Plot 2 · Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon, Mumbai
The first international-standard Buddhist meditation and wellness retreat in India's largest city — set within the Aarey forest buffer zone.
Plot 2 is the complementary residential retreat anchor to the Kanheri Heritage Centre. Where Plot 1 serves as the public-facing gateway and cultural landmark, Plot 2 provides the residential meditation and wellness infrastructure that international Buddhist pilgrimage groups — and India's growing wellness tourism market — require. Together, the two plots form a complete Dual Sacred destination capable of hosting visitors for multi-day immersive programmes.
International Buddhist pilgrimage groups, corporate wellness travellers, and mindfulness seekers arriving in Mumbai have no international-standard residential retreat option within the city. The nearest comparable facilities are in Pune (3–4 hours) or abroad. Plot 2 at Aarey — 31–33 acres of forest land, 45 minutes from the international airport — fills this gap entirely, and serves as the overnight residential anchor for visitors spending multiple days on the Dual Sacred circuit.
Aarey Milk Colony is one of Mumbai's last intact green buffers — over 1,200 acres of forest and grassland. The retreat is designed as a natural green zone, giving urban visitors a true nature-immersion experience unavailable anywhere else within the city limits. The ZLD system and water restoration programme ensure no footprint on the surrounding ecosystem.
Aarey Colony sits 45 minutes from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport — meaning international groups can arrive, settle into a forest retreat, and begin their Maharashtra circuit without the exhaustion of a long inter-city transfer. No comparable forest retreat anywhere in India combines this level of airport accessibility with genuine wilderness setting.
Plot 2 is the residential backbone of the Dual Sacred model. Visitors spend the day at Plot 1 (Kanheri Heritage Centre, 66.4m statue, Interpretive Centre) and return to Plot 2 for overnight retreat. International groups from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea — accustomed to multi-day pilgrimage circuits — require exactly this infrastructure to visit Maharashtra.
| Component | Central Scheme | Maharashtra Policy 2024 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Meditation Retreat | Wellness Tourism National Strategy · PRASHAD | Wellness Tourism Thrust Sector | Direct Alignment |
| Silent Meditation Hall (public, free) | SD 2.0 — spiritual tourism infrastructure | Spiritual Tourism · open-access facilities | Direct Alignment |
| Retreat Bungalows (multi-day) | Buddhist pilgrimage infrastructure — SD 2.0 | International Tourism · Accommodation | Aligned |
| Water Restoration & ZLD System | National Water Mission · Green Tourism | Environmental Sustainability Thrust | Direct Alignment |
| Natural Green Zone | Eco-tourism · National Forest Policy | Eco-tourism Thrust Sector | Aligned |
| Land Lease (Dairy Development Dept.) | — | MH Land Revenue Rules — institutional lease precedents | Precedent Exists |
Both core components of the Aarey Retreat are directly eligible under Companies Act 2013, Schedule VII. Indian companies contributing to this project help create Mumbai's only forest wellness sanctuary — fulfilling statutory CSR obligations while co-owning a unique environmental and wellness landmark.
Water from the Aarey lake is pumped, treated, and returned to the natural water system — enriched with oxygen through a waterfall feature. This active restoration cycle improves water quality and supports the ecological health of the surrounding forest. A Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system ensures no wastewater is released into the environment; all water is treated and recycled on-site. The entire site is maintained as a natural green zone — a landscape designed to provide genuine immersion in nature for visitors escaping the stress of urban Mumbai.
| CSR-Fundable Infrastructure | Environmental Benefit |
|---|---|
| Water Restoration System | Pump, filtration, and oxygenation infrastructure; natural waterfall returning treated water to the Aarey ecosystem — actively improving lake water quality and forest ecological health |
| Zero Liquid Discharge System | On-site water treatment and recycling; zero wastewater discharge into the surrounding Aarey Colony forest environment |
| Natural Green Zone | Maintained natural landscape providing genuine nature immersion for urban visitors — no hard landscaping; minimal footprint on existing forest ecosystem |
The retreat offers three tiers of public meditation access, all free or low-cost, targeting preventive mental healthcare for Mumbai's urban population. The Silent Meditation Hall is open to the public throughout the day at no charge — individuals may enter at any time to sit in stillness without prior experience or booking. The Guided Introduction Room runs continuous instruction sessions for first-time practitioners. Individual retreat bungalows provide multi-day personal retreat accommodation for residents of Mumbai and international visitors — designed as a restorative escape combining nature, silence, and mindfulness practice.
| CSR-Fundable Infrastructure | Healthcare Benefit |
|---|---|
| Silent Meditation Hall | Air-conditioned; open-access; no booking required; walk-in at any time — free preventive mental healthcare accessible to Mumbai's general public |
| Guided Introduction Room | Separate space with continuous guided sessions for beginners — removes the barrier to entry for first-time practitioners; evidence-based stress reduction |
| Retreat Bungalows | Individual accommodation for multi-day personal retreat guests — immersive nature and silence for deep stress recovery; serving both domestic and international guests |
To discuss CSR contribution options for Plot 2
Contact Us — CSR PartnershipSite specifications, building programme, retreat capacity, and construction phasing for the Aarey Meditation Retreat.
Internship opportunities specific to the Aarey Retreat: wellness, hospitality, environmental management, and programme facilitation roles.