The Land 13.2799022° N 77.312981° E
A Farm Initiative - Somasagara

Leave this earth in better shape than we inherited.

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The Story Behind

An attempt to retrace our steps.

Earthness™ - a farm initiative coming up in Somasagara Village, Nelamangala, Bengaluru Rural District, is an attempt to retrace our steps to a way of life closer to the land, by bringing three important pillars together: culture, community and nature.

For years, our search for land with little success. But then, when a friend brought us to this corner of Nelamangala, the land simply called out to us. The site sits within a Savannah-type Open Natural Ecosystem — one of the most threatened biomes in India. What we are building here is rooted in ecological design. Now every decision we make begins with a simple question: does it work with what nature has already created, or against it?

Come, join us in this journey or ours.

Portrait of two Earthness founders - Rahul Jauhari (left) and Chaitali Raizada (right)
Rahul & Chaitali Siblings, Founders of Earthness™

Stories from the Land

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Chaitali Raizada, founder of Earthness, taking a stroll by the lake.
1 April 2026 Farm Visits

Once Upon A Lake

Morning spent by the lake. The stillness of water broken by the occasional ripple. If you sit long enough, you notice the quiet bird, the beetle, the insect and every other life form that reveals itself in time. 

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Kanwaljeet Singh, founder of ClubCampers at the goat shed in Dee Mandal farms
5 November 2025 Farm Visits

Kid Me Not

A morning well spent with Kanwaljeet of Club Campers over breakfast and a rich discussion on culture, food and campers. We also met the newest member of the farm family.

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Kaiser, the german shepherd, exploring the land at Earthness farm
18 August 2025 Farm Visits

First Day At Work

This time, we welcomed little Kaiser on his maiden farm visit. He also actively contributed to the final plans before planting commences. Must say, he took to the land like a true native.

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From the Journal

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Morning light filtering through trees on the farm
Ecological Design 14 June 2025

How to plan a farm that does not undo all that nature has done — Part 2

One of the biggest challenges in building a farm is to do it without intruding upon the ecosystem which rightfully belongs to so many other life forms. We continue our discussion of bioregional thinking, vegetation layers, and the species that already call this land home.
Eggs of the Red-wattled Lapwing on the land at Earthness
Ecological Design 28 April 2025

How to plan a farm that does not undo all that nature has done — Part 1

Walking the land. Understanding the climate. Reading the soil. The first principles of building with, not against.
Blue Snakeweed, or Kariyartharani, growing on the land at Earthness
Ecological Design 10 April 2025

How to avoid having to abandon your farm project halfway through.

A practical, candid reckoning with what it actually takes to build a farm, and the missteps we learned to sidestep.

Know What We Grow

All Plants
Young avocado sapling with reddish-bronze new leaves catching afternoon light at the Earthness farm in Nelamangala

Avocado Persea americana

The reddish-brown hue of the topmost leaves is a natural feature of a young plant and will transition to a darker green as they mature.

Black Nochi shrub with slender green leaves and small lavender flower spikes growing in red earth at the Earthness farm

Black Nochi · Karinakki Vitex negundo

In Ayurveda, its leaves, flowers and roots are used to treat a wide range of conditions such as skin problems, rheumatism, joint inflammation, coughs and asthma.

Chaya plant, also known as tree spinach, with deeply lobed papaya-like green leaves at the Earthness farm

Chaya · Tree Spinach Cnidoscolus aconitifolius

Considered a "superfood" due to its high content of protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A & C. Its leaves often resemble those of a papaya.

Friends of Earthness

Meet Everyone
Dheeraj Gowda, friend and well-wisher of Earthness

Dheeraj Gowda

Warden of Earthness and Beyond
Jananee Mohan, founder of Ananas on a trek

Jananee Mohan

Permaculture Queen
Pooja Acharya, artist-in-residence at Earthness

Pooja Acharya

Artist in Residence
Yamini Gowda, aka Hoopinkai

Yamini Gowda

Princess of Hoops
Architect's visualization of the Residence at Earthness, deck set into the slope.
Coming Soon

Stay with us on the land.

A handful of considered rooms, designed to disappear into the landscape. Wake to birdsong, walk the lake at first light, share a meal that came from a few feet away. We are opening the doors slowly, and only to a small number of guests at a time.

Enquire About a Stay