maachli farm stay – tarkarli

The Malvani word Maachli means a traditional hut made by farmers to keep an eye on their farm. The tall cottages at Maachli homestay are designed on a raised platform to look like the traditional huts, covered with dried coconut leaves. With the passion for preserving the local culture, Mr. Pravin Samant, a native of village Parule, built eco-friendly cottages reflecting indigenous Konkani architecture in his farm. Maachli huts are designed with innovative cross ventilation which lets in the fresh air from the cool surroundings. These exotic huts are furnished with a luxurious bed and minimal amenities displaying local culture. The cottages are made with reusable articles detailing the eco-friendly architecture. The simplicity of the hut-style accommodation, the luxury of spacious cottages and the cool ambience of the thick plantation is exactly what you need for a break from busy city life!

The cottages are built amidst dense tropical plantations. The tall trees of coconut, mango and betel nut cover up the entire area. Thick plantations of banana, spices and medicinal herbs spread a sensational aroma in the air. The plantations and a wide stream flowing through it keeps the ambience of the farm quite cooler than the outside, giving a pleasant outdoor experience in all weathers.

Meals
When the lady of the family takes the charge of the kitchen, there’s no compromise on the taste of the food which is undoubtedly cooked with love. Mrs. Priya Samant brings the forgotten recipes of ethnic Malvani cuisine on the table at Maachli. And what better than enjoying a delicious meal that spreads the aroma of absolute freshness! The natural diet is cooked on a mud-stove and fire-wood using organic vegetables and grains grown in the village, flavoured with homegrown spices and served in earthen pots. 

Maachli helps revive the regional culture by promoting traditional Malvani Saraswat cuisine on their meals menu. The most favourite traditional Malvani delicacies include:
Valichi Bhaji: Beans tossed in coconut oil with mustard tempering and grated coconut.
Mustard Leaf Sabji: green mustard leaves and a bit of black peas cooked with scraped coconut.
Colocasia(aravi leaves): Colocasia leaves boiled and cooked to perfection with tempering of garlic and mustard seed in coconut oil. Green chillies along with tamarind and jackfruit seeds, peanuts, corns are used for additional taste.
Amaranth (Lal math): Amaranth leaves cooked with garlic and mustard seeds tempering, garnished with scrapped coconut.
Usal: the typical Maharashtrian preparation of sprouts (moong, chavali, peas and Kulith).
Mango raita: pulp of country side local mangoes and paste of coconut with red chilly powder and mustard seeds mixed together and sweetened by jaggery.

Activities
Maachli farmstay caters to a niche crowd of travellers who intend to spend time with nature and cherish the simple village life. The son of the Samant family, Prathamesh is a nature enthusiast himself. He passionately talks about the ecosystem and natural wealth of the area and helps plan activities 

Birding

The dense plantations, flowing stream and surrounding jungles make an amazing ecosystem to attract variety of birds in the farmstay. Observing nature and birds can be done right from the seating area of the cottages.

Beach trail

Bhogwe beach is the major attraction near Maachli, as it is one of the most tranquil beaches on the Konkan coast, with just the white sand and clear water, ideal for a morning stroll on the beach. Tarkali beach across Bhogwe offers basic scuba diving experience with corals in decent visibility.

Responsible Tourism

The most striking point about the eco-friendly environment at Maachli is the minimal usage of plastic on the entire farm. They have extensively used the local material for cottages and all the amenities. The owners have taken utmost care about not harming any tree in building up this place.
Maachli contributes towards the upliftment of local communities by providing employment to locals at the farms and employing local women for serving guests at the farmstay.
Maachli helps add income to the local economy by procuring local food and other items directly from the villagers. 
Maachli happily and proudly serves as an inspirational model for entrepreneurs and students aiming at responsible tourism & sustainable living.

Getting there