TS RERA No. P02400006227.
Although Neelima and Arvind have had different experiences while growing up, they have similar approaches toward life. Especially towards maintaining a sustainable lifestyle. The couple is passionate about adventure sports and physical activity, which they have passed down to their children. Their daughter (16 yrs) is a serious football player and their son (13 yrs) loves squash. As a family, outdoor activities and nature is given great importance and the way the couple speaks about a balanced life and mindful living is inspiring.
Arvind grew up in Hyderabad, and he still cherishes his vivid memories of living in old Hyderabad where the entire neighborhood lived like one family. Arvind and his friends could walk into each other’s homes without inhibition as they felt a sense of belonging. Arvind fondly remembers playing football matches, staying up till morning during Shivratri, and summer vacations at his grandparents with a dozen cousins. “I think that is the kind of childhood that makes you form a deep love for community living.” Arvind elaborates: “Huge families are always a source of comfort and the ability to bond with others comes from these early experiences.” He says with a nostalgic smile.
Quite contrary to his experience was his wife Neelima’s. Being an only child, she learned to live by herself. With her dad traveling for work, she grew up in multiple places.
Neelima reflects: “Unlike Arvind, I didn’t have the good fortune of growing up with siblings and cousins. I am a single child, and it was lonely at times during my former years. I clung to my friends to fill that void. I always craved close bonds with my parents and grandparents.” Neelima has fond memories of her mother’s family, she has seen 5 generations of women in one family. Neelima enjoyed living with her grandmother who passed down a love for gardening to her. They would divide the planting space into equal halves, and she would grow flowers, while her grandma cultivated vegetables. “We would encroach into each other’s gardening space and fight often. It was a lot of fun,” Neelima reminisces with a twinkle in her eyes, “That’s where I developed a bond with nature which stayed with me.”
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“Unlike Arvind, I didn’t have the good fortune of growing up with siblings and cousins. I am a single child, and it was lonely at times during my former years. I clung to my friends to fill that void. I always craved close bonds with my parents and grandparents.”
Arvind and Neelima soon moved on to newer experiences, however, their love for community living, nature, and organic food remains unchanged. When their life as a couple began in Seattle, it was ideal for their camping and hiking adventures. “Arvind introduced me to hiking and I took to it instantly. When our son was just six weeks old, we took him on his first camping trip. Immersing ourselves in nature became a huge part of our lives,” says Neelima.
Sometime later when their family had to move for Arvind’s job, it presented many challenges and they started to relook at their options “So, the choice was either to go back to Seattle or California. Or should we just move back to India? That was the choice we had to make.” The couple finally decided to shift back to Hyderabad but they now had new specific requirements. “We did thorough research on schools in Hyderbad and wanted to find a school that provided home-like food and not noodles or pasta. No AC buses were another criterion for us. Acclimatizing to the weather naturally was more important to us than air-conditioned comfort. Finally, we settled for Shloka which ticked all the boxes,” said Arvind and Neelima who were fortunate to find friends in Hyderabad with shared interests.
“We’re looking forward to stress-free, dust-free, calm, and quiet life at Kandawada”. “Growing up I didn’t think much about farming”.
The couple continued to travel and trek and explored many places around Hyderabad. But soon their requirements as a family changed once again and they found themselves looking for a new home in Hyderabad. That’s when the couple chanced upon Organo and more specifically came to know about Kandwada. Neelima shares with excitement: “When we came to know about Kandawada, we just loved the concept. The opportunity for 3 generations to live together in one home, that too as a part of rurban eco-habitats was irresistible. In fact, we might be looking at 4 generations – since my grandparents are still around.” “You know how kids love their own space nowadays and grandparents want to do everything together, they need people around. Kandawada felt like the perfect space for both. If we want, we can get the whole family together in one space to do things together. At the same time, we have our own privacy too”.
The list of reasons to make the move kept growing for the family, including sourcing organic food. Safe food, fresh air, nature, lush green farms, and community, what more can we ask for?” Neelima says. While growing organic food caught Neelima’s attention, Arvind is enthusiastic about rural-urban living. “We can enjoy the best of both worlds. Neelu and I take regular walks and can now do so amidst native trees that attract birds and insects instead of ornamental trees. “We’re looking forward to stress-free, dust-free, calm, and quiet life at Kandawada”. “Growing up I didn’t think much about farming”. Arvind adds. Of course, my grandparents were farmers, but I just took it for granted.
