Visiting Godak Village & the Cardamom Curing Centre

Approximately 14–15km from Bindu by a rough track, Godak village is a rewarding full-day excursion for travellers with an interest in traditional agriculture and local religious practices. The village is home to one of the valley's most well-preserved tribal communities. A notable feature is the significant Debisthan, a sacred grove centered around a spring. This spring is believed to originate from a single rock and, within living memory, has never run dry. The water is held sacred and a small deity shrine (a goddess associated with the forest and water) is maintained here.
The Cardamom Curing Centre, set up by the government on the Bindu-Godak road, is where the large-cardamom (Amomum subulatum) harvest from the surrounding hill farms is processed, dried and graded before distribution across India. Visiting during the harvest season (typically October–November) brings the curing centre to life: the aroma of drying cardamom is intoxicating and watching the grading and packing process is a fascinating education in one of India’s most economically important spices.