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Photo voltaic-Powered Forest Retreat by Sylvia & John


The interviews and reporting for this story had been performed in April 2025.

In a forest 60 km from Dandeli, the place the sounds of visitors are changed by cicadas and the closest cell sign is a trek away, stands a house that runs not on electrical energy, however on intention. 

There are not any fences to maintain the wild out and no switches to flip — solely fireflies to mild the night time. That is Off The Grid, a country forest retreat located in a 2500 sq km space, constructed and run by a pair — Sylvia Kerkar, a former journalist turned potter, and John Pollard, a pioneer in white water rafting. 

 At 56, the couple leads a life as grounded and regular because the clay Sylvia shapes daily — a stark distinction to her former world of deadlines and newsrooms.

An eight-year journey as a journalist

Sylvia started her profession in 1987 by pursuing a level in lodge administration on the Institute of Resort Administration, Catering Expertise and Utilized Diet (IHMCT&AN) in Bengaluru. But it surely didn’t take lengthy for her to understand that her true ardour lay in writing and storytelling.

“I had already began writing for my school, and I used to be doing a little bit of freelance writing for the Occasions of India and three different publications,” provides Sylvia. “As a result of I wasn’t formally skilled as a journalist, I had began build up my portfolio through freelancing and writing tales,” shares Sylvia, who has additionally labored with the Financial Occasions.

Sylvia moved to Dubai in 1996, the place she labored for the Gulf Right this moment as a options author. “I had a pleasant time as a result of it was simply beginning, so we had the liberty to discover and write articles,” she provides.

“I went on to writing for a number of worldwide public publications within the U.S., and I went to Mexico to review Spanish, and I began working for a public newspaper there as effectively,” she recollects.

However amid the fast-paced newsroom tradition, one other slower, quieter pull had begun.

Falling in love with clay

Throughout her journalistic journey, Sylvia realised her ardour all the time lay in ceramics and pottery. So in 1999, Sylvia stepped into Golden Bridge Pottery in Pondicherry, one among India’s most revered ceramic studios. 

Beneath the steering of grasp potter Ray Meeker, she discovered to throw, fireplace, and glaze with self-discipline and freedom. “Clay calls for presence,” she says. 

That very same yr, she met John Pollard, a British adventurer, white-water rafting skilled, and nature lover. The connection was on the spot. Their shared love for the outside and inventive, offbeat dwelling laid the inspiration for a life much less peculiar.

‘We obtained fortunate and acquired the land’

In 2001, the couple moved to Dandeli, the place John labored with the forest division to scout and map river routes. “I centered on my pottery and began doing what I used to be keen about,” she provides.

Throughout one among their treks in 2003, 60 kilometres away from their place, they stumbled upon a patch of dense forest, solely untouched. There was no street, no path, and positively no utilities. Simply the sound of a stream, rustling leaves, and the whisper of chance.

“We beloved how secluded and linked with nature the place was. And individuals who knew us understood that that is precisely the sort of place we’d put money into,” laughs Sylvia. It was not a straightforward determination to alter a barren land into a house.

And the stunning half? They by no means meant to begin a homestay in any respect. “Initially, we wished the place for private use. However we needed to do it as a result of we needed to maintain it, and we could not maintain it as a second dwelling or could not afford to maintain it,” she provides.

Constructing desires brick by brick

When Sylvia and John first stumbled upon the patch of forest that will in the future develop into Off The Grid, it was little greater than a dream. “There was no street, no energy, not even an actual path. Simply this overwhelming sense of stillness,” Sylvia recollects.

However the stillness didn’t deter them. Over the subsequent 4 years, they constructed slowly, painstakingly, including one construction at a time throughout the dry seasons. “It took a number of years as a result of we didn’t have a street,” she explains.

“Yearly from 2006, we simply did a bit bit, as a result of it’s very heavy rain and it’s minimize off by rivers throughout the monsoon. So you’ll be able to’t go out and in,” Sylvia shares.

Again then, entry was a problem in itself. “It was like a riverbed for 10 kilometres,” Sylvia says. “You possibly can both stroll it or go on a four-wheeler, a tractor, or a motorcycle.” On one event, their tractor misplaced steadiness and toppled over on the muddy monitor.

“We needed to carry all of the bricks for the principle home for the final two kilometres or so,” she provides with a touch of humour.

Assist from the native palms

A lot of the homestay got here to life not by contractors or architects, however by the palms of villagers from a tiny hamlet of simply fifteen homes close by. “The entire village sort of works as a group. They get collectively and construct one particular person’s home, and when the subsequent particular person is constructing, everybody chips in once more,” she says. 

Accustomed to forest life and deeply expert in conventional craftsmanship — from digging wells to carving wooden — these villagers grew to become the spine of the construct. “They’re nice at working within the forest and really robust. One or two masons will all the time be there in these inside villages as a result of they construct their very own homes,” Sylvia shares.

Sylvia and John confronted a number of hurdles whereas creating this place.

 

But, not everybody tailored simply. “Individuals who got here from exterior to work, particularly for plumbing, a few of them obtained very spooked within the jungle. Particularly at night time, with all of the sounds and no telephone sign. Some would simply run off so they might get again into community vary,” she laughs.

Even essentially the most fundamental logistics posed challenges. “Should you all of a sudden want a spanner and it’s not there, you must journey 30 kilometres for it. So lots needed to be deliberate and prefabricated,” Sylvia explains. “We’d convey our complete workforce in after getting all of the supplies from Ramnagar, which was fairly a drive.”

Surviving with out the grid

After they first constructed their dwelling within the forest, electrical energy was out of the query.  “We had no selection. We began off with kerosene lamps, after which moved to photo voltaic,” Sylvia says.

Even now, whereas the principle street simply two kilometres away has an electrical energy line, they’ve chosen to stay off-grid. “After they got here to ask if we wished the road introduced up, John sort of determined towards it.”

Their selection is rooted in each warning and conviction.  “In these areas, the traces do maintain falling, and so they’re overhead traces. We didn’t need the worry of a reside wire falling within the rain and somebody stepping on it — it’s fairly an enormous challenge in rural India,” she explains. “And since we’d already arrange and realised how easy you’ll be able to have it and nonetheless survive, we determined to simply maintain going with photo voltaic.”

A stream close by was tapped for water and naturally filtered utilizing gravel and charcoal. Rainwater harvesting grew to become second nature. “We use the facility of water gravity to provide your entire homestay,” she provides.

“From a sustainability viewpoint, aside from not utilizing electrical energy from the grid, the water is from a stream, and there’s no wastage of water because the wastewater is allowed to percolate into the soil,” shares Sherin Balachandran (55), from Bengaluru, who’s a frequent customer.

This strategy is a superb instance of how the homestay is actually in concord with nature. By utilizing solar energy as an alternative of grid electrical energy, the homestay reduces its carbon footprint, serving to shield the surroundings. 

The water, sourced from a close-by stream, is used thoughtfully, and the wastewater is allowed to naturally seep again into the soil, making certain nothing goes to waste. This not solely conserves water but in addition helps wholesome soil and minimises the affect on native water sources, making the entire expertise each eco-friendly and restorative.

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The homestay utilises the facility of the solar to operate easily.

 

Right this moment, Off The Grid runs on six photo voltaic panels and two 12-volt batteries. “That’s what powers the homestay. It’s sufficient,” Sylvia says with quiet confidence.

Through the monsoon, when the forest turns into virtually impassable and the skies are too gray for photo voltaic, they shut store and shift to Goa, the place John runs rafting expeditions and Sylvia continues her ceramics work from her studio.

“As an architect, I really like that it’s completely off the grid and solely depends on solar energy, and I feel getting used to this is a useful lesson for the children,” shares Sherin. “They shortly adapt to utilizing lights minimally and to do what most mother and father beg them to do – put the lights off!” provides Sherin.

Tucked away within the forests however nonetheless linked to the world

Off The Grid is tucked deep into the forests of Dandeli, a quiet city in northern Karnataka, simply 60 kilometres away from the principle city. It is a spot that looks like a real escape, removed from the town chaos, but nonetheless conveniently near all the things you want.

And if you happen to’re excited about Goa, you are solely a 150-kilometre drive away. The homestay is positioned in a forest space that stretches over 2,500 sq km, providing the perfect of each worlds—peace and isolation, however with quick access to the bustling seashores and nightlife of Goa.

The journey is a part of the attraction — whether or not you’re driving from Hubli or Goa, the scenic route by the Western Ghats is one thing to look ahead to. With Hubli being about 100 kilometres away by prepare, and Goa’s airport about 150 kilometres from the homestay, it’s straightforward to get right here with out feeling too far faraway from civilisation.

Internet hosting visitors on nature’s phrases

Since opening its doorways in 2011, Off The Grid has welcomed over 1,200 visitors — from metropolis dwellers seeking to unplug to households looking for immersive out of doors experiences to worldwide travellers hungry for authenticity. Many return yr after yr, drawn to its simplicity and soul.

The keep is priced at roughly Rs 4,250 per particular person on a twin-sharing foundation. This price contains cosy, rustic lodging and three healthful home-cooked meals made with contemporary, native elements—a part of the attraction that retains visitors coming again. 

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Off The Grid virtually looks like dwelling away from dwelling with its cosy atmosphere.

 

The property affords a mixture of choices, from a spacious farmhouse to a few forest teepees and a wood cabin, all designed to mix into the panorama and supply an immersive, off-grid expertise. 

“I’ve been there many occasions with completely different teams, however the occasions I really like essentially the most are after we take children there for a summer season camp. It’s actually superb to see the children (largely from the town) simply having fun with the outside and, not surprisingly, forgetting about devices,” Sherin shares with a smile. It’s proof that the magic of nature speaks to all ages.

For journey lovers, there’s no scarcity of thrilling actions. You possibly can go on a scenic trek to close by waterfalls with the forest division for simply Rs 200 to Rs 500. Should you’re up for one thing much more iconic, a guided journey to the well-known Dudh Sagar Falls prices about Rs 1,000 for 2 hours. For these craving a bit extra thrill, it’s also possible to get pleasure from rafting journeys from the homestay at Rs 1,500 per journey (plus transportation).

Standout options embrace:

  • Non-public waterfalls and hidden trails inside strolling distance
  • A wood-fired open kitchen that serves natural, domestically sourced meals
  • Pottery workshops led by Sylvia utilizing clay sourced from their very own land
  • Mud oven constructing, fire-making, and survival abilities camps for teenagers and adults
  • Seasonal forest camps in summer season and monsoon rafting journeys in Goa

How a Former Journalist & a Rafting Pioneer Couple Built a Forest Retreat Without Electricity

The cottages — minimal but elegant — are constructed to mix into the environment. Massive verandas, open-air bogs, hammocks below jackfruit bushes, and skylights that permit the moon peek in make each keep a sensory delight.

“Between the beautiful treks, the little waterfall subsequent door, pottery, campfires, out of doors video games and board video games, there’s nearly sufficient time to eat all of the yummy meals that’s served up 4 occasions a day, freshly created from domestically sourced elements,” provides Sherin.

“We haven’t made it into this massive sort of a resort. It was like one cabin, after which a few teepees. It is fairly a low-key growth, very rustic and never paved or fenced. Every part’s sort of open,” Sylvia smiles.

Disconnection, with objective 

For Sylvia and John, Off The Grid is greater than a retreat—it’s a manifesto. A life lived in concord with the land, the place creativity meets conservation. Sylvia continues her pottery observe alongside internet hosting, her work impressed by forest textures—lichen, bark, soil, and sky. Her items are earthy, natural, and infrequently offered solely by phrase of mouth.

Regardless of its remoteness, Off The Grid has discovered a faithful viewers. Not by promoting, however by tales — shared round bonfires, over banana-leaf lunches, and sure, generally even in options like this one.

In a world hooked to connectivity, Sylvia and John supply a uncommon present: disconnection, with objective. And a reminder that the richest lives aren’t all the time lived on-line, however generally deep in a forest, off a path, and wholly off the grid.

All pictures courtesy Off The Grid



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