Septuagenarian couple creates green sanctuary in the heart of Kochi

In the bustling heart of Kochi, specifically along Chimmini Lane in Kaloor, stands a house that instantly catches attention. Donning a sign board that reads 'Nammude Veedu' (Our Home), this residence belonging to Joy and Prasanna is a masterclass on urban eco-living. Anyone who visits the house is bound to leave inspired and vow to recreate this green sanctuary in their own backyards.

A green retirement after 50 years in Kuwait
The minds behind this lush urban retreat are seventy-seven-year-old Joy and his seventy-year-old wife Prasanna. Having spent five decades as non-resident Indians (NRIs) in Kuwait, the couple returned to Kerala a few years ago. Along with their grandson Ninav, they have transformed their 8.5-cent property into a self-sustaining ecosystem. Except for a narrow walking path, every single inch of ground within their compound wall has been carpeted in green. The ground-floor perimeter features thriving guava, water apple, star fruit, gooseberry, sapota, grape, and passion fruit plants, alongside jackfruit, mango, and two dwarf coconut trees. Ornamental plants cascade over the walls, and the interiors are filled with air-purifying indoor foliage.

An oasis on a 1,500-square-foot rooftop
While the ground-level garden is impressive, the true marvel lies on their 1,500 - square-foot rooftop. The couple has cleverly optimised the space by placing their solar panels on raised frames, turning the space beneath into a sheltered farm utility zone. This sheltered area houses fertilisers, organic remedies, pots, grow bags, coir pith, compost, and irrigation tools. The rest of the open terrace is a dense, multi-tiered orchard and vegetable farm supported by GI pipe stands, steps, and trellises. Visitors during the festival of Vishu in April see heavy clusters of mangoes, pomegranates, and custard apples hanging from dwarf trees. Lemons, lime, curry leaves, and papayas have also been successfully coaxed into growing in large containers.

A bounty of seasonal vegetables and herbs
Overhead trellises support climbing vines of ivy gourd, bitter gourd, snake gourd, and cucumber. Grow bags and pots are packed with tomatoes, green chillies, brinjals, lady's finger, bird's eye chillies, cabbage, cauliflower, and red spinach. Even underground crops like ginger, turmeric, taro, and elephant foot yam are grown in terrace grow bags. The couple has also dedicated space for medicinal plants like aloe vera, Mexican mint, butterfly pea, holy basil, bhumi amla, and giloy. Every morning and evening, Joy and Prasanna spend an hour together caring for their rooftop plants.

Innovative moisture-retention techniques
Farming on a hot concrete terrace in Kerala comes with irrigation challenges. Joy has set up an automated system that pumps well water to an overhead tank, distributing it through high-pressure sprinklers and drip lines to water both the roots and foliage. For their soil mix, they use a blend of fertile topsoil, dried cow dung powder, and coir pith. Kitchen waste is processed with inoculants in a bio-bin to create organic compost. When planting larger fruit trees in containers, Joy employs a brilliant water-saving technique. At the very bottom of the container, he places a layer of inverted coconut husks, followed by a thick layer of dry leaves, the soil mix, and the sapling. He then mulches the top with more dry leaves and a tightly packed layer of inverted coconut shells. The lower husks act as an underground reservoir to hold excess water, while the upper coconut shells drastically reduce surface evaporation, maintaining a cool, moist microclimate around the roots.

Deep roots in Upper Kuttanad farming
Joy’s passion for agriculture is ancestral. Hailing from Karipuzha near Mavelikkara in the Upper Kuttanad region, farming runs through his blood. Even during his 50 years abroad, he remotely managed paddy farming on his ancestral lands in the Pallippad fields. This year, his 7.5-acre plot yielded a massive harvest of the high-yielding Jyothi rice variety, which was harvested in early April. Right in the middle of these low-lying paddy fields, Joy owns an islet or 'thuruth' which he has preserved as a biodiversity hotspot and bird sanctuary. While it features coconut palms, bananas, mangoes, jackfruits, and cashew trees, its primary residents are hundreds of baya weaver birds that nest in the coconut fronds.

The couple also owns an one-acre plantation near the paddy fields, which houses a small cottage where they spend a couple of days every month. This plot is planted with fruit trees and coconuts, kept weed-free with weed mats and watered via automated drip systems. Another family estate in Cheriyanad near Chengannur is cultivated with coconut palms, mangoes, jackfruits, and black pepper, with intercrops like ginger, tapioca, and yams, all fully irrigated. Through dedicated planning and modern agricultural techniques, Joy and Prasanna prove that retirement can be incredibly fertile, creative, and green.