Tharu, they say, in Pali and Sanskrit – meant the hilt of the sword. So when you swerve off the East-West Highway, the quaint little village called Unnati Cultural Village throws you off-guard. Theres nothing aggressive about it. It is a dreamy little hamlet of strikingly painted homes, meandering paths, lotus ponds and the occasional coo of the doves and home to some breath-taking tribal art and crafts.

So, who are the Tharus? The most populous of Nepal’s indigenous tribes, the Tharus are Mongoloid in origin and populate the Terai plains of Southern Nepal and Northern India. A culture which is intensely struggling to keep the faith alive as new generations get more westernised, the Tharus’ legacy is not just being preserved but also being promoted and revived through the painstaking efforts of the Chaudhary Foundation the community outreach arm of CG Corp Global, Nepal’s only multinational conglomerate that spans across 4 continents and boasts of a whopping 16)+ brands, 160 companies and 16 verticals ranging from the popular Wai Wai noodles to Electric Cars to Hydel Power Projects to Posh Five Star Properties.

But this is about Unnati Cultural Village situated 17 km from Bharatpur Airport, a place that I plan to come to again and again. Not for anything exotic but the striking simplicity and celebration of human artistic freedom of expression. Is it an art retreat? Yes. Is it a cultural hub? It’s aspiring to be. Is it hip and happening? Yeah, with CG’s own high-speed CG Net, a Conference Venue and celebrations ranging from weddings to you-name-it, UCV defies stereotypes. How? It gets hardnosed corporates and creamy arty types under one roof to relish and connect with a dying cultural tradition.

Oh Yes! The CG Corp Global guys walk the talk when it comes to sustainability and eco-tourism. (But that will be another series of storie. For the moment, I sip some chilled lemon water – listening to the sounds of silence just off a busy highway and exploring a wonderland I shall take you through over the next few posts. For the moment, drool through my eyes and say Unnati Cultural Village Ma Swagat Chha