Awakened by the chirping of winged visitors, fragrance of moist soil wafting through the air, subtle sunrays creeping through the windows and the chillness of the earth room urging you to snuggle further even during scorching summer mornings. These are the typical scenes and feels at Baevu.
Located on the outskirts of Bangalore, Baevu is a sustainable village welcoming urbaniites and stretches along the Banthemari reserve forest, overlooking the Arkavathi river. It is nestled between two giant granite hillocks. Once a much degraded and exploited land with excessive mining taking place, it is now a lush green space with a huge fruit orchard and coconut groves.
However, Baevu isn’t an ordinary village. While it shelter indigenous rural communities who cultivate dry crops like ragi are organically here, there are cottages with traditional architecture and culture open to guests from the cities. Conserving vernaculature architectural techniques and imbibing eco-friendly ways to do so, Baevu is a heritage in itself.
All about the stays
The architecture of any place takes birth from its culture, history and traditions that have defined that region for years and years. Unlike other stays created in a sustainable manner, Baevu is an entire village that follows the path of nature. The local community is placed in such a way that they carry on with their age-old rural occupations but at the same time, lend their wisdom to the operations of the resort.
The cottages are inspired by the designs of Totti Mane, a home that is completely off-the-grid, housing a family that uses rain water for its everyday needs and a lifestyle that presents a perfect blend of sustainability and native tactics to run a household. Totti Mane also has a central courtyard, a feature of every Kannadiga and Tulu household. This is to not only let light in but also allow constant circulation of air in the high-ceilinged corridors around them. This makes the cottages much cooler than urban homes in summer.
Incorporating traditional wisdom in their luxury cottages, they use coconut timber rafters from old trees for our main structures. The villagers, who double up as builders at our premise, use arecanut reapers tied with coconut-coir for building the roof.
Are you ready for the lip-smacking country food?
The food you taste here is spired from the kitchens of rural households of Karnataka, well-balanced in flavours and nutrition. Wholesome, multi-course sumptuous meals are their specialties. Ranging from local preparations made from millets like jawar, ragi and a variety of lentils, the food play with sweet-sour-spicy notes and form a culinary experience by themselves.
Time spent at Baevu
While at Baevu, there’s no time to get bored. Wake up early morning and you will be told to gear up for a trek in the nearby hill. That’s the first activity where you will come close to the wilderness. Spot long-billed vultures, Grey herons, painted storks and many other colored furry friends. On the way to the hill, you might even get a chance to say hi to our friend porcupine if you are lucky!
The luxury property also have an assortment of traditional board games like Aadu-Huli Aata, tic-tac-toe and many others. It’s the perfect place to escape to on a weekend and enrich yourself in the rural experience at Baevu.
More details on bookings at @baevuthevillage on Instagram