Govardhan Eco Village

Govardhan Eco Village (GEV) is a farm community in the Thane district in the state of Maharashtra, India 110 km North of Mumbai in Western India. Started in 2002 as a sustainable farm project, GEV today houses more than 200 people working in the areas of organic farming, cow protection, alternative energy systems development, Vedic educational systems, cottage industries and rural development. The purpose of Govardhan Eco Village is to highlight the importance of living in harmony with nature.
About
GEV is a farm project of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON, Founder Acarya His Divine Grace His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada). GEV is developing under the guidance & inspiration of Radhanath Swami. Nestled in the village of Galtare, GEV spans over near the famous Vaitarna river at the foot hills of Kohoj Mountain. Legend has it that the famous Maratha king, Chatrapati Shivaji, took refuge on top of this mountain when attacked by his enemies. Even today one can find ruins of the fort built by Shivaji on top of the mountain. There are also ruins of some ancient Hindu temples on the top.
Activities
Over the years, GEV has reported development in various fields of activity ranging from farming to education. The following is a brief overview of their activities.
Organic farming
Much of the agricultural practices today are directly or indirectly based on petroleum. With the growing oil crisis, farmers all over the world are now shifting their attention towards Organic farming. GEV has been focusing on blending the traditional Indian agricultural techniques like usage of native seeds, bull powered tractors etc., along with some of the modern practices like drip irrigation.
Community development
GEV has been conducting various developmental activities in the near by villages by setting up regular educational programs on various techniques of farming. Joining hands with Bhaktivedanta Hospital GEV has been offering health care services to the villagers.
Alternative energy
At the present moment GEV has a 30 kW·h Biogas plant, which reportedly will be upgraded to 150 kW·h capacity. It also employs solar power based energy systems. Animal driven prime movers (ADPM) are a novel feature here.
Cow protection
The holy cow, considered sacred in India, not only due to religious sentiments, but also due to their utility in milk production and manure generation. The Bulls have been employed in farming, a traditional farming practice common in India.
Cottage industry
A large number of cottage industry products are developed in GEV providing employment and empowerment to the rural women. The areas of interest include Food products, Flori-culture, lifestyle consumables like tooth powder, soap powder, etc.

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