In 2022, Rajesh, his wife Smita, and their daughters Dhruvi and Diti packed up from Mumbai and settled on their ancestral land in Raigad to embrace a life rooted in nature. Rajesh, formerly a mechanical engineer and model, was drawn by holistic practices like permaculture and Panchagavya using traditional inputs like cow dung, urine, and natural fertilisers and a lifestyle free from synthetic pesticides.

For education, they transitioned from formal schooling to homeschooling, letting nature become Diti’s classroom. Their farm now hosts over 25 wild plants, dozens of cows (grown from an initial four), and operates an eco-brand called “Gavya,” which makes products from cow-derived and plant materials. Days start early with meditation, rituals like Agnihotra, field-work, animal care, and end by following the rhythms of daylight.

Challenges included convincing the children, adapting to rural networks and infrastructure, but the family says the lifestyle has deepened their connection to land, simplified their priorities, and offered a cohesive, happier home.