Sangeeth and Kavya, a couple from Kerala known as lifeonroads__ on Instagram, dared to invest 60% of their savings into building a sustainable home often described as “messy” by others. Living close to nature with their dog, they have created a nearly zero-cost lifestyle by growing vegetables, rice, fish, and raising chickens and cows for eggs and milk.
They convert cow dung and kitchen waste into biogas for cooking, use solar panels for power, and cultivate mushrooms and bees, reducing expenses drastically. Known for their eco-conscious 4×4 overlanding travels across India where they’ve planted over 10,000 saplings, they now aspire to plant 100,000 trees nationwide. Their inspiring story blends minimalism, sustainability, and a profound connection to the environment.
From Overlanding Adventures to a Self-Sufficient Home
Sangeeth and Kavya’s journey began with a love for travel and nature nurtured during college and through countless weekend camping trips. Leaving behind comfortable corporate jobs, they embraced overlanding in their self-converted Gurkha 4×4 along with their dog. Over two years, they travelled over 45,000 kilometres, documenting remote India while embracing minimalism and sustainable travel on a tight budget of Rs 200-300 per day. This exploration taught them valuable lessons in simplicity and grounded living.
Returning from the road, they decided to build a homestead investing heavily in a lifestyle designed to run with almost zero cost. Their kitchen garden supplies much of their fresh vegetables and fish. They cultivate their own rice, feeding the harvest also to their chickens and cows, which supply daily milk and eggs. These produce sources reduce their dependence on markets and cut costs significantly.
A Home Powered by Nature’s Cycles
At the heart of their home’s sustainability is a biogas plant that converts cow dung and organic waste into cooking fuel, sparing them gas expenses and reducing waste output. Compost generated nourishes their gardens and crops, completing a natural nutrient cycle. Solar panels installed on their property provide power for the home and irrigation systems, further dropping recurrent costs.
Sangeeth and Kavya also cultivate mushrooms indoors, harvesting every 25 days, and manage wooden beehives that provide honey and promote garden pollination. Their homestead exemplifies a deeply integrated, ecological way of living, showing that everyday needs can be met sustainably and affordably.
Commitment to Climate Action and Community
The couple’s on-road experiences exposed them to the tangible impacts of climate change, prompting them to plant over 10,000 saplings so far, with an ambitious goal of 100,000 trees over the next five years.
Community engagement remains important; they share surplus produce and wisdom via social media, inspiring a growing supportive base. Their grounded approach balances adventure with deep respect for nature, bridging modern life with traditional ecological knowledge passed down from their rural upbringings.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Sangeeth and Kavya’s story is a powerful testament to embracing simplicity, courage, and sustainability in a time of ecological urgency. They show how conscious lifestyle choices can weave together wellbeing, financial prudence, and environmental stewardship without sacrificing joy or freedom.
Their example encourages all of us to consider how small, mindful actions, whether in travel, food, or energy use can create ripples of positive change.
