This summer has seen a busy season of planting and harvesting at the Ashram. With the delivery of groceries and logistics taking a hit during the lockdown, self-sufficiency became the mantra. In April, the garden staff and residents took to kitchen gardening with gusto, adding variety by planting tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, beans, cauliflower, cabbage, capsicum, gourds, pumpkin, green chilli, and more. And they’ve been providing us a-plenty! Going forward, farming at Sri Hari’s abode is all set to be completely organic.

The maximum harvest was of tomatoes averaging about twenty kilos every week. At the same time, there were a few challenges, like green vegetables not yielding maximum capacity due to the excessive heat, pests, and the rocky terrain.

The winter planting of these vegetables and our learning promise better results in the future. As the season turns, flowering plants will make their way to the beautiful gardens with marigolds, bougainvillaeas, hibiscus, jasmine, and rainbow pink in full bloom. We hope that the plantation will echo the natural beauty of the mountains, the murmuring river, and the Ashram’s meditative and community spaces.

The excitement and happiness at the successful plantation at the Ashram are echoed in this statement by an Ashram resident: “I had time on my hands, and it was lovely to be able to spend it in the garden. There is huge satisfaction in cultivating one’s produce with the added bonus of being able to eat tasty vegetables. We are all excited to help grow this further by planting a range of exotic ones now.”