The Realities Behind the Reels

Tiny Insights from the Countryside.

No.041 — Read old posts on Tinyfarmlab.com
Reading Time 4 minutes

We've been receiving calls and messages telling us that our mud house reels are going viral. It's heartwarming to hear that, but there's a stark contrast between reel life and real life.

Our day-to-day existence isn't as glamorous and glorious as it might appear on social media.

We guess it’s human to vent our feelings, even when living the life we dreamed of. So here we go.

❝

Life is definitely a mountain, not a beach.

We came across this line long ago, but only now do we truly understand its meaning. This summer has been particularly cruel, and we've been in fire-fighting mode, both literally and figuratively.

We moved to the mountains to escape the city's summer heat, but this was not what we signed up for. Temperatures soared up to 45 degrees Celsius, with 40-plus degrees becoming the norm in Rishikesh.

The heat made us rethink our choice of location. Perhaps a spot higher up in the mountains, surrounded by coniferous trees, would have been better. This also makes us feel guilty of thinking like that.

This experience also reminded us of the importance of climate-resilient structures. We need to design buildings for extreme weather scenarios, not just average conditions.

Although we haven't yet measured it with a thermometer, it feels 10 degrees cooler inside our mud house in the daytime.

As if the grueling summer wasn't enough, we were also hit by storms. Many trees were uprooted, some falling on electricity lines and disrupting power for a week.

In the mountains, repair works happen at a slower pace than in the city. Workers show up on their own sweet time. So, we endured 45-degree heat without electricity in our rented cement house near the mud house.

The summer heat also dried up water channels, and newly laid pipelines got blocked by leaves and sludge after the storm.

We had to fetch drinking water manually from inside the forest and bathe in the creeks. While rewarding, it was quite a task.

There was a puncture in our pond liner on the roof, giving us a panic attack. Although we couldn't identify the cause, we managed to fix it.

Then, our water tank had issues, and we had to redo its base. Also, our beloved but ancient scooter broke down multiple times due to bad forest roads.

We couldn't even pray for rain for some relief, fearing it might bring more trouble. And it did. It did not even rain enough and the wooden bridge that we built earlier this year broke. We had to even lift and carry our scooters through the river.

From fixing the roof and water tank to enduring electricity cuts and water shortages, dealing with a broken bridge, and repairing and carrying our scooter, all of this happened in just a few days.

It was easily one of the most challenging summers in the mountains and in our lives.

Building our mud house was a monumental challenge, but running it as a homestay has been a different ball game altogether.

The demands of hosting guests, ensuring their comfort, and maintaining the house add a new layer of responsibility.

We've had to adapt quickly, learning to balance our personal lives with the expectations of our guests. The joy of sharing our home with others is immense, but it comes with its own set of challenges.

Mountain life is indeed fragile.

You sign up for both serenity and uncertainty.

Despite the challenges, we're grateful for the lessons learned and the resilience we've built. Every obstacle faced has made us stronger and more appreciative of the beauty that surrounds us.

So, while the reels may show the idyllic side of mountain life, know that behind the scenes, there's hard work, determination, and an unwavering spirit.

When you are in the mountains next, be respectful of the fragile ecosystem and appreciate the hard work of mountain communities.

Here's to embracing the mountains, with all their trials and triumphs.


Love,

Raghav and Ansh

This film is part of a series called "Something Beautiful for the World.”

Maria is a celebrated "twig poet" whose art is shown in galleries throughout Sweden. She walks us through the forest and her journey in life.

In this conversation, legendary activist Dr. Vandana Shiva talks about various topics from non-violence principles to disrupting multinationals in their pursuit of turning nature into money. She also discusses fearlessness, and how that’s a trait to cultivate and grow into.

Atulya breaks down the myth of building homes in wet climates with important factors to consider.

P.S. - Did you check out the tour of our village?



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