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   The liberation of society and nature from the growth imperative is possible only when intergenerational equity  is established by          subjugating private interests to that of the community. We believe that indigenous ecological  ethic contains the seed of subversion     of the hegemony of developmentality.
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BASUDHA - Explore the Link between Biological and Cultural Diversity

Basudha (= 'Earth Mother' in Bengali) is a small (1.7 acre) farm in the midst of paddy fields close to a forest in southwest Bengal. Come to live in Basudha’s adobe farmhouse, thatched with rice straw, and enjoy the peace of Bengali rural interior, about 220 km from Kolkata. Established in early 2002 as the research station of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, Basudha aims to conserve Bengal’s vanishing rice varieties; encourage, demonstrate and support organic farming and traditional methods of multiple cropping; and preserve and develop local knowledge of biodiversity and its uses. Basudha is a partner of the nationwide anti-WTO movement, and locally engaged in non-formal education and heuristic science teaching for the rural youth. Basudha also gives practical training in ecological agriculture. 

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Every year, scientists, research scholars, students, activists and farmers from different parts of the world visit Basudha - to teach, learn from, and share ideas with, CIS workers and farmers in the surrounding villages. WWOOFers find Basudha to be a favourite farm to stay and work in. The Annual Basudha Festival, held in Winter every year, is a special event in which students, environmentalists, artists and conservationists from different parts of the world come to participate.
If you are willing to visit Basudha, please book well in advance for accommodation.

N.B. CIS is a non-profit organisation, and does not receive financial support from any funding agency - whether governmental or non-governmental. All our activities are fuelled by the Trustees' personal donations, and those from friends. We are thus constrained to impose a modest charge on guests for their stay at Basudha. The tariff per diem per capita, is as follows:
 
     Rs. 150 (around Euro 2.30)  for WWOOFers
     Rs. 200 (around Euro 3.00) for repeat visitors
     Rs. 240 (around Euro 3.60) for course students & researchers
     Rs. 300 (around Euro 4.55) for others

The tariff is for accommodation and simple vegetarian meals, with rice as staple. Anything extra (e.g. bread/ beverages/ meat) will be at cost.

Download BASUDHA information pamphlet (pdf)                                                                        Click here to see Video Part A (35.6 MB)
                                                                                                                                                                                   and Part B (41.2 MB)

How to get there

From Howrah station, take a train to Bishnupur; from Bishnupur, hire a car to Basudha.
 From Sealdah or Howrah station,  take a train to Durgapur; from Durgapur, take a bus or car to Beliatore, where Vrihi is located. From Beliatore, take a bus or hire a car or trekker to Basudha.