative connection with the earth, making you acutely aware of the life cycle of plants and the rhythms of nature. Such activities ground you in the present moment, enhancing your attentiveness and appreciation for the intricate details of the natural world around you.

Incorporation in daily life

Start by dedicating a small section of your home for growing herbs or vegetables, using the organic methods you learned during the retreat.

About the destination

At Varanashi Farms, where Nisarga Niketan is hosted, you’ll immerse yourself in a haven dedicated to sustainable wellbeing. This 100-acre property blends untouched forests with organic crop plantations in a biodiverse ecosystem. Engaging directly in the soil through hands-on farming—planting, nurturing, and harvesting—you develop a profound bond with the earth. This tactile experience enhances your mindfulness, connecting you deeply with the cycles of nature. By participating, you not only witness but also contribute to the sustainable practices that make Varanashi a model of eco-conscious living, reinforcing your personal connection to the soil and the environment.

About the Specialist

Partha Varanashi, the host of Nisarg Niketan retreat, epitomizes a profound connection to sustainable living, rooted in a family farming legacy spanning over two centuries. He expertly melds traditional agricultural wisdom with contemporary sustainable practices, fostering a unique wellness environment. His stewardship at the farm offers a holistic retreat experience, emphasizing organic farming as a foundation for overall wellbeing. Partha's approach ensures that visitors not only learn about organic agriculture but also engage in practices that promote physical and mental health through nature-based activities.

Place of experience

Adyanadka, nestled in the Western Ghats, is a serene locale characterized by lush greenery and a biodiverse landscape. This tranquil region boasts rolling hills, vibrant forests, and rich soil, making it ideal for sustainable farming. The area's cultural heritage, influenced by local traditions of conservation and agriculture, complements its natural beauty, providing a perfect setting for wellbeing retreats like Nisarga Niketan, where visitors can reconnect with nature and rediscover the rhythms of a life aligned with the environment.

Most suitable time to visit

The most suitable time to experience Nisarga Niketan at Varanashi Farms is during the monsoon season, from June to September, when the rain nourishes the soil and fully activates the lush landscape, enhancing the farming activities and the overall retreat experience.

Ancient texts and treatises:

Ancient text name: Kashyapiya Krishi Sukti (ca. 800 AD)

• Context: An agricultural manual attributed to Sage Kashyapa, focusing on traditional farming techniques and plant management.
• Mention of Organic farming: It advocates for the use of organic fertilizers and describes holistic agricultural rituals that integrate spiritual practices, promoting a balance that enhances peace and mindfulness.

Ancient text name: Vrikshayurveda (ca. 6th to 12th century AD)

• Context: An ancient Sanskrit text on the science of plants and trees, discussing various aspects of botany and horticulture within the Ayurvedic framework.
• Mention of Organic farming: Vrikshayurveda details practices for nurturing plants organically to ensure their health and productivity, linking the health of soil and plants to human health and spiritual wellbeing, thus fostering mindfulness and holistic wellness.

Ancient text name: Krishi-Parashara (ca. 400 BCE - 100 AD)

• Context: An early treatise on agriculture attributed to Parashara. It offers guidelines on farming practices, suitable crop selection, and seasonal farming activities.
• Mention of Organic farming: This text outlines organic farming practices such as crop rotation and the use of animal manures, emphasizing the balance of natural elements, which nurtures self-awareness and stability through a deep connection with nature.

Modern scientific researches:

Title: Evaluating care farming as a means to care for those in trauma and grief

• Main author: Joanne Cacciatore
• Date of publishing: 2020
• Abstract: The interrelationships between nature, health, and wellbeing are increasingly recognized and incorporated into therapeutic interventions. Care farming, the concept of utilizing agricultural places and practices for providing care, therapy, and rehabilitation, is a paradigmatic example of this shift. This mixed method study empirically evaluates the efficacy of care farming as an intervention for individuals affected by traumatic grief, a complex experiential condition. Both quantitative and qualitative results suggest this care farm intervention was beneficial, yielding significant reductions in subjective distress to grief intensity. The study's findings add to the growing body of evidence on care farming and support green care as a therapeutic potential for individuals affected by traumatic grief.
• ‍Link to the paper

‍Title: Growing wellbeings: The positive experience of care farms

• Main author: Christopher Leck
• Date of publishing: 2015
• Abstract: Care farms enable people who are in some way vulnerable to engage with agricultural places and farming activities. This study investigates how this impacts on the health and wellbeing of service users and explores associated processes and outcomes. A mixed methods design was adopted that allowed for the integration of quantitative measurements of change with qualitative descriptions of this change. A pragmatic approach provided sufficient flexibility to support the investigation of complex contexts. Statistical analysis of wellbeing measure scores identified significant positive relationships with the length of time people had been attending the care farm. Questionnaire and interview data presented health benefits as being enabled by the farm environment, the positive experience as supporting personal development, and associated social interactions as becoming increasingly influential as time progressed.
• ‍Link to the paper