HUNT

24 LETTER MANTRA Hyderabad Have you ever dreamed of stepping out of the bath smelling of something as exotic as cinnamon? Wake up, for your wait ends here. 24 Letter Mantra, the organic store in town, has an ample supply of out of the ordinary herbal soaps. Neem, lemon, annatto - you name it and they have it.

And it is not just organic soaps that they stock. They have other outlandish items on their shelves such as herbal mosquito repellant gel, aloevera sunscreen lotion. The store also has fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses, rice and flour besides jams and pickles.

They have a wide variety of breads and cakes in their bakery. Crafted from natural ingredients, their skilled bakers use real butter, pure cane sugar, whole grain flours, fresh fruits, nuts and the finest chocolate to cook up the healthiest of gastronomic delights. This eco-friendly store goes all out to convince its customers to go organic. Organic food tastes great, reduces health risk, removes chemicals from your diet and helps protect the earth says a green pamphlet that the store distributes to its customers. It also prevents water contamination, preserves diversity and helps small farmers.

"Daily intake of pesticides ranges from 147% to 7218 % of so called safe limits for adults in India," says a report by the Centre for Science Environment, New Delhi. Little wonder then that more and more people are turning to organic products.

The name of the shop also has a story behind it. The products that the store offers are a blend of the five elements: earth, fire, wind, water and ether, the letters of which add up to 24. These elements compose wholesome food that supports health and well-being. The interiors of the shop are like that of any other departmental store but more spacious. There are two walls, however, which have post-its stuck all over them. These are testimonials written by customers. ?It's the best food. No preservatives," says one post-it by seven-year-old Akshath Sai.

The store was set up by Sresta Natural Bioproducts Pvt Ltd in May, 2005. The company has its headquarters in Hyderabad and is primarily focused on organic and natural foods. Sresta is involved in field production of crops, processing, product development and marketing of organic products. This is the first organised effort to produce and market Indian organic and natural products systematically in India and worldwide.

The Sresta Organic Foods project has been operational since 2003 and it has taken almost two years of sustained preparatory work to provide genuine organic products. Sresta has more than 5,000 acres under organic cultivation across various states in India. 24 Letter Mantra, Road No 12, Banjara Hills,

Near Minister's quarters. Phone: +91 40 2330 0202/303/404