🌿 From Vision to Ground: Continuing Our Journey

Trupti Amritwar Vaitla

In the previous chapter, I shared how the dream of a farm slowly took root in our hearts — a desire shaped by years of exploration, reflection, and a growing need to live with purpose and presence. Once that dream became clear, it was time to take the next step: finding the land that could hold it. What followed was a journey of learning, letting go, and leaning into uncertainty. This is the story of that search.

🌾Our Search for Land: A Journey Guided by Vision, Refined by Experience

We began our search with a simple but powerful vision:

To live closer to nature, reconnect with ourselves, and heal — physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

We dreamed of fresh air, clean food, nourishing soil, and the grounding rhythm of birdsong and wind. Beyond a personal retreat, we envisioned a shared space — where others could come to learn, share, and heal. A living, breathing platform for a like-hearted community seeking wellness, purpose, and peace.

📍 Phase One: The Romantic Beginning

We began, wide-eyed and full of dreams. We made a list — our non-negotiables and wishful thinking all mixed together:

• Clear land title

• Right size and budget

• Proximity to home (max 2 hours from Mumbai)

• Road access

• Water and electricity availability

• A natural feature like a stream or pond

• Fertile soil

• Not too hilly

• Pleasant weather

• Access to labour

• Proximity to a town

• Local contacts or networks

We explored the lush beauty of Karjat and Pali — paradise on paper. Green valleys, misty hills, and streams calling to our hearts. Owning land near a river or hill started to feel not just possible, but destined.

But reality hit hard. These spots, though gorgeous, were extremely humid outside monsoons, and 30+ km from the nearest town. The beauty came with sweaty discomfort, isolation, and logistical challenges.

🌤️ Phase Two: Redefining Priorities

So, we re-evaluated.

Nature was important, but so was liveability. Having endured Mumbai’s humidity for years, we longed for cooler weather. We began searching in regions with a Lonavala-like climate, even if it meant sacrificing other elements.

This shift significantly narrowed our options — but gave us new clarity: we weren’t chasing perfect land, we were seeking sustainable connection.

📍 Narrowing the Search: Falling in Love with Kamshet

Kamshet -a small, peri-urban centre nestled along the old Mumbai–Pune highway — soon emerged as a strong contender. Just 1.5 hours from our home, it offered a gentle climate, serene landscapes, and the charm of authentic village life in the surrounding areas. It wasn’t just convenient — it felt grounded and real. Kamshet ticked many of the boxes we had been carefully holding onto.

We worked with several agents to show land in Kamshet, but many were dismissive — either saying there was no land available or that it would be too expensive. We weren’t ready to give up. We started connecting directly with locals. That’s when we met a couple who lived nearby and were deeply rooted in the area. With them, we revisited a farm we had previously rejected due to lack of direct road access. But this time, we learned there might be a way — through some trust land and village pathways. We were intrigued.

We met the owner multiple times, and finally consulted a local lawyer. That’s when we learned a critical lesson:

🛑 Never buy land without confirmed, legal road access.

This opened a new layer of understanding — terms like “road easement” and “last-mile access” became part of our vocabulary. We filtered out dream plots that didn’t meet legal criteria. It was frustrating, but essential.

🧩 The Realities of Land Search: Sorting Through Complexity

As our bond with the local couple deepened, they helped us explore new options. One piece caught our attention — it was rocky and less cultivable, but located in a shallow valley surrounded by hills. It had charm, solitude, and an untamed beauty.

Rocky Patches

Connecting with Nature

The presence of the stream was blissful — like nature whispering its quiet assurance that we were in the right place

More importantly, it had a Tata Power road passing through it — technically accessible to the public. But a small section had unclear ownership. We uncovered this only after deeper scrutiny — a warning that surprises in land purchases are the norm, not the exception.

Another adjacent parcel touched a river and sat below the Shirota Dam, managed by Tata. It had beautiful undulations, a stream, and even a small quarry — concerning, but compelling.

We were torn.

🌱 Our dream was to grow trees — yet the rocky soil was a limitation.

🌊 The waterfront was magical — yet being downstream from a dam felt risky.

🛣️ The access road was a 1 km-long mud path — offering a sense of seclusion and intimacy with nature, yet potentially problematic during the monsoon

We consulted landscape, permaculture experts and relatives who were related to farming. Opinions differed. But one insight stood out:

👉 Soil can be regenerated — with time, care, and commitment.

That gave us the courage to move forward.

💬 The Final Decision: Embracing Imperfection

We asked ourselves:

• Can we live with these shortcomings?

• Can we turn the limitations into a challenge we’re willing to accept?

• Can we co-create with this land — not shape it, but be shaped by it?

The answer wasn’t a confident yes. But it wasn’t a no either.

Eventually, we made an offer — on the condition that we could purchase both adjoining parcels. The owner, in need of funds for his younger brother’s wedding, was motivated to sell. He negotiated smartly, securing our price first, and then helped us approach the second seller.

We discovered multiple names on the 7/12 extracts — adding more layers of legal complexity. But we had reached a point where we were willing to take a calculated risk.

Here’s what we were up against:

1. Undefined boundaries

2. Multiple names in land records

3. Rocky soil with limited depth

4. Low-lying flood-prone pockets

5. Downstream from a 100-year-old dam

6. Secluded , nearby villages at least 1.5 km away

Yet, we were clear on our purpose — and that made the decision possible.

🧭 Returning to Purpose

When in doubt, return to your “why.”

That’s what we did. We weren’t just buying land — we were starting a life chapter. Not to build a picture-perfect farm, but to grow with a piece of land — flaws and all.

The blue skies, the fresh air, and just the green — these were no longer luxuries to be chased on holidays, but the everyday reality we longed to live within

So we moved forward, cautious but hopeful.

The purchase process itself — negotiations, paperwork, delays, learning legal nuances — was another journey. But we’ll save that story for the next chapter.

✨ In Closing

“There’s no perfect land. But there is land that’s perfect for your purpose.”

This land, with all its quirks and complexities, felt right enough. It didn’t fit our checklist perfectly, but it aligned with our soul’s calling.

And that was enough to begin