Baghaan The orchard retreat…a treat for urban souls

This piece of my blog is close to my heart for many reasons. The last few months made it almost impossible to think about travel. Had been quite a few months of remorse and being sad. My bday this year brought a reason to step out and do what I always like. A day out all by myself was on my mind.

Delhi has many options close by for a day’s getaway. But it’s different this time around as not looking to drive too far away, not looking at hills for some obvious reasons, I wanted just some green patch, fresh air, and to be away from the city life.

Bulandshahar is just about 100 kms from Delhi and an agri rich part of Uttar Pradesh. A belt of many villages has acres of mango orchards. One such beautiful set up of cottages amidst the orchard Baghaan resort is about 45 Kms drive once u reach Bulandshahar on the highway. It’s a drive-through field and orchards by the canal. The resort does not try to shout and stand tall in the greens…it just merges into the beauty of its surroundings.

As u park your vehicle, the mangoes swinging low on the trees start prepping your excitement for the stay. Strategically located cottages, brick walkways do not hinder the feel of the place.

The place has play areas and activities for kids as I could see the guests busy with their kids at different spots of interest. It did flicker the moments from my past vacations where I would always check for these details before I would plan a trip with my then little kids (lol).

The resort has two pools and a kid’s pool. Large space perfect for times like now. They were managed so well, is what I observed during my stay. The pools were poured in with fresh water every evening. The service area was kept spik and span.  

The restaurant overlooks the pool. It also has open seating under mango trees. The buffet food is a simple yet well-planned menu. In our two days stay, never did I get bored of eating in there. Or should I say that the well-made food, a close-to-nature experience kept the senses happy.

The Resort has ample space for corporate events. In fact, we organized one for ourselves long ago in 2015. And I had so many fond memories, this place left in my brain book, which brought me back to this place.

Speaking about accommodation, the property has family villas, private villas, and rooms accommodation.

Luxurious interiors, yet very rural rustic feel, keeps the simplicity quotient intact.

Another reason to make it a choice is, they are pet-friendly. My baby cookie could slather in wet soil and run around fearlessly. She was happy like us to be close to nature and enjoyed the calm nature.

Now, this is about the resort. We now move on to the experiences, which make it even more worthwhile.

The season I chose and the reason for my visit, was primarily to witness well-laden mango trees. More so because I was missing mom.

The sprawling mango orchard in their full bloom brings in a feeling of aliveness, that too during the times when we were struggling to feel so. And a walk around the orchard, made me turn back and look at my childhood. Discovered and rediscovered my love for nature, many fruits, like guava anaar, and of course mangoes. Some common some rare varieties.

And we kept the discipline, though really itched to gain some excitement by climbing trees to grab some mangoes, to pose. But the fruits were kind to reach us right to our height and we happily clicked. Posed with some from the ground. These fruits which are high, out of reach, on the trees above our villas, were constantly keeping some fun alive as the falling mangoes would make a thud sound all day and we would run to spot and acquire God’s sent blessings (read ripe fruits). Oh and not just a few, we ended up eating kilos of them in two days.

Now as we (me and SM) walked out of the resort along the not so narrow village roads, I was introduced to the rice paddy experience. What was a small halt to look at the village women at work, soon turned up into an experience with me in ankle-deep sludge and excited to hold the paddy saplings n tapping them into the soil, chatting with the locals.

The crop around was not so familiar but SM knew and informed me about pulses, barley grown around.

Another rather friendly villager gave us a joy ride on his bullock cart, to his farms. He proudly showed us his corn fields.

He invited us home the next day as I requested him to arrange a chulha. And he insisted that I come and pick it from home, for which the boy escorted me and SM to his home. They were so happy to show us around their home, buffalos.  Felt like rural India still keeps atithi  (the guest ) as high as God.

The locals at the paddy field made the day. In no time I was in the middle of the paddy field doing what seem to be just a fanatsy…sowing paddy with them.

The trip wrapped up several memories to visit back. And a place which would always stay fond on my recco list.