A Holiday (close to) home
With international travel not an option at present, farmhouses on the outskirts of cities, which were only regarded as occasional weekend getaways, are acquiring a new importance
Summer vacations are such an indispensable part of the contemporary lifestyle that most Indians will not easily give them up. But as Covid-19 extends its footprint in India, authorities are imposing travel bans and lockdown measures, and social distancing is emerging as the key to fighting the pandemic, forcing people to make out-of-the-box plans.
With getaways outside India no longer an option, the rich are turning to their farmhouses on the city’s outskirts. “We had booked our tickets (for a foreign trip). But the ban on international flights left us with no choice but to cancel them. We have moved to our farmhouse to relax. What can be better than a place surrounded by gardens and farmlands, in the lap of the nature? This is our second home and weekend getaway,” says businessman Tarun Gupta.
What can be better than a place surrounded by gardens and farmlands... in the lap of the nature? This is our second home and weekend getaway
— Tarun Gupta, businessman
“It has everything a person looks for — clean air, scenic beauty and the advantage of being close to the city but far enough away from its negative aspects,” he adds.
Bina and Vikram Mehta of Prakash Lights are of the same view regarding their farmhouse. “We are nature lovers. Given the time, we like to spend it in isolation with nature, meditation and exercise. Being surrounded by greenery is great and enriches our holiday. At times, due to our work load, it becomes difficult to take the family away from the city. So, on weekends, we come to our farmhouse, enjoy swimming, and the greenery all around,” she explains. “Staying at our farmhouse now also means that we are being responsible by not venturing out in this time of crisis,” adds Bina.
Villa vacations are not the privilege of the upper crust alone. The trend is catching on even among the upper middle class.
Is this new-found appreciation of nature and the merits of places and comforts close to home one of the few silver linings of the current grim situation.
In this grave situation with lock-downs and limitations on movement and get-togethers, my family and I will be shifting to our farmhouse on the outskirts, and self-quarantining ourselves. It serves the dual purpose of a vacation and spending quality time with family.
— Ramu Chennamaneni, realtor & entrepreneur
In times like these, it is always better to isolate and move towards nature. During the plague of 1920, Hyderabadis were devastated and people who had farm houses went to stay there. Not only them, even those who did not have access to farm houses, move to jungles and pitched their tents in order to breathe in fresh air and live in the lap of nature. The family which owned the Vicar Manzil Palace, Paigah family, in Vikarabad also shifted their base there. In the present scenario, the way the virus is spreading, we should take zero risks and play a responsible part and for that nothing is better than staying away from dense population and closer to nature.”
— Faiz Khan, chairman & MD Paigah International