Bond with your children at this unique retreat on the outskirts of Mumbai

The group members enjoy lunch in the backyard of a house at Wadrai

Conversations about slow living and reconnecting with nature have been in talks for quite a long time now. While professionals continue to juggle work pressure and personal commitments, working parents have now started expressing concerns about bringing up kids in an increasingly fast-paced and urbanised metropolitan city.

Starting a series of monthly retreats to the less-populated and serene outskirts of the city, Vasai-based Aayushi Kalpavruksh aims to push a change in this lifestyle pattern. "Mumbai is too congested these days. Whenever we step out with our daughter, we are worried about the pollution and the construction work everywhere. You cannot even let your kids run freely because the roads and pavements are unsafe," the young mother tells us.

Aarohi Kalpavruksh plays around in a farm; (right) Aayushi Kalpavruksh (in white) along with her daughter, sample traditional dishes during a visit

The retreat series that Kalpavruksh has planned is a one-day escape to the village of Wadrai in Palghar where parents and children will reconnect with nature, discover local cuisine and experience a day of slow-living. "It is important for children to experience natural things. Kids who grow up in big cities assume that the concrete environment around them is the natural way. We want to dismantle that notion with this trip as far as possible," she explains.

The itinerary of the retreat includes a yoga session in the morning, a cycling tour of the village along with a farm visit followed by a bonfire in the evening. "When given the time and space for it, nature can teach children more than we can. The first time that we went on a trip to the village, I saw my daughter adapting to things quicker than she did in the city. When children are not distracted by an over stimulating environment and brought in contact with natural processes, you can clearly notice a change in the way they perceive things," Kalpavruksh says, adding that food and nutrition is also something that she feels strongly about. Right from staple meals like rice and tamarind-flavoured dal, to tandalcha parkut (a dish made from rice flour) to the freshly-caught bombil sukat fry (a spicy prepartion of dried bombil) and maaklya masala (squids cooked in Mangalorean-style masala), the menu is a treasure trove of traditional Maharashtrian flavours.

A moment from a yoga session from the group's first visit to the village in Palghar

With the first retreat planned this weekend, Kalpavruksh's two-year-old daughter, Aarohi is excited about the trip. "Aarohi loves the outdoors. I saw her adapt to new people and climate in a much better way when we visited the village. In a way, all of this started for her, which then pushed me to think about other young parents in the city as well. She now even imitates my yoga poses and likes to exercise as well and I think that is a great start in itself," Kalpavruksh concludes.

ON January 25; 6.30 am
MEETING POINT Vasai Railway Station, Vasai-Virar.
LOG ON TO @aarohi_ki_duniya on Instagram
COST Rs 1,999 (limited spots)