Whirlwind of fun

My time at Sadhana forest has been a whirlwind of fun and learning. I had no idea about this place before coming to Auroville. A friend told me that he wanted to see and go on the tour around a sustainable living community. I was happy to join him and after Luke, a long term volunteer, told us about the impact that this place has, I paused my tour around India and signed up to volunteer for 10 days. I have never made a better decision. From reforesting to tending the rescue cows, each day has been a blessing and my mind has never felt so balanced in my life.

On my first day I was welcomed in with open arms and was given the full run down of the week ahead. I was impressed by the division of sevas (selfless daily activities) and how they made the community almost completely self sufficient along side the reforestation project. These community tasks and the reforestation projects really help you bond with other volunteers who all have a similar mindset; that they want to make a positive impact on the wildlife and community in the area. Even though it has only been 10 days, I have made friendships here that I can tell will stand the test of time. Sadhana forest really has a family feel here and I can now even consider it a home.

On to the food. A guilty admission, I am neither Vegan or Vegetarian outside of the forest, but have been cooked and served a wide range of incredible foods that I would never have tried myself. From peanut butter pancakes to Thai green curries, the food here has been excellent. There has even been a request here for a Sadhana forest cookbook. I regularly drink alcohol and I have never been particularly spiritual in my life (another guilty admission). However coming here has enlightened me to other ways of living, some of which I will implement into my every day life. There is such a strong community feel that time flys by and the urge to have a beer or glass of wine with dinner completely goes.

On a side note, you will struggle to find a better deal than 600 rupees a day for food, accommodation, entertainment and a wide range of workshops all run by volunteers. For 10 days, that’s 6000 rupees, which is £60 for the whole experience. Absolute bargain if you ask me.

No matter if you are coming directly here or only passing by, whether it’s to volunteer for 10 days or 6 months, Sadhana forest will be worth your trip. It is an excellent insight into what conscious / sustainable living looks like and will teach you how it is even possible. The stay itself has given me the opportunity to explore Auroville in more detail as well as feel part of a like minded community. You will meet amazing people, have a great laugh and do some work that will actually feel meaningful. I can only thank Sadhana forest for the opportunity to volunteer here and would highly recommend to anyone else!