Creating Sustainable Living Systems & Communities

 

South India Permaculture Tour 2009

6-week Travel & Work

January 2^th – February 20^th

 

Come travel and experience India with purpose and pursuit. This tour is a great way to help spread a more sustainable lifestyle and to learn many traditional methods of how the natives of India live across the world. We will be traveling in the southern state of Karnataka for the first two sites, then traveling to the third site in Auroville in the south eastern state of Tamil Nadu, visiting three sites for community consultation and designing. We will also carry on and implement the design systems making this tour into an interactive, hands-on permaculture experience. Apart from getting a great knowledge exchange, we will have many opportunities to engross ourselves in the rich and colorful culture of India. We will be partaking in fun activities such as, attending local festivals, bicycling through villages, and more. We will be traveling by bus for the most part of our tour. The busses are convenient and economical. Parts of the schedule and experiences are open to change depending on the consensus of the tour participants. Participants must arrive to Bangalore by January 2^nd as we will be leaving to our first destination on January 3^rd.This tour/course is an immersion in the rich Indian culture, while learning and working to heal our home.

 

Tentative Schedule:

January 2: Arrive in Bangalore

January 4 – 14: Green Community

January 15 – 30: Punarvasu

January 31 – February 5: Break/ Free Time

February 6 – February 19: Auroville/ Pitchandikulam

February 20: End of Tour

 

Information on each site:

 

  

 

January 4 – 14: Green Community- A twenty four acre organic farm being developed into a sustainable demonstration/teaching and workshops site. Located in the Coorg (aka: Kodagu) district, an area in the Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka (UN bio-diversity hotspot). Approximately 14 acres are terraced for paddy and other crops. The remaining 10 acres is jungle, with half of that area planted with coffee. At this time there is only one older large traditional dwelling and a new cow barn. The design for this site needs to focus on four fundamental components; an intentional community, a functional organic farm, a training center, and an eco-resort. The ten days we stay at this site, we will be doing mostly community design work, and some hands-on work implementing design systems (ex. grey water systems). During our time on site we will learn about and work with design on both a structural level (structure design, sitting, integration with land, etc.) and a community/village level (energy systems, infrastructure relationships, cycling resources, invisible structures, etc.) Meals will be prepared by a hired local cook(s) and we will be staying on site in a shared dorm.

Site Cost: rs.200/day(site fee) + $175(instruction payment)

 

    

 

January 15 – 30: Punarvasu Farm- Punarvasu is the name of a small-scale traditional family farm near Udipi, which is located on the southern cost of Karnataka. Over the last two years the process of revitalizing the farm and transitioning it to a more sustainable and productive model has begun. The first year was focused on broad scale water harvesting by creating two catchment ponds, and putting in some gulley plugs to slow down the water flow through the site. That same year a grey water system on the main outside water tap (used for dish and clothes washing) was also installed.  This past year we installed two more grey water systems (one for an indoor sink, another on the bathhouse which feeds a small nursery). We experimented with building a solar dryer (lack of appropriate tools and materials allowed for many lessons. We started creating bunding and mulch pits in the young banana orchard. This coming year we will continue working the banana orchard, perform maintenance on existing systems, build another solar dryer (improved model with better tools/materials), and create more bunding for water catchment. Ultimately, Punarvasu will be a demonstration and learning center for sustainable knowledge and technologies that empower local communities and support traditional cultures. While on site we live in the old traditional family home and eat delicious local food prepared by the amas (mothers) of the family.

Site Cost: rs.250/day(site fee) + $175(instruction payment)

 

January 31 – February 4: Break/ Free Time

During this time participants have been given a chance to take a break and do some traveling or resting.

 

 

 

     

 

 

February 5 – 19: Auroville/ Pitchandikulam-  In Auroville, we will spend the first few days exploring and going to different sites. The international city of Auroville was founded in 1968 and Pitchandikulam is one of Auroville’s communities. Then we will shift to Pitchandikulam and work on site doing different projects. Pitchandikulam is an area of 70 acres within the green belt of Auroville. Over the last thirty years Pitchandikulam has developed into a Medicinal Plant Conservation Park and Environmental Education Training Centre focusing on the restoration of the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest. For our last couple of days we will stay in town and attend the local festival celebrating the anniversary of Auroville!!!

Site Cost: rs.600/day(site fee) + $175(instruction payment)

 

This tour/course will include and cover subjects such as:

-design work

-grey water system design

-appropriate technology

-native and indigenous planting

-water harvesting and management: swales/bunds

-wild planting and forest garden/ food jungle design

 

Instructors:

Richard Rico Zook

Contact: Richard@lamafoundation.org

Mehrunisa Malik

Contact: SouthIndia2009@yahoo.com

 

Cost

This year each site has its own cost and the option is there for participation in one or only two sites, however we recommend that you join us for all three sites (there is a discount for participating in all three). For each “Site Cost” there are two fees, one that covers: the lodging and three meals a day, and second: the payment to the instructors. This cost does not include any travel costs between sites. We have arranged it this way as we do not want to be tour guides. What we are offering are authentic and valuable learning experiences that are also beneficial to the site and local communities. This is an opportunity to join a process of creation as a constructive member of a team. Those of us traveling to more than one site will coordinate our plans. We will be a part of this process and assist in acquiring the necessary tickets.

 

TOTAL TOUR COST

 

2,000Rs (10 days)  Green Community

3,500Rs (14 days)  Punarvasu

8,400Rs (14 days)  Auroville

13,900Rs (38 days)  Total

 

$525  Instruction payment

-$75   Discount for all three sites

$450  Total

 

Combined total for 38 days, (not including travel) 3 site tour:

$278.90 (at 49.84Rs/$)

$450

$728.90 Total (dependent on the exchange rate at the time)

 

Payment

A deposit is required to secure your place in the tour. If you are unable to make a deposit a space will be held until there are no other spaces and another qualified participant is able to make a deposit. Total payment is due at the very beginning of tour. 

 

Due to the nature of this tour there are only six places available. So please contact us soon if interested.

 

For more information go to SustainableIndia.wordpress.com

or contact SouthIndia2009@yahoo.com