Detox living was no stranger to me. Being a chef, I have my moments of following cleansing and simple diets. However, detox took a whole new meaning for me when I visited Binsar, in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. It started as a conversation with fellow chefs on sustainable eating and later turned into one of the most exciting experiences of my life. 

It is no secret that Binsar is an ecotourism hotspot for conscious travellers, and we decided to let it surprise us, and how! We drove to Binsar, via picturesque roads winding around majestic mountains dotted with pine trees. You could almost smell the change in the air as we climbed higher and higher - the sweet aroma of fresh greenery was refreshing.
We stayed at an environment-friendly retreat which has several cottages and is entirely solar-powered. Since I had made the trip to learn all about organically grown food, I was eager to explore the kitchen. It came as quite a surprise when I saw that it truly was a utility kitchen, with bare minimum equipment. There were no ovens or toasters or any other appliances in sight! My host laughingly informed me that he kept his appliances in the yard outside- a huge mortar and pestle to pound wheat and rice; a smooth rock that was a makeshift chopping board.

Slowly I started adjusting to this simple way of life. My visit to the farmers' houses proved both exhilarating and exciting. I was intrigued by their traditional cooking methods and amazed to know how the nutrition was wholly conserved that way. I learnt to hand pound the rice and the benefits of doing so. When processed in the mill, bran is left out, which robs the rice of extra nutrition. But hand pounded rice has that nutrition intact. Moreover, I picked fresh vegetables from their gardens and cooked beside them.
I was struck by the hard work that goes into farming. Most of them would harvest and eat on the same day. Seasonal fruits, freshly picked from the garden were a big part of the diet. The ‘Garden to the table’ concept took a whole new meaning for me.

Some of the highlights of my visit were potatoes grown on climbers (Gitthi potatoes), which are a delicacy in the region; madve ki roti (ragi roti), bhatt ki daal (lentil soup), Bhaang ki khatai (a sour chutney made with cannabis seeds), Palak ka kapa (a stir-fry of spinach leaves) and Kumaoni raita (a yellow-gued yoghurt made with cucumber and mustard leaves) are some of the mouth-watering dishes prepared using local ingredients, herbs, pulses and spices. 

The whole concept of the retreat was to connect within and with the local community and how our simple actions can benefit them. 

What to do?
In the evenings, it becomes quite chilly so we would light a bonfire and soak in the glorious sunset with the mesmerizing Himalayan vista in the background. Also, post 8 pm we were not allowed to venture outside from a safety point of view and in general it is advised to always travel in groups.

Trekking
Our daily routine was to go hiking and trekking, marvelling at the magnificent oak and rhododendron forest. The most thrilling encounter we had was running into leopard trails where we spotted footprints of the cat. We were assisted by locals who helped us learn about various leaves, some of which are grown wildly but are edible while others are poisonous. There were other wildly grown strawberries, turmeric, etc.  

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary
Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary situated atop the Jhandi Dhar hills is a birder's delight. It boasts rich birdlife as the sanctuary has been declared as an 'Important Bird Area by Bird Life International' and boasts more than 200 species of birds in the sanctuary, including bar-tailed treecreeper, blue whistling thrush, brown-fronted woodpecker, coal tit, Eurasian jay, mistle thrush, Rufous-bellied niltava, among others. The moment you enter the sanctuary, you will be greeted with the flapping and chirping sounds of the birds and have animals like the Himalayan goral, grey langur and rhesus macaque stroll past you. 

Zero Point
A must visit place in Binsar Sanctuary is the ‘Zero Point’ which provides a panoramic view of the peaks like Kedarnath, Nanda Devi, Chaukhamba, Panchachauli and Mount Trishul. Also, watching the sunrise at the ‘Zero Point’ with a cup of piping hot tea is an unforgettable experience. It is etched in my memory forever as we trekked before the sunrise to the ‘Zero Point’ to watch the glorious sunrise surround by clouds on all sides.

(Words by Taruka Srivastava)