The recurring lockdown had taken its toll on all of us. So the moment the air cleared and the cases reduced considerably, we felt safe enough to travel. But we also needed a place that could provide us with enough social distancing. That was easier said than done, with the entire city trying to escape from the humdrum of the lockdown.
With much trepidation, I called Pompayya Sir, my most trusted contact in
Hampi. I was not sure which accommodation will be available there and whether it would be as secluded as we wanted it to be. I can safely say, the one main reason I've visited Hampi as many times as I've done, was because of the absolute confidence I have in Pompayya sir, to make every single trip memorable in his own unique way.
Sure enough, this time too, he immediately replied, 'you can stay in my farmhouse'. Over the better part of the last decade, I've seen this farm and the structure in it grow tree by tree and brick by brick. But I was
in no way prepared for what awaited us as Adhikari, Meera, and myself arrived at Pompayya Sir's Ecofarm.
The structure had grown into a beautiful accommodation. Two rooms flanked a 'harate (chit chat) room', a place to just sit around and gossip.
It was surrounded by tall trees and green vegetation. The entire setting took our breath away.
Both rooms have three beds each, with a spacious attached bathroom and a
separate dressing area. Both rooms are well ventilated to allow enough fresh air to come in.
In fact, with us visiting during the rains, the nights actually got a bit nippy - something we did not expect in a region where the weather is always 'hot, hotter or hottest' according to Pompayya Sir. This
was the magic of the mini forest created by him.
Home-cooked meals awaited us for lunch before we started our activities
there. Most of the meals are prepared in typical North Karnataka style. So
simple and so delicious that we had to consciously remind ourselves to eat
light.
Right from waking up to the calls of the peacocks and the hot cups of coffee
and tea or watching the farming activities right in front of the rooms, every single aspect of this place oozes with unlimited
charm.
I'll allow the images and videos to do the rest of the talking.
Spottedowlets recommends Pompayya Malemath's Ecofarm.
His
personal attention to detail and his hospitality towards all his guests add
leaps and bounds to the charm of the place.
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Homemade pappads and fried chilli
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Top it off with a glass of
hot tea
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Activities in and around the Ecofarm
Photography
Visit to: Daroji- Sloth Bear Sanctuary
Visit to: Hampi Monuments
Birding
Just Chilling
How to get there:
You can reach Hospet either by train or bus.
The farm is around 30 minutes drive from Hospet Bus Stand and around
35 minutes drive from the Hospet Railway Station.
The travel time from
Vidyanagar airport is 50 minutes.
For driving - The highways are well maintained and the drive from Bangalore is about 6
hours without breaks.
Tariff and Booking:
The tariff is customized according to the guest requirements of birding,
sightseeing, need for guides, visiting the Sloth Bear sanctuary, etc.
Contact Mr. Pompayya Malemath on +91 9449136252
or write to him on ps.malemath@gmail.com for booking details.
Location map:
