Govardhan Ecovillage

OVERVIEW

Govardhan Eco Village (GEV) illustrates ‘Simple Living & High Thinking’ – a principle which is so succinct, yet profound, and formed the basis of life in the bygone age of wisdom. Life in the Vedic times was focused on Service, but not on exploitation; this was the cardinal rule of living and the very essence of people’s dealings – with each other and that with Mother Nature. With the concepts of eco living being innate, the Vedic lifestyle was truly an eco friendly way of living life as instanced in the timeless Vedic scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-Gita.

Govardhan Ecovillage is situated on 50 acres of pristine farmland in the Wada district of Maharashtra. Although its rustic charm and sylvan ambience belie the fact, it is only a two-and-a-half hour drive north of Mumbai, South Asia’s economic powerhouse. The addition to the community of the Lady Northcote Hindu Orphanage in 2002 brought the total number of residents to 100 (130 including our bovine friends)

 

 

OBJECTIVES

  • To give individuals a first-hand experience of our utter dependence on Mother Nature’s gifts
  • To help cultivate an attitude of reverence and gratitude towards Mother Nature and all her children
  • To engender a spirit of peaceful cooperation among living entities for the supreme good of all

 

MILESTONES

Initiated in 2002, the project has since accomplished the following goals:

  • Education
  • Establishment of primary school and orphanage
  • 3-month intensive courses offered on “Simple Living, High Thinking”
  • Agriculture
  • Self-sufficiency achieved in rice, vegetable, and dairy production
  • Cottage Industry
  • ox-driven oil and flour mill
  • Renewable Energy
  • all cooking and lighting energy needs met with cow dung fuel
  • Animal Husbandry
  • zero machinery: exclusive reliance on draft oxen for tilling
  • goshala (cow shelter) home to 30 cows and bulls and growing

 

SUSTAINABILITY

Govardhan Farm aims to demonstrate the principles of self-sufficiency and localized economy to the world. In consultation with organic farming experts, all inputs and outputs are natural, and only indigenous varieties of grain are grown. Instead of chemical fertilizers, we employ cow dung and natural compost. Cow urine and neem oil serve as organic pesticides and bulls are favored over machinery for ploughing.