If waking up to birds chirping, enjoying fresh home-cooked meals and being surrounded by nature is your thing, then explore a homestay with SaveAGram in Kerala. Your visit will leave you feeling rejuvenated, and your stay will help empower the villagers hosting you.
MEET THE NAMBIAR FAMILY
“These are villages that God created in the best way possible.”
Amala Menon, Founder, SaveAGram
Kesavan Nambiar lives in his ancestral home in Wayanad, Kerala, with his wife Sumathi, their son Rijesh and daughter-in-law Sowmya, and granddaughter Niranjana. A forward thinking man, Kesavan grows all his produce organically. Working with the SaveAGram initiative, he has opened up his home and farm as a homestay, so that he and his family can preserve and share their peaceful way of life, while earning an income to better run their farm.
SaveAGram (gram is Hindi for village) was founded by Amala Menon to offer rural homestay experiences in India, thus keeping traditional village culture alive while providing host families with a source of income.
NATURE, CULTURE, FOOD
Awaken to the sounds of nature and step out for a leisurely walk in the morning mist. Explore the village and its surrounding forests, and you may even find a waterfall only locals know about. Learn about or even take part in local customs, or visit ancient temples. Come back home to a freshly-cooked meal by Sumathi, who uses organic produce picked from their farm to create mouth-watering dishes cooked over a wood-fired stove. Around the house, Kesavan cultivates rice, beans, pepper and other crops using organic methods.
You will live in Kesavan’s ancestral home, built traditionally and maintained with great care and attention. The simple but cozy house has two bedrooms for guests and a refurbished bathroom.
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE COMMUNITY
Wayanad is home to the largest population of indigenous people in Kerala, and a school was founded to provide free education to some 250 children, who might not otherwise go to school at all. Visits to the school can be arranged for you to spend time with them.
Not only will you empower the Nambiar family through the homestay so that they can continue with (and share) their way of living, your visit to the village school may even inspire you to do more, such as by volunteering to spend time with them.
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SaveAGram
Wake up to nature and enjoy home-cooked meals at this village homestay in Kerala. Your visit will rejuvenate you and your stay will empower your hosts.
Not only will you empower the Nambiar family through the homestay so that they can continue with (and share) their way of living, your visit to the village school may even inspire you to do more, such as by volunteering to spend time with them.
The Nambiars are part of SaveAGram, which works with rural communities to open their doors to tourism, to develop sustainable incomes. Aside from Kerala, SaveAGram offers a homestay experience in Uttarakhand.
In addition, SaveAGram works with farmers from these communities, encouraging them to continue to farm in sustainable ways by providing a platform to package and sell distribute their products.
A stay with SaveAGram, or a purchase from their shop, helps empower rural communities.
From the international airports in Chennai, Bangalore or Mumbai, take a domestic flight to Calicut or Mysore. From there, hire a taxi for the two-hour scenic drive to your host's home. Alternatively, it is a six-hour drive from Bangalore or Kochi airport. Your host can help make all transport arrangements.
Good for kids
Try the refreshing coconut water
Ask Kesavan to take you on a walk at sunset
Don’t leave any plastic behind
Listen out for a chorus of birds in the early morning every day
For mobile phone reception, you may need to go outside the house
Temples require you to get permission before taking photos
Have a go at the freshly laid eggs
If you’re a coffee connoisseur who can’t live without your daily cuppa, bring your own
Try milking the cow early in the morning
Safe drinking water is provided, but bottled water is also available in the nearby town
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