If you thinking about revitalizing yourself during a short weekend trip, you may want to come here. We wanted to write about this place in the blog post of our recent trip to Shantiniketan but decided that only a separate post will do the justice. Nestled amongst the santhal tribal villages, Rare Earth Home-stay and Farm is an abode for finding peace in the lap of nature.
The farmhouse can be reached by a red soiled village track which off shoots from the Bolpur Siuri Road at Sattore and meanders through open fields and tribal villages before the gates of the farm comes up on the right side. The entire area is curated aesthetically and we fell in love with the place immediately. The red tiled double storied house was unique in its appeal and very pleasing to the eyes. It was designed by the renowned artist Bidyut Roy and all its decoration and designs were made by the local santhals under his supervision. The interior was rustic but with all the modern basic amenities.
The main building has two rooms at the ground floor and beautiful common room, its racks stashed with books and locals handicrafts. The smell of mud layered walls felt so nice. There is a large room on the first floor which can house upto 8 people. 50 meters away from the main building are the rest two cottages, equally beautiful and decorated in rustic flavour.
We stated from Kolkata at around 11 in the morning and reached at 3 in the afternoon. We devoured the home cooked delicious meal at their hay thatched dining area. As we dined, different sounds of birds turned the place to an open air orchestra theater.
The evening was spent with Murakami and chatting with Arindam. Arindam who looks after this place along with Souvik Pal (not present during our stay) is a very special person. He was a friend from the very first. It turned out that he used to work in the orphanage house “Sishu Tirtha” run by our school teacher Ishita Das and her brother.
Arindam helps the local tribal children with their studies who come to study here in the evening. More importantly he makes them aware of the wrongness of various superstitions that are prevalent in their society.
Thankfully and as expected, Rare Earth does not have television sets. And we did not need one. After dinner we went out for a walk along the tradition red soiled village track under a full moon. Yes, it was romantic, with fireflies decorating the cold air and sweet breeze creating a whispers among the swaying branches. When we returned we were greeted by our new friend “Fanush” who was waiting at the doorstep with his tail waggling madly as if he knows us for years. His other friend was lying down beside him and was we found him to be wounded – luckily we always keep their medicines with us which we handed over to Arindam who looks after them.
Next morning the crowing of the rooster woke us up. It was a grand feeling. We had our breakfast at what we called ‘the breakfast island’. A small piece of land with three coconut trees, a small table and a bench, rising among a pond connected by a bamboo bridge (in bengali it is called a saanko). We ate the hot luchi (deep fried wheat based flat bread that puffs up while frying) and watched the ducks swim by aimlessly. Later as we walked back, they walked along side in a row, their body swaying with each step. Rare Earth provided us with this small joys of life which is important and which often gets lost in our busy jobs.
After spending a couple of hours on the hammock under the shades of the trees, we went out to Shantiniketan. The sight of harvested fields was pleasing with a sense of melancholia. After a heavy lunch at Banalaxmi, buying lamps at the Sonajhuri hut and sitting with the Bauls under the moon at Kopai we came back. The drive in the dark on the village track was quite thrilling.
We chatted away and played with Fanush for a while and retired for the night after another delicious dinner, but not before taking a night walk.
Next morning the rooster again woke us up. And Arindam called us and handed over two glass of Khejur Ras (the sap from the Date Palms). A bliss of a sip it was. We spent our time lazily on the hammocks and reading books. Listening to the birds, the trees and the distant songs playing in the nearby villages on the occasion of Nabanna (festival of harvest celebration). Around noon we left for Kolkata.
In short, spending time at Rare Earth was a relaxing affair for the soul. The entire environment and the people instills the simplicity that is required in this unnecessary complex life of ours.
How to Reach
The farm is located near Sattore ( a village on Bolpur Siuri road), about 7 km from Sriniketan Crossing. Staring from Kolkata take Vidyasagar Setu, take the Kona Expressway and drive towards Burwan on Durgapur expressway. Take the Burdwan by-pass and you will reach the Uttara Bus Stand crossing. From here you can reach the Sriniketan Crossing by taking the NH-114 which goes through Guskara or you can continue on the Durgapur expressway and turn right at Darjeeling Crossing at Panagarh and reach Sriniketan via Illambazar.
If you coming via Guskara go straight at Sriniketan Crossing towards Siuri. If you coming via Illambazaar turn left at Sriniketan crossing.
From here continue straight, cross Amar Kutir on your left, cross the Kopai bridge and you will reach Sattore in 5 minutes. Just after Sattore Primary Healthcare turn right onto a village track. After a while the track bifurcates – take the left one and continue along the track. After 1 km you will see the gates of the farm on your right.
It is advisable to take a car while visiting Rare Earth, but they can also arrange for a car at have option to keep it your disposal.
Contact Rare Earth at rarearthfound@gmail.com
You can call Souvik Pal at +91 9836953112
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