We’re Sakshi and Arpit – an IITian couple who has madly fallen in love with nature. We live in a small town in Central India called Badnagar (Ujjain dist) and practice an alternate way of living, which is in sync with nature and is better for our well-being. Our life is farm-centric, where we grow our own food by practising natural farming. We’re also very passionate about reforestation, yoga and naturopathy.
Our Journey
After working in some of the best tech/finance companies in the world, we took a year off in 2016 to slowly travel South America, half of which was spent volunteering in Chilean public schools, which was very enriching. Our journey was about getting to know the local people, culture, expanding our comfort zone and being mindful. It helped us realise that a regular corporate life in a big city is not our cup of tea. We started questioning our notions and assumptions around materialism, nature, comforts, growth, happiness, money, scale etc and ever since, we’ve been trying to unlearn stuff and alter our life in sync with the new answers we find. In 2018, we moved to Badnagar, a place we’re proud to call home.
Our spaces
Food Forest
A 1.5-acre farm, filled with 500+ trees (22 varieties of fruit trees), vegetable/herb gardens and crop areas.
Native Forest
A 5-acre reforestation project, aimed at regenerating biodiversity and developing forest tourism.
Why Jeevantika?
Our current consumerist patterns of interaction with our environment are headed for a suicidal crash. And, this crash will not happen decades from now, it’s already underway! All of us need to urgently do whatever we can to give our children the possibility of a harmonious life.
If you are not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.
African Proverb
Our economic system, backed by our ethical indifference, allows us to mindlessly exploit nature and although we don’t realise it, it damages us in a deep way – physically, mentally and socially. A lot should be changed radically to improve our well-being. Many of these are institutional changes but we believe the stronger shift has to be at an individual level and hence we focus to work on ourselves – a kind of passive activism. It’s not that we’ve given up hope. Rather, we feel that our current civilisation is bound to undergo a major (self-correcting) transformation. And, we’re actively experimenting to figure out an alternative way of living which is more meaningful and relevant in the coming future.
What People Say
Only this courage can bring back the harmony this planet had before industrial revolution.
Aamir Shafi
You’re a great motivation for the youth.
Anuj Shekhawat
Your work and quest for life is worth emulating! Keep up the good work.
Sanjeev Nair
Jeevantika 