The Village

Sometimes the place resembles an art studio,at others it transforms into a poets den.

Sometimes the place resembles an art studio,at others it transforms into a poets den. On some evenings,Ghulam Alis soulful voice resonates here amid wooden chimes,while on a warm afternoon,budding singers and musicians create their own medley of folk,Punjabi,English and Hindi music. Welcome to Parshada,Moonstar Kaur Doads city farm in Sector 18.

Here the art community comes together to paint a mural on the wall,to host a handmade paper workshop,or for bread-baking and urban farming workshops. One thing is constant here the organic and oil-free cooking at the open kitchen overlooking the maize,brinjal and cucumbers growing in Doads kitchen garden. Parshada is inspired from her global travels and her connections with people,who have choosen to live together in intentional low-impact communities,like Auroville in India and Findhorn in Scotland. Parshada,explains Doad,is a space for the neighbourhood community,which can create opportunities for people to express their creativity and enrich their collective lives.

Twelve-year-old Ananmay comes to soak in the spirit of the space and has also helped getting the kitchen going. I want to do some painting,make lamps out of waste and participate in creative activities with other children, he says. The dosa batter from Parshada travels to Kuldips house next door,as the stuffed bittergourd from Swarn and Livleens house finds a welcome space at this open kitchen. Just as the cholai saag exchanges hands with Livleen,the breads baked here are shared with house number 502.

Parshada celebrates the gift culture of a Gurudwara,where community and food is the central connection. Food here is grown without chemicals and cooked in its wholesome form by steaming,sans oil and sugar,with raw salads making quarter of the meal. The experiment in community building wouldnt have been possible without the encouragement and support of my family, says Doad about the community project. Last week saw a poetry evening on Faiz Ahmed Faiz,hosted by Jasdeep an IT professional,followed by a potluck dinner. Livleen shared some life stories while Kavaljeet is all set to host prenatal yoga classes. Kate has been creating colourful murals on the kitchen walls of Parshada,along with two Panjab University students. I find peace when I come here, says Ashish,an artist. Shammi,is passionate about food and self-healing and she creates healthy meals from the vegetables in the garden along with her waste management programme. We call it edible landscapes, Shammi explains. At 1 pm every day the open cafe serves their conscious food. So if you want to relish their food and soak in their space,you can call a few hours in advance and break bread together or order a healthy tiffin.

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The Village

Sometimes the place resembles an art studio,at others it transforms into a poets den.

Sometimes the place resembles an art studio,at others it transforms into a poets den.