This eco-village in Kashmir wants to give tourists a taste of the local culture, lifestyle

Visitors to Sagg can stay in mud houses, locally called Kothas, and eat traditional dishes prepared with organic, natural ingredients, say the Dars. (Photo by Irfan Amin Malik)

Kashmir’s first eco-village, popularly known as Sagg, is located in a multi-ethnic rural environment in the Harmukh foothills in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, 40 kilometres from Srinagar.

Overlooking the Sindh and Nigeen valleys in Ganderbal and nestled in the snow-capped Himalayas, Sagg (nurture) is a regenerative farm and cultural retreat launched in 2012 and finally opened for the public in 2016.

(Photo by Irfan Amin Malik)

Fayaz Ahmad Dar, the founder of Sagg, transformed 12 kanals (1.5 acres) of barren land into an eco-village. “Coming from a farming background I had fascination towards farming. After getting a sense of what kind of development people want, I decided to create an ecological entrepreneurial venture on a barren land and eventually I became successful,” says Dar, 45.

Inside the Sagg one can see the mud houses, organic farms and utensils made of clay. The benches and chairs inside the village are made of wicker and wood. The village reflects Kashmir's culture, tradition and lifestyle which has mostly faded from elsewhere during the past three decades.

(Photo by Irfan Amin Malik)

Dar along with some young people transformed the land into a picturesque mix of traditional mud houses and decor made of cane and wood. “In order to create a sustainable and eco-friendly village, we produce organic foods, vegetables, fruits and poultry. We have also managed to grow organic apples,” Dar tells Moneycontrol.

Hailing from the Wahidpora hamlet in Ganderbal, Dar invested all his savings and also borrowed money from his friends and relatives to start the eco-village. “So far I have invested around Rs 2 crore... On an average we are able to generate monthly Rs 3-5 lakh which is an indication of success.”

Children cooking during a winter camp at Sagg. (Photo by Irfan Amin Malik)

Dar adds that in addition to potential financial rewards the public response in terms of appreciation and positive feedback has been a huge source of motivation for him.

His wife Lubna Rafiqi who looks after the overall operations of Sagg says that on daily basis 50-60 people visit Sagg who rejuvenate and relax in Kothas (mud houses) besides enjoying the traditional dishes prepared by the chefs using organic and natural ingredients.

Sagg also sells traditional herbs and spices, organic honey, dried fruits and vegetables, pickles, jams and a wide variety of handicraft products.

Every day both Dar and Rafiqi work together in the village. “We both work in Sagg to provide ecological entrepreneurship coaching, training young minds, holding consulting programmes with people from all walks of life,” adds 32-year-old Rafiqi.

A kidspreneurship session at Sagg in March 2022. (Photo by Irfan Amin Malik)

Dar terms Sagg an educational, recreational and eco-cultural farm with camping facilities, as well as recreational stays for individuals and groups. “I do not want Sagg to be a museum but I always wanted to create a venture which would take care of the environment, quality of life, which would revive culture with modern conveniences. For example, inside a mud house in Sagg people are using the internet.”

Sagg charges Rs 50 per person as entry fee, while an overnight stay at the village costs Rs 500 per person.

Dar’s sister Dr Shaheena Parveen, a trained psychologist who works as a creative facilitator at Sagg for programmes, development, facilitation and outreach, says: “We also collaborate with individuals, institutions, and organisations for participatory capacity-building in health, education, environment, parenting, work and farming.”