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In Malabar Hill, they sleep on cowdung

There are no lights, fans, or modern appliances in the room. The floor is rough and has an inch-thick layer of cowdung spread on a half-inch clay base

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MUMBAI: You walk up to the house and see thick, brightly coloured cotton string attached to a hook with a tiny bell. You pull it and a brass bell booms inside, much like a temple bell. Take off your shoes and enter and you are greeted by the sight of several tiny lamps filled with sesame seed oil behind clear glass shades hanging on the ceiling.

There are no lights, fans, or modern appliances in the room. The floor is rough and has an inch-thick layer of cowdung spread evenly on a half-inch clay base.

You are in a 1600 square foot flat at Malabar Hill belonging to diamond merchant Girish Shah.

Shah believes in living a simple rural life in the heart of Mumbai. “It improves our mental and physical health and imbibes tradition and values in my children,” he says. “When I am very tired, I simply lie down on the bare floor and sleep. When I wake up I am refreshed.”

The walls are plastered with limestone, with a lifespan of 60 years. The work was carried out by artisans from Gujarat and Rajasthan at unbelievable rates – Rs4,000 for the entire living room, passage, and kitchen as compared to the Rs500-1,400 per square foot for modern options like granite, marble, or marbo-granite.

The cowdung-limestone combination keeps the flat naturally cool, eliminating the need for even a ceiling fan, and keeps out roaches, rodents, and other crawlies. At dusk, a maid takes around a concoction of cowdung, dried neem leaves, a dash of homemade butter, and a pinch of camphor – which makes this the only mosquito-free flat in the building.The Shahs believe in conserving electricity and water. The kitchen and bedrooms have zero-watt bulbs while the living room and passage have no electricity at all.                                 

The three children do not go to a regular school. Instead, they attend a gurukul nearby with some 100 others. Apart from the regular syllabus, they learn computers, fine arts, and religious studies. They do not watch television or movies. Instead, they practise archery and attend nature camps.

When required, an office assistant brings home a laptop and then takes it away. The bedroom floors are laid out with hand-cut teakwood tiles, clamped together without chemical adhesives or cement. Teakwood is not only insect-proof but becomes stronger with age.

All utensils, including the overhead water storage tanks, washbasins, and toilet seats are made of silver, copper, or bronze. There is no stainless steel, plastic, or glass. Shah's wife Kiran explains why: "Copper prevents digestive problems, cleanses the blood, cures acidity, and makes the skin and hair glow."

The Shahs have welcomed at least 10,000 curious visitors to their rural abode in a multi-storeyed, modern building. And they all go back imbibing one or the other principles of simple living.

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