The season closed at Basunti on the 6th of December which then gave us the chance to concentrate on the gardens. First thing was to harvest the remaining crops from the monsoon planting. First to come out was the Turmeric, (Haldi) of which we collected about eight kilos of beautiful bright orange corms. This […]
As the monkeys have been behaving very strangely recently and the cattle staying close to the village, we assumed that a leopard must be around. Sure enough, Pali and Kaka arrived this morning and said that they had spotted leopard tracks near the Mango tree, next to the Shiva temple. We quickly finished breakfast […]
On the same day that sixteen lovely ladies arrived to do yoga with Monica Voss at Basunti, a wedding invitation was delivered. It was the daughter of our government electricity man, who comes to read the meter and have a cup of tea, who was getting married. When I explained that we had a […]
A 5.3 kg Sol (Spotted Murrel) was hooked by our resident fishing guide Andy, in the gullies below Basunti.
Normally, all fish of this size are returned, as they are breeding stock.
As this fish, however, was hooked so deep, we had no choice but to eat it…
Before traveling to India we weren’t quite sure what our volunteer roles would be at Basunti but we soon settled into a gentle routine. Before the guests arrived we took the opportunity to get to know the place and the lovely Basunti team. We dug up beds of ginger and potatoes ready for the groups […]
One thing that always surprises me about my everyday life is how disconnected I am from nature. I am disconnected in big ways: we are wreaking havoc on the planet. I am also disconnected in smaller but important way: I work in the arts and value aesthetics but during a recent drive I was […]
This hornet (wasp?) has taken to building its mud house, on the main veranda next to the dartboard. The whole structure consists of about twelve separate cells, which the Hornet then packed with caterpillars, that she had stung and paralysed. She then laid one egg in each cell before closing it up and moving […]
The Java Plum Tree, which was grown from a seed. This was flicked into a bed six years ago, when Raju and Rajinder were having tea and eating Jamuns. Jamun is the local name for the fruit and the tree this year is producing huge quantities. The fruit looks and is about the same […]
Bindis is the local name for Okra, a bed of which I planted about three months ago. This is now almost two metres high and has been cropping almost continuously for the last six weeks. I have tried every possible way of cooking them, baked, stuffed, fried, steamed and sautéed in various sauces. The […]
As culturally diverse as the subcontinent is large, India’s northern realms offer stunning photographic opportunities for beginners and seasoned shooters alike. Join us in this very special photography exploration of the varied cultures, landscapes and cityscapes which together make this unspoiled region of India so unique.
Designed for beginners and experienced photographers alike, this […]
