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2008, Living Mandala
creative services by: 360 Degrees

Topics Include:

Design Work

Grey Water System Design

Appropriate Technology

Native and Indigenous planting

Water Harvesting and Managementt

Wild Planting

Forest Garden / Food Jungle Design

And More


In Association With

Living Mandala

Urban Permaculture Alliance


Facilitators, Teachers & Constants

Richard Rico Zook

Mehrunisa Malik


Tour Description

Come travel and experience India with purpose and pursuit. This tour is a great way to help spread a more sustainable lifestyle and to learn many traditional methods of how the natives of India live across the world. We will be traveling in the southern state of Karnataka for six weeks, visiting three sites for community consultation and designing. We will also carry on and implement the design systems making this tour into an interactive, hands-on permaculture experience. Apart from getting a great knowledge exchange, we will have many opportunities to engross ourselves in the rich and colorful culture of India. There may be options of fun activities to partake in such as, a wild safari, swimming, climbing, music and dancing under a full moon, and much more. We will be traveling by bus for the most part of our tour. The busses are convenient and economical. Parts of the schedule and experiences are open to change depending on the consensus of the tour participants. Participants must arrive to Bangalore, India by January 2nd as we will be leaving to our first destination on January 3rd.This tour/course is an immersion in the rich Indian culture, while learning and working to heal our home.













Tentative Schedule

January 2: Arrive in Bangalore

January 4 Ôø‡ 14: Green Community

January 15 Ôø‡ 30: Punarvasu

January 31 Ôø‡ February 5: Break/ Free Time

February 6 Ôø‡ February 19: Horst's Island

February 19: End of Tour:


South India Permaculture Tour

6-week Travel & Work in Karnataka

January 4th Ôø‡ February 19th

Pricing and Registration

This year each site has its own cost and the option is there for participation in one or only two sites, however we recommend that you join us for all three sites (there is a discount for participating in all three). For each 'site CostÔø‡ there are two fees, one that covers: the lodging and three meals a day, and second: the payment to the instructors. This cost does not include any travel costs between sites. We have arranged it this way as we do not want to be tour guides. What we are offering are authentic and valuable learning experiences that are also beneficial to the site and local communities. This is an opportunity to join a process of creation as a constructive member of a team. Those of us traveling to more than one site will coordinate our plans. We will be a part of this process and assist in acquiring the necessary tickets.


Total Cost

2,000Rs (10 days) Green Community

3,500Rs (14 days) Punarvasu

1,400Rs (14 days) Horst's Island

6,900Rs (38 days) Total


$525 Instruction payment

-$75 Discount for all three sites

$450 Total


Combined total for 38 days, (not including travel) 3 site tour:

$172.50 (at .40Rs/$)

$450

$622.50


Payment

A deposit is required to secure your place in the tour. If you are unable to make a deposit a space will be held until there are no other spaces and another qualified participant is able to make a deposit. Total payment is due at the very beginning of tour.


Due to the nature of this tour there are only six places available. So please contact us soon if interested. There will be a deposit of $200 for the total tour/course fee and those who cancel after October will only get 1/3 of their deposit back.


Contact & Registration

For more information and to register e-mail: SouthIndia2009@yahoo.com

Facilitators & Instructors


Richard Rico Zook

Permaculture designer, teacher, consultant, planner and land restoration expert. Mr. Zook is uniquely equipped and experienced to create designs and projects that engender efficient and productive relationships between people and nature. Land Manager for the Lama Foundation, a spiritual community and retreat center in Taos, New Mexico, since 2004, Mr. Zook has concentrated half of each year on building bridges, exchange and relationships with NGOs and communities in India using permaculture as common language and solutions-oriented methodology. The results of his more than two decades of work have been empowering to communities on two continents, restorative of natural habitats and ecosystems, and inspiring to environmentalists, his students and colleagues. For more information on Rico's work in India and other places visit:

http://www.ricoclime.com/


Contact: Richard@lamafoundation.org


Mehrunisa Malik

With a Pakistani origin, Mehru has been living in the San Francisco bay area for the last twenty years. Studied international economics in college and then moved her educational focus towards sustainable sciences and permaculture. Using the ecologically sound and holistic approach to design, Mehru has been involved with several permaculture courses and projects in the last couple of years. She has learned under some fine educators including: Benjamin Fahrer, Katherine Steele, Brock Dolman at the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, and internationally recognized Geoff and Nadia Lawton. She has recently involved herself with international permaculture work in India and in Pakistan.


Contact: SouthIndia2009@yahoo.com




Contact & Registration

For more information and to register e-mail: SouthIndia2009@yahoo.com

Tour Detail & Site Information


January 4 Ôø‡ 14: Green Community


A twenty four acre organic farm being developed into a sustainable demonstration/teaching and workshops site. Located in the Coorg (aka: Kodagu) district, an area in the Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka (UN bio-diversity hotspot). Approximately 14 acres are terraced for paddy and other crops. The remaining 10 acres is jungle, with half of that area planted with coffee. At this time there is only one older large traditional dwelling and a new cow barn. The design for this site needs to focus on four fundamental components; an intentional community, a functional organic farm, a training center, and an eco-resort. The ten days we stay at this site, we will be doing mostly community design work, and some hands-on work implementing design systems (ex. grey water systems). During our time on site we will learn about and work with design on both a structural level (structure design, sitting, integration with land, etc.) and a community/village level (energy systems, infrastructure relationships, cycling resources, invisible structures, etc.) Meals will be prepared by a hired local cook(s) and we will be staying on site in a shared dorm.


Site Cost: rs.200/day (site fee) + $175 (instruction payment)


January 15 Ôø‡ 30: Punarvasu Farm


Punarvasu is the name of a small-scale traditional family farm near Udipi, which is located on the southern cost of Karnataka. Over the last two years the process of revitalizing the farm and transitioning it to a more sustainable and productive model has begun. The first year was focused on broad scale water harvesting by creating two catchment ponds, and putting in some gulley plugs to slow down the water flow through the site. That same year a grey water system on the main outside water tap (used for dish and clothes washing) was also installed. This past year we installed two more grey water systems (one for an indoor sink, another on the bathhouse which feeds a small nursery). We experimented with building a solar dryer (lack of appropriate tools and materials allowed for many lessons. We started creating bunding and mulch pits in the young banana orchard. This coming year we will continue working the banana orchard, perform maintenance on existing systems, build another solar dryer (improved model with better tools/materials), and create more bunding for water catchment. Ultimately, Punarvasu will be a demonstration and learning center for sustainable knowledge and technologies that empower local communities and support traditional cultures. While on site we live in the old traditional family home and eat delicious local food prepared by the amas (mothers) of the family.


Site Cost: rs.250/day (site fee) + $175 (instruction payment)


February 5 Ôø‡ 19: Horst's Island

This 300 to 400 acre island (depending on river levels) is located just upstream from the World Heritage site of Hampi. Located in the eastern edge of Karnataka state, Hampi is a significant historical and religious site of ancient temples. As the birthplace of Hanuman (the devoted servant of Ram), Hampi is an important pilgrimage site to this day with hundreds to thousands of visitors (both Indian and foreigner) arriving daily. Currently an organic farm occupies about one fourth of the island. Possible projects on this site would include some broad scale water catchment with associated plantings, designing a production oriented commercial jungle garden on old paddy terraces, restoration of native habitat for indigenous wildlife, and, some grey water systems for the island's accommodations. Excellent food will be prepared by local women. While on site we will stay in individual caves or overhangs protected from the elements that have clean, simple bed platforms.


Site Cost: rs.100/day (site fee) + $175 (instruction payment)