Please Note

The Clayhouse is no longer part of the WWOOF Scheme. We have withdrawn from WWOOF because Lalita & Prem were finding it too costly to maintain the house whilst feeding and looking after people. In addition, most of the work is either too specialised (dairy) or too arduous (agricultural) for visitors to offset this cost.

The Clayhouse is, however, a paying guest facility that can be booked at a cost of 600rps per person per night. This includes 3 vegetarian meals, fresh water, firewood and laundry. Any other costs, such as trips to the local National Park, must be paid for in addition and in advance.

Location

Prem and Lalita Kamble live near a town called Chandrapur, close to the geographical center of India. The nearest large city being Nagpur. Chandrapur and the surrounding region are in many ways typical of rural India. There are no tourists here, but if you want to experience the real India then this is where you'll find it.

Life on The Farm

The clayhouse is furnished and comprises of a bedroom and living area, a kitchen, a shower room and western toilet. There's a vegetable garden to the front and a large watchtower, or Machaan, for observing the large array of birdlife and activities around the farm.

The farm borders a large area of jungle to one side populated by tigers, leopards, monkeys, wild-boars, snakes and samba. We don't recommend visiting the jungle without being accompanied by a local guide; and during the evening predators such as the tiger and leopard are attracted to the farm because of the livestock. But the clayhouse has been made secure with steel locks; so you may sleep soundly.

Water on the farm is fresh and safe as it's drawn from a deep bore well. All the food you eat will either be grown on the farm or bought from local markets. For meat-eaters there's a large choice of fish and meat within these markets, with all livestock being slaughtered freshly for the pot. Lalita Kamble will be happy to cook her signature dishes of crab or prawn. And the taste and choice of vegetables is mouth watering. During your stay you may wish to manage all the cooking and cleaning yourself; however, domestic help can be arranged and is recommended. It provides good employment for locals and allows you to observe how people carry out simple tasks differently in this part of the world. You can always share the work.

Places To Visit

If you want to shop then most of your needs will be catered for in Chandrapur, a 30 minute drive from the farm. This bustling town has the usual collection of bazaars, shops and services. But if you need more choice then Nagpur is a 3 hour drive.

Anandwan is an hour's drive and is not to be missed. Anandwan (The Forest Of Joy) has grown over the last 50 years to become what is perhaps the largest community of leprosy afflicted and physically challenged people in the world. Anandwan is the home of those who have been rejected by society. Within it's gates there is enough enterprise and human dignity to destroy any pessimism you may have about the world. If you think the Taj Mahal is a wonderful human monument, then you should visit Anandwan to see just what people can build for each other.

Gandhi's Ashram at Sevagram is between Chandrapur and Nagpur. Many of Gandhi's innovative programmes for rural upliftment, rural health care and education, saw the light of the day at this Ashram. It was here that crucial meetings of the Congress Working Committee were held and Pandit Nehru and others took historic decisions that were to shape the destiny of India.

How To Book

If you're interested in staying in the clay house then contact Lalita on (0091) 9422 138123. Or eMail glaconman@hotmail.com