The last decade has seen a phenomenal growth in the demand of Organic products. Every one aspires to be healthy and eat healthy. However, with so many options to choose from zeroing on something becomes difficult at times and then there is also the question of food safety, nutrition and sustainability.

Is organic food really healthier?

Organic is the way food is grown and processed. There is a specific criterion that needs to be met in order for a food item to qualify as organic. At Aranyani, we grow our own organic food, which is completely free from synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMOs), petroleum-based fertilizers, and sewage sludge-based fertilizers. Apart from being a boon for mankind, Organic way of growing crops is also immensely beneficial for the environment. We grow our food with natural fertilizers like manure and compost. The weeds are naturally controlled via crop rotation, hand weeding etc.

Most of our guests at Aranyani prefer local food. We believe that local food is the freshest food you can eat. Fruits and vegetables are harvested when they are ripe and thus full of flavor. As a general rule, the less produce has to travel, the fresher and more nutrient-rich it remains. And there could be no better combination than locally grown organic food. According to research, organic foods have higher nutritional value than conventional food. Organic produce boasted up to 40 percent higher levels of some nutrients (including vitamin C, zinc and iron) than its conventional counterparts. The logic behind this difference is that with organic methods, the nitrogen present in composted soil is released slowly and therefore plants grow at a normal rate, with their nutrients in balance. Vegetables fertilized with conventional fertilizers grow very rapidly and allocate less energy to develop nutrients.

We are Organic at Aranyani

At Aranyani, our organic produce enables us to provide our guests with unusual and flavorful fruits& vegetables for their discerning palate. To ensure absolute freshness and quality we handpick the produce just minutes before preparation. Our Guests can enjoy a “pick-of-the-day” basket of fresh and unusual fruits& vegetables, which changes as the season progresses. A couple of days are absolutely necessary for anyone who shares our passion for real organic food. Also, at the same time being organic enables us to promote a less polluting agricultural system.

Himalayas – the word itself evokes a sense of magnitude, grandeur and security. If you ever want to experience nature close hand, a visit to the majestic Himalayas is a must. Here are a few more reasons:-

1. Experience forest life as it should be – The Himalayas are the abode of the Forest Goddess Aranyani. Thick with flora and fauna, the Himalayas are home to a huge number of species that cannot be found elsewhere. Cross over root bridges, trek through dense foliage – if you want to get a feel of nature in its element, this is where you should be.

2. Enter a picture postcard – We’ve all seen pictures of out of this world sunrises and sunsets reflected golden on snow clad peaks as few soft clouds pass by gently across a clear blue sky. A visit to the Himalayas gives you the real thing. When you climb up a peak and get panoramic views of the sun gently setting in between two tall peaks, nothing else matters. Lush green landscapes, tall evergreens, mountain rivers gurgling by, ponies grazing in valleys lush with wildflowers, mountain trails that are centuries old, rope bridges across the mountains – everything you dreamt of in a mountainous terrain, you’ll find in the Himalayas.

3. Gaze at clear skies and starry nights – City life and pollution make us forget what it is like to just lie down on the grass and gaze at the stars, doing nothing, thinking of nothing. Forget TV, forget the Internet, forget your mobile – just connect to the distant stars. Be amazed at how vast the universe in and how we are such a small part of it. Star gazing is best done from the camping sites that dot the Himalayan range.

4. It fits all budgets – Himalayan holidays fit all budgets. You can stay at a homestay and savor the local flavor or stay at a seven star for the regal feel. There are lots of cozy resorts nestled in the Himalayas, with pretty awesome views of mountains and valleys, that offer trekking, camping, and other facilities within your budget.

The Himalayas need to be visited at least once in your lifetime. And once you’ve done that, you are sure to keep going back for more, and more, and more.

The wind howling and shredding all garments, rain and sun beating the skin to parch, and yet the yogi maintained his Aasan, enveloped in the safe haven of Aranyani…the forest Goddess. While this level of concentration and control may be unattainable for most of us, nevertheless there are many benefits one can get through the practice of yoga on a regular basis.

• A calm mind - As you learn to breathe in and breathe out the right way, your being relaxes and you feel surrounded by a feeling of calmness and serenity. This is especially beneficial for those who are in high stress jobs and feel the burden of deadlines at all times.

• Increased flexibility and strength - Whether you’ve just joined or practice yoga for years, increased flexibility is one of the most visible benefits. As you stretch your limbs to get into an Aasan, your muscles get toned, and you will feel the difference in strength and agility yourself. Simply speaking, it makes you more active.

• Health benefits - It’s not only stress but various other ailments that can be checked with yoga, including blood pressure, cholesterol, insomnia, and even chronic pain. In uniting the body and mind with breath, yoga takes fitness to the core of your being, strengthening you from within.

• Weight loss-Many people, especially women, join yoga for weight loss. And it works for them. Trained yoga instructors can show you which Aasan will burn the most calories, and also what is the maximum number of times you should do a particular Aasan per day. Weight loss is more prominent amongst practitioners of Power yoga. In making you aware of genuine hunger and fullness, Yoga stops one from over eating.

• Boosts self-confidence - Yoga improves your posture, strength and agility and by making you reflect inwards, it also gives a big boost to your self-confidence. One feels more at peace, more accepting and at the same time more able after practicing yoga for some time.

• Improved concentration -In making you focus on literally every breath, Yoga takes one to a meditative state. This spills over in day to day life and along with the calm that one imbues, it aids in concentration in all walks of life.

The benefits of Yoga are too numerous to list in one place. It’s not just about being healthy nor about merely doing some form of exercise. Indian civilization attributes far more knowledge to the inhabitants of the forests than to urban dwellers and yoga is a way of life that originated in the woods. Yoga is the way to connect to the soul.