Some of the most rewarding and rejuvenating holidays have been my trips to the Himalayan mountains. On one such holiday I visited the Sonapani Village, an eco-lodge set on a mountain ridge and amidst the backdrop of a 175-degree view of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, one of the northern states in India.
Located at a height of 2000metres and spread over a 20-acre land, the Village has 12 independent cottages interspaced with stone pathways and flowerbeds. Sonapani is a also home to plum, apple, apricot and peach orchards while oak, rhodendron and pine forest surround the area.
To arrive at Sonapani, it is a 6 hour train journey to Kathgodam from the New Delhi train station and then 3 hour up-hill road journey. Enroute we stopped for some garam (which means hot in Hindi) chai served in small matkas (small earthenware cups) and enjoying the first few glimpses of the mountains.
Sonapani, the Himalayan Village, is a dream come true project for Ashish Arora, the owner and over my 4 day stay at his resort, I had many opportunities to engage in conversations with him learning how he brought his passion to life which today draws people near and far, promising to offer them an experience of a lifetime. Sonapaniruns on the ‘ethics of care’ – for the people who work there, the community, the guests and the environment. The famous Indian statement of hospitality – “Atithidevbhavo” (translated in English means Guests are next to God)- is not just a statement at Sonapani, but a reality. Everyone on the staff has been working with Sonapani since its inception and you can sense their belonging to Sonapani is as deep as the foundations of the place.
At Sonapani, the philosophy of sustainability is eminent. There is hardly any factory made or processed foods. Organic and responsible farming is practiced in the area. Even the bread is made at home using grains such as wheat, millet and buckwheat.
The cuisine served is mainly Kumaoni cuisine, which goes after the name of the mountain region. Mind you, this cuisine may not appealing to the eye, but it is very healthy, lean and rich in protein and most importantly, delicious! I could taste the freshness in every bite and during my stay I managed to note down a recipe or two!
Sonapaniis haven for outdoor and nature lovers. Lighter activities include forest walks,local village and school visits to more adventurous activities like river crossing and rappelling. I cherish the quiet morning hours I woke up to do my yoga practice facing the Himalayan Mountains, which was truly divine and magical. Leaving Sonapani was like leaving your home for a long break. I knew I would return someday and I’m really excited that this Eid-Al-Adha I’ll be joining a group for a Yoga Retreat at the Sonapani Village! I can’t wait to experience tranquility and magic all over again.
Delna Prakashan is a Dubai-based food and travel writer. She blogs at triedandtestedbydelna.wordpress.com
If you want to go on a trip like this get in touch with Delna at delna.prakashan@gmail. com or visit www.liv2lead.com for more information on the retreat.
Published in October 2012
