ShankarBaba's Research & Innovation Ashram Camp
Petunia Village / Sattal
Bhimtal (Kumaon/Uttarakhand)
Petunia Village / Sattal
Bhimtal (Kumaon/Uttarakhand)
CAMP:
The Research & Innovation Ashram Camp (The RIAc) is an experimental wilderness retreat surrounded by reserve forest in Petunia village (see ‘Location’, below), at the end of 2km of dirt road, just behind a ridge from the wannabe city of Bhimtal, and just about 300 metres from a hidden corner of Sattal Lake, in the Lower Himalaya of the Kumaon region of the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
The camp, however, only operates “as and when” (see below for bookings).
Accommodation presently comprises a covered kitchen & dining shed, together with 2 toilets, 2 bathrooms, and two 4-man tents, to altogether host a maximum total of 4-6 guests at a time. More solid sleeping modules are in the works to eventually host a maximum of 8-10 guests.
Whereas The RIAc is overtly a ‘secular’ camp open to almost anybody, it is more essentially a space dedicated towards providing Experimental Creative Practices and Practitioners a semi-isolated project retreat. As such, the latter will always be preferentially accommodated, under various schemes. And, the availability of tools of various sorts (some onsite, some nearby) are also therefore a key component of the facilities.
LOCATION:
Petunia Village is totally a 6-acre space, of which The RIAc occupies a quarter acre that directly abuts reserve forest along one edge. At 1370m above sea level (4,500ft), it is some 40km from Kathgodam Railway Station, and 340km from New Delhi.
Fulltime population of the village presently comprises just 4 individuals of a single family.
The larger general area around Petunia is a tourism destination popularly referred to as Sattal, which is also the name of the largest of “7 Lakes” that the name translates as. Petunia village is itself situated just about 300 forested meters from a hidden corner of this main lake
A particular niche attraction of the area is that of a very special birding destination (see videos at the bottom of this page). Butterflies also abound, with the famous local “Butterfly Research Centre” being just a kilometer directly north of Petunia. Other local wildlife includes leopard, king cobra, wild boar, pine marten and fox. through herbivores such as barking deer, goral, barasingha, porcupine, hare, and so on.
BOOKING:
The RIAc can presently accommodate guests only against advance bookings for when I am personally in residence. And, guests are presently expected to pitch in on cooking and other camp duties.
The Research & Innovation Ashram Camp (The RIAc) is an experimental wilderness retreat surrounded by reserve forest in Petunia village (see ‘Location’, below), at the end of 2km of dirt road, just behind a ridge from the wannabe city of Bhimtal, and just about 300 metres from a hidden corner of Sattal Lake, in the Lower Himalaya of the Kumaon region of the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
The camp, however, only operates “as and when” (see below for bookings).
Accommodation presently comprises a covered kitchen & dining shed, together with 2 toilets, 2 bathrooms, and two 4-man tents, to altogether host a maximum total of 4-6 guests at a time. More solid sleeping modules are in the works to eventually host a maximum of 8-10 guests.
Whereas The RIAc is overtly a ‘secular’ camp open to almost anybody, it is more essentially a space dedicated towards providing Experimental Creative Practices and Practitioners a semi-isolated project retreat. As such, the latter will always be preferentially accommodated, under various schemes. And, the availability of tools of various sorts (some onsite, some nearby) are also therefore a key component of the facilities.
LOCATION:
Petunia Village is totally a 6-acre space, of which The RIAc occupies a quarter acre that directly abuts reserve forest along one edge. At 1370m above sea level (4,500ft), it is some 40km from Kathgodam Railway Station, and 340km from New Delhi.
Fulltime population of the village presently comprises just 4 individuals of a single family.
The larger general area around Petunia is a tourism destination popularly referred to as Sattal, which is also the name of the largest of “7 Lakes” that the name translates as. Petunia village is itself situated just about 300 forested meters from a hidden corner of this main lake
A particular niche attraction of the area is that of a very special birding destination (see videos at the bottom of this page). Butterflies also abound, with the famous local “Butterfly Research Centre” being just a kilometer directly north of Petunia. Other local wildlife includes leopard, king cobra, wild boar, pine marten and fox. through herbivores such as barking deer, goral, barasingha, porcupine, hare, and so on.
BOOKING:
The RIAc can presently accommodate guests only against advance bookings for when I am personally in residence. And, guests are presently expected to pitch in on cooking and other camp duties.
ShankarBaba's RIA Camp in Petunia, and the route back to 'civilization'
Sattal : A haven where colours fly
Birds from Sattal