Accomodation

The Peace Child India office has moved to the Devaraj farm. The farm is situated at a quaint but always changing rural village called Banjarpalya. The farm is owned by four of the Devaraj siblings. It is a place to relax and rejuvenate. The farm house is surrounded by beautiful scenery, with plenty of trees and birds. The sound of the birds and the rustling of the leaves make for a very soothing and relaxing atmosphere.

The farm house is built sourcing local material such as granite and wood. The kitchen and dining area is open and faces the courtyard of the house. At the back of the farm you will find a granite table and bench which was constructed manually by Jagan Devaraj and Saveri. The two of them lifted the slabs of granite stone and made a lovely place to relax and enjoy the view of the pond which fills up during the monsoon and is always a pretty sight. There are stairs leading to the pond, these stairs represent the parents and each of the siblings of the Devaraj family.

There is an area for bonfires and barbeques, which makes for fun social evenings, a little place called ‘The Machan’ which is used for dancing and relaxing during these evenings is also lit up during these events. The farm is a beautiful place with plenty of opportunities to explore and learn as well. The people in the surrounding villages are very friendly and will greet you with a ready smile and a question “Oota aitha?” which means “Have you eaten?”

Living at the farm is an experience in itself and it is one that you will not forget.

The office accommodation is convenient for interns to plan their lessons together along with the help of the Programme Managers. It is situated on the outskirts of Bangalore, about an hour’s bus ride from the city centre. Facilities include:

Dormitory style accommodation
Western bathrooms and showers
Washing Machine
A fully equipped kitchen
Television and stereo
Internet access
House Mother who will cook and take care of the upkeep of the accommodation.
Suitable arrangements are available for groups.

Food at the intern accommodation: Food is a combination of Indian and Western cuisine. After years of practice to find tastes that suit everybody, you'll find that the food is tasty and wholesome.

Water: Special filters at the intern accommodation ensures that the water you drink from these filters is safe. We recommend you carry a water bottle with you when you are at the project site and recommend you fill your bottles with water from the filters provided at the intern accommodation and take with you.

Special needs (allergies/disabilities): If you have any special needs, you must inform us before you arrive in India so that we can prepare for your specified needs. We might also be able to advise you on any special precautions you may need to take or additional insurance required for your stay in India. Please also look at available health, insurance and travel information in your own countries before you travel.

Hospital: Medical facilities are available.

Clothing: Please note that at the site of your work, there are young people, children and people with conservative values towards dress. We strongly advise you at your work site to wear conservative, loose fitting clothing. Please wear below the knee shorts and round neck T-shirts. The same applies when venturing through the villages. If you are in doubt, it's always recommended you ask your mentor at the accommodation.

Bangalore city is a modern cosmopolitan city and there are no clothing restrictions on own time. There are no clothing restrictions at the intern/school group accommodation, but please bear in mind that there might be colleagues and fellow students who might feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.

Special notices: Bangalore is a large and multi-ethnic, cosmopolitan and diverse city. People are friendly and open, will be curious about you and want to know more about you and your culture. This is part of the exciting adventure of being in India. However, as with any large city anywhere in the world, common sense precautions need to be taken.

For example:

Please try and travel in pairs especially after dark
Please do not accept food or rides from strangers
Please keep your valuables secure at all times, do not take more money or valuables than necessary when visiting the projects.
If you have expensive camera equipment, we recommend you keep these on your person at all times when you are at the project site and insure them before you travel to India.
Narcotic drugs of any sort are STRICTLY forbidden. Please note that it is illegal to buy or consume narcotic or recreational drugs of any sort, including cannabis, in India. Decoy police operate sometimes as dealers and punishments can be severe if caught.
Smoking tobacco at project site and within the intern accommodation premises is STRICTLY forbidden. You will be shown where it is permissible to smoke by the project coordinators.