#HousesOfIndia Story 9 - Enchanted

Walk down the main Mall Road in Darjeeling and ask anybody for the Plants' home, and you will be immediately pointed to a small path covered in flowers and coniferous trees. Almost hidden out of view, is a little cottage right out of the pages of a fairytale, and its occupants are Austin and Shala Plant - an architect and teacher respectively.

Local celebrities, the Plants have lived in this house for over 35 years. Not just that, Mr. Plant designed their home himself, and the pride in his eyes when he talks about it is unmistakable. 

As you enter the living room in the Plants' home, you are greeted by sunshine pouring in through the wide windows, and lilting music coming from an old radio. Mr. Plant is a jazz enthusiast, and is almost always tuned into an American radio station. The room is complete with a wood chimney, a must for every house in Darjeeling. 

The Plants are local celebrities in this part of Darjeeling, and have stayed in this home for around 35 years. They individually have very interesting pasts as well.

Mr. Plant's family were refugees who moved from Burma to Darjeeling when he was 4, when the bombings during World War II became too frequent and dangerous to live in. Mrs. Plant's great-grandfather was the Sultan of Afghanistan who relocated to India. Her full name is Shala Sultan, but she dismisses the title and says, “it’s just a title, everyone has one anyway”! 

The Plants' home is a treasure trove of memories. This cozy dining area, flanked by a wall of curios and bookshelf on the right, and a piano on the left, is the place where you will see most of their antiques and souvenirs. 

The Plants have lived a full, peaceful life in this beautiful home. Both their children are married and settled elsewhere, and after retirement both Mr. and Mrs. Plant have dedicated their lives to the services of their beloved Darejeeling city. Even though the design of their house is heavily inspired by colonial architectural styles, they are proud to proclaim that they are residents of Darjeeling through and through!

#HousesOfIndia Story 7 - Manifest

Manifestation works in wondrous ways. You spend days, months, even years envisioning how you want your life to be, and one day you wake up to the immensely happy realisation that you've created it for yourself. 

Aarti was lucky enough to manifest the home she dreamt about as a child - one with high ceilings and an attic. A beautiful abode, where she could build her little universe. That is exactly what she did, in this small town in Darjeeling called Pandam. Aarti and her husband Nethai build their house themselves, and have added their personal touch to every inch of it.

Aarti and Nethai built most of this house themselves, even breaking stones and sourcing material from nearby cities. The three types of wood used for the house (Pine, Chaap and Tuni) are from the forest the couple owned. The tiles are fom Siliguri, and sand from the bed of the local river. The only help they employed was a carpenter to do the woodwork in the entire house. 

Very few of us are lucky enough to proudly claim that we built our abode ourselves, with our blood, sweat, and unbridled love!

This dream home is located a little way away from the main town, enjoying the tranquility of the hills, and the conveniences of the city at the same time.

The interiors of the couple's house reflect their interest, as well as their two daughters'. It's filled artefacts of music for Nethai, traditional Nepali and Tibetan handicrafts for Aarti, and a plethora of books for their daughters. 

#HousesOfIndia Story 3 - Love

In the beautiful, picturesque, and magical Tukvar Tea Estate, just a little away from Darjeeling, is the story is man and his immense capacity for love.

Simone Subba is a tea garden worker at Tukvar. Our journey with Simone and his home goes back to a few years ago, when he had to take the difficult decision of leaving his parent's home due to differences arising because of his marriage. With only love in his heart, and a whole lot of hope, he set out to create a new life for himself, and the woman he loved.

After leaving his home, Simone and his wife were out in the big world, preparing to fend for themselves without the support of their family. A tea garden worker of few means, Simone began his search for their new home. When he couldn't find anything he liked or could afford, he built their home himself!

The entire structure of this humble abode was made by Simone, and thus he and his wife started their new life together in the hills of Darjeeling!

Simone built the new house he and wife were starting their new life in from scratch. While the structure looks simple, it took him considerable time and effort!

The house has been made with durable and affordable material like wood, tarpaulin, and mud. It features the quintessential sloping roof found in homes in this part of the country, and even has a steel gutter pipe to drain the rainwater. Simone's house, is a true labour of love.

Home is wherever the heart is happiest. This is truly reflected in Simone's story, and how this self-made house now is home to him, his wife, and a beautiful baby daughter.

Amidst the tranquility and beauty of the vast tea estates around Darjeeling, Simone built his own small universe. Isn't that something we all aspire to? Pure, resilient love.