Cool breeze, canines, catfishes, ducks, exotic fruits, spices, veges in the heart of the city… Surprised??!!! Meet Nozer and Sanjay Mazda, the father-son duo of Pune’s Mazda Farms.
The duo were at their hospitable best as they spoke about their passion for maintaining Mazda Farms, their striking farmhouse at Warje, in the heart of Kothrud.
The story dates back to the early 1900’s when Nozer Mazda’s father Sheriyar and uncle along with an interesting companion, a donkey, started their journey on foot from Iran Tehran America and London
While his son Sanjay calls the shots at the Mazda farms, Nozer spends his time pursuing several interests and shares interesting anecdotes of his illustrious journey. He says, “As a youngster, I wanted to own a bike, which was available either in Iran or in London Iran to acquire ownership of the bike, I left for London London I finally shipped my bike to India
“The farmhouse that we sit on today was developed by my father more than 40-50 years ago. We initially grew jowar, bajra, sugarcane, basmati rice on this land. More recently, I had built a go-karting track for my children,” he added.
His son Sanjay takes us on a tour of the farmhouse while sharing some more interesting sketches of their passion for cultivating different fruits, “Besides the ducks, chicken and eight pooches that you see here, we also have several well-bred, well-fed catfish, over 2-feet long growing in our well. The climate of this farmhouse being conducive, it also attracts hornbills, peacocks, and a variety of seasonal birds.”
Unlike orthopaedic surgeon Satyasheel Naik, who has put up bird nests for the birds to make their home, Mazdas have not made any artificial homes for the species of birds which can be seen in the farm. The natural environment brings these birds, including hornbill, because of a variety of fruit trees.
He further goes to add, “My father has a peculiar habit of carrying fruits or seeds from his overseas and domestic trips. He then comes to our farmhouse and plants them, which now houses over fifteen varieties of fruit trees.”
Pointing out to the full-grown lychee tree, bearing the first fruit in 15 years, Sanjay adds, “This tree was full of lychees, which are originally known to grow in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Owing to the popularity and demand of this fruit, a lot of people and companies are trying to grow it in other parts of the country, including Pune, using the grafting method”.
Nozer says, he read a lot about lychees and learnt that the seed, after savouring the fruit, dies within two minutes and hence, “I would put the seed in the soil immediately.” The seeds which were thrown or buried more than a decade ago have now borne fruit after 16 years for the first time.
Squirrels relish the fruit very much, Nozer says pointing out a few half-eaten fruits, which then attract the bees.
Besides the juiciest and sweet lychees, this sprawling green patch houses Iranian mulberries, varieties of cherries and jamuns, limes, pomegranate, along with other varieties of fruits, a vegetable garden and spices from across the country.
What catches one's attention is a rare attraction in this farmhouse. A lone tree bearing an interesting fruit called the 'love apples.' This small green fruit has a lingering rose fragrance and taste and is probably known to be the only tree in the city… a novel idea for the next Valentine’s may be!!
