Chef Turns Ancestral Land Into Farm Paradise Near Mumbai

A chef from Toronto found her calling in an unexpected place: her family's ancestral land in Guhagar, Maharashtra.

Noopur Chaughule's father Rajan, a Mumbai journalist, had a dream that made people laugh. In 2014, he stood before his family's 50-year-old ancestral property and announced he'd turn it into a farmhouse, despite it lying in ruins.

But Rajan believed. He started planting trees, clearing overgrown vegetation, and preserving existing greenery on the four-and-a-half acre plot.

His wife Sadhana took the dream even further. She convinced the family to leave city life behind completely and make Guhagar their main home, embracing a more sustainable lifestyle.

When Noopur visited from Toronto in 2020, she planned a short trip. The COVID lockdown had other ideas, stranding her in the village where she ended up delivering her baby daughter.

Those unexpected months changed everything. Watching her child grow up surrounded by nature, Noopur realized she'd found her purpose.

Today, Ayra Farms welcomes nature lovers to two cottages and a tent area overlooking lush gardens and hiking trails. The kitchen garden bursts with cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, chilies, pumpkins and cucumbers, all grown organically.

Noopur combines her Toronto culinary training with her mother's recipes and local Maharashtrian cooking. Guests feast on Kerala stew with grilled chicken, roasted sweet potato, grilled fish with chimichurri, oyster curry, crab curry and prawn pulao.

The rooms feature high ceilings for natural ventilation, designed to embrace the region's heavy rains. Four adults can stay for 5,000 rupees per night, including homemade seasonal meals that change every three months.

The Ripple Effect

Ayra Farms employs local women who cook authentic Maharashtrian fare, bringing economic opportunity to the village. The project preserves traditional recipes while introducing sustainable farming practices to the community.

Noopur's plans include more eco-friendly cottages using local materials, a community kitchen, a yoga center, and workshops. She's building something her great-grandfather, the local zamindar, would recognize: a thriving space that brings people together.

What started as one man's "wishful thinking" has blossomed into a family legacy that proves ancestral land can bloom again with vision and dedication.