The Nilgiris Earth Festival
The Nilgiris Foundation (TNF) will launch The Nilgiris Earth Festival, (December 19 – 23 2023) to celebrate the vibrant biosphere reserve nestled in the Nilgiri Mountains of the Western Ghats in South India.
Now in its second year, the festival, previously known as the Nilgiris Wild Food Festival (NWFF), is focused on promoting discussion and increasing awareness about locally sourced foods, cultural heritage, and ecological sustainability.
Pratim Roy, the founder, and director of the Keystone Foundation and director of TNF, said the festival has a far greater vision than its earlier iteration, the Wild Foods Festival in how it showcases Nilgiris to the world.
“It encompasses and is inclusive, bringing arts, foods, culture, practices, sustainability, and climate all together. This will be the recurring theme every year, where we shall strive to go deeper, expand our horizons, to learn and share from local, global, nuanced, forest-cities-town, entrepreneurs, artists, activists, ecologists, and citizens.”
An ecological brain trust
The five-day festival will bring together a brain trust of culinary experts, celebrated chefs, regenerative farmers, gardeners, intellectuals, artists, local craftsmen, musicians, international communities, residents, and visitors. They will join tribal communities from Wayanad and Nilgiris, who were invited to share their knowledge, practice of local foods, honey gathering practices, culture, and food systems.
“These communities have remained resilient and adaptive to changing climate and environment,” said TNF.
The itinerary at the Nilgiris Earth Festival will include:
Day 1: A Forest Walk , Farm-to-Fork Sojourn, and High Tea
Visitors can begin their day exploring the Banagudi Forest near Kotagiri. They can visit prehistoric structures and learn about the forest, its produce, and practices, from Pravin Shanmughanandam, the founder of Papyrus Itineraries, and Varun Devaraj, a Wildlife Guide and Naturalist.
Next, they can then explore the Red Hills Farms near Ooty, guided by regenerative farmer and chef Vishanth Kumar and his family. At their organic farm, Kikui, Kumar and his team will offer invaluable insights into sustainable agricultural practices, local produce, and the farm’s unique ecosystem. Visitors will enjoy unique meals that combine woodfire cooking with fresh farm produce.
In the afternoon, artisan tea grower Sandeep Subramani will lead the visitors through a comprehensive tea ritual in Coonoor. Visitors can taste a diverse array of Nilgiri teas and learn about how the region grows, harvests, and crafts its teas.
Day 2: Forest Bathing
On Day 2, visitors can further explore the Banagudi Forest with Shanmughanandam and Devaraj. It’s an opportunity not only to stretch their legs but tune into the rhythms of Nature.
“Every sound, every sight, and every detail, from a pug mark or broken branch to a bird call, our expert naturalist and the native indigenous guide will collect the clues and unravel the mystery of the dense jungle that’s around,” said Shanmughanandam.
At the end of the trail, walkers will be treated to a hot, delicious breakfast cooked by the local Kurumba community members at the Aadhimalai APPCL’s resource center, and get to explore indigenous practices with non-timber forest produce.
Day 3: Talks, Demos, Gardening and Food
‘The Habba’ on Day 3 will feature experts like Yon Fernandez de Larrinoa, FAO’s Indigenous Peoples Team Leader and Agricultural Economist. He will speak about entitlements, food security, and climate change at the Keystone Foundation in Kotagiri.
Dr. Nicola Bradbear, director of Bees for Development, UK, will present a segment about the importance of bees and pollinators in a climate-changed world. She will be in conversation with Robert Leo, an expert on bees and former Director of the Keystone Foundation.
At noon, Devi Lakshmikutty, the co-founder of Bio Basics, will present the importance and diversity of Indian heritage grains. She will share insights into the diverse farming and harvesting techniques, and the unique geographies that shape these grains.
Next, a No-Dig gardening session with regenerative farmer, Gayatri Ganesh will demonstrate methods of growing plants (usually vegetables), with the least disturbance to soil, by mulching the ground and growing directly in beds of compost. Ganesh will also explain the benefits of no-dig and composting, as well as the principles of regenerative agriculture in all climatic zones and for all soil types.
In the evening, Chef Avinash Martins from Cavatina Cuchina, and Chef Arup Kakati from Little Earth Group will offer visitors a culinary experience. The dinner menu will focus on local Nilgiris ingredients, with a blend of traditional and contemporary flavors, creating a sensory celebration of the region’s rich culinary heritage.
Day 4: Film screenings and More Food
Day 4 will begin with The Ginko Walk at Lawrence School, Lovedale, where Shobhana Kumar will recite poignant haiku verses by Japanese haiku masters and well-known global writers.
In the afternoon, guests will have an opportunity to savor the culinary artistry of Chef Mythrayie Iyer of Farmlore, Bangalore, and Chef Arup Kakati of Little Earth Group, in Ooty. The curated brunch menu will feature Nilgiris’ local ingredients.
For the fourth and fifth days of the festival, the TNF and All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (AltEff) have curated a selection of films that delve into the intricate relationship between culinary practices and climate change. The films offer visitors an opportunity to explore the global impact of what we eat through the lens of acclaimed filmmakers in Coonoor.
Day 5: Food and Music
On Day 5 visitors will enjoy a musical segment at Aravenu near Kotagiri, followed by a keynote speech from Dr. Suresh Belliraj on traditional meals and produce. The final evening meal will offer a culinary experience that blends tradition and innovation.
TNF’s Role in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
The Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, established in 1986, is India’s first biosphere reserve under UNESCO’s Man & Biosphere Programme (MAB).
According to TNF, not only are these regions home to a large number of indigenous people, but several river systems also originate here. These ecological regions which combine human and nature interactions offer hope for sustainable development in the future.
TNF was established in San Francisco (CA), as a sister organization to the Keystone Foundation, which was founded to raise awareness about eco-development initiatives in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve.
“Our vision has always been to connect this unique biosphere reserve and its message to the world. The festival has evolved into the Nilgiris Earth Festival. It reflects the vision of connecting us to nature, local cultures & food, all of which are interconnected and fast disappearing,” said TNF.
“This event is a celebration, but much more than that, it has a vision to make this biosphere reserve an example of sustaining traditional foods and cooking for the rest of the world.”
Impact of climate change on native crops
Like any other region, climate change has affected the Nilgiris but native crops such as millet are more resilient to climate change. TNF explained that indigenous communities, residents, and officials are working together to reduce the impact of climate change.
“The region has been declared a single-use plastic-free zone,” said TNF. “Non-profit organizations spearhead campaigns to preserve and rejuvenate the ecology, and to introduce sustainable practices. At the heart of these efforts is the preservation of indigenous food practices.”
Bringing the Nilgiris to the United States
TNF is reaching out to the global Indian diaspora with events planned in New York and San Francisco next year. The aim is to bring together people and organizations who will celebrate indigenous communities and stimulate groundbreaking solutions. The goal is to preserve and sustain ecologically rich ecosystems globally while incorporating lessons and best practices into everyday life.
“Our goal is also to reverse the damage that unsustainable living has caused, especially over the last two centuries, and work to rejuvenate the planet one region at a time,” said TNF.
To find out more, go to Get Involved – The Nilgiris Foundation.
