Stimulating Sunday at Glorious Greenfields

Welcome Greenfield farm. It is Zenobia (Zen) and Sarosh Rustomfram’s dream that has come true with their efforts of 2+ decades. 

Participating in Zen’s professionally tailored activities based on Outward Bound  while connecting with ‘Mother Nature’ at Greenfield is an enlightening experience. Various groups from different walks of life  get benefited from these activities. Can you believe that it just through word of mouth; no publicity via website, advertisement etc is needed! Today members of ‘Seva Counseling Centre’ are participating in activities. Aim is to enhance their counseling skills while enjoying together, away from city’s hustle-bustle.

Zen is psychologist and works as counselor with NASR school and ISB. Zen explains that ‘Outward Bound’ is an old outdoor pursuit inspired during WW II (year 1941) to enhance young sailor’s capacity as a team member to excel in difficult and daunting tasks. This technique had protected young sailors from succumbing to the torpedo like dangers of the Atlantic Convoys.

Zen and Sarosh’s memories about Greenfield’s inception and growth are still fresh in their minds. Two decades ago, Sarosh was totally involved in his family business, ‘Rustom Bar’ at Koti that is busiest area of Hyderabad.  Zen was also busy as psychologist and counselor.  Sarosh used to miss his tea estates at Assam dearly. One day, they decided to listen to their heart and bought these 2 acres of land that was stamped as infertile in those days.  With their efforts and arrangement of water source, presence of single tree is enhanced to un-countable trees now.  Multi-facility farmhouse caters to all needs now but initial make shift home in Ambassador Dickey is still fondly remembered :)

When first camp of ‘Outward Bound’ was initiated, Zen was not sure if participant would show up on successive day. However, Zen was pleasantly surprised when participants came before time as they had found strong content in Zen’s program and there was no looking back from that time. 

Did you know Greenfield attracts many migratory birds from nearby Gandipet Lake?  Can you listen to the bird chirping; are they announcing their happiness about fruit bearing trees reserved for them at the farm?  Look at these busy squirrels & dancing butterflies making the atmosphere livelier. Colorful blossom on trees is indicating the arrival of spring. 

Wow Sevaites have reached before 9:30 am, their allocated time. Zen and Sarosh are joined by Benzer the Labrador in welcoming and guiding the guests  to classroom. Does classroom remind you of Shanti-Niketan?  Enjoy nature in absence of walls but be assured about roof’s protection from heat and rain.

Plato’s quote on blackboard is saying it all: You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. 

Zen is mischievously pointing to adventure activity related equipments on adjacent ground but what is her real plan? Well, Pandora’s Box of surprises is slowly opening.

As first activity, randomly form pairs. Exchange fact about individual that group does not know, share feeling at particular moment and mention thought coming to mind.

As second activity, complete funny but virtually impossible task. Observation and repetition can lead to perfection.

Now Zen is taking the group to show how yield of farm is consumed at farm itself.  Cattle hay is grown at farm for the pair of plouging bulls. There are lot of fruits and crops like groundnut, wheat and vegetables like tomato etc. Effort is made to remain 80% organic. Compost manure is produced in the farm itself. Scientific approach of growing pest preventing plantations seemed really appreciable.  

Group is experiencing nostalgia about school days while testing raw tamarind. Zen is explaining characteristics of all plants; it is known that Neem tree possesses cooling properties but it is not known that tamarind’s warmth can lead to fever after 2-3 hours.

Zen is now suggesting that each participant should spend 10 minutes at their favorite spot in farm and bring back natural thing that would relate to trait of own personality.

Let’s exchange thoughts those were discussed in first activity and share relation of nature with own personality. Collected natural items are like Crossandra  (Aboli) seed, fruits like sweet lime, coconut, tomato vegetable, flowers like Jasmine, Hibiscus, curry leaf and Bougainvillea, tender leaf  of Mango, grass,  hay, pebbles, ash, wind etc.  Everyone is feeling the peace after finding own natural connection. Thought exchange and sharing of feelings is important for counselors.

Series of showers on sunny Sunday are stimulating surroundings and glorifying greens at Greenfield.

Third activity is completion of logical group task under specific restrictions. This is thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking activity for leaders and followers to build team spirit.

Last activity is about challenging human sense organs to express and respond to mutual faith.

Simultaneous to activities, delicious breakfast, lunch, snacks and tea (with biscuits/popcorn) are being personally served by gracious and charming hosts at appropriate times.

Activities leading to adrenaline rush like Burma Bridge etc.  are reserved for next visit.

 

Never realized how day passed and it is time now to give feedback, convey thanks to Greenfield team and bid goodbye. 

The experience will be cherished forever.