What makes someone leave behind the buzz of a big city — the cafés, career ladders, and convenience — for a quiet, self-sufficient life in the hills?

For Vasanthi Veluri and Anurag Chatrath, the answer wasn’t simply about escape. It was about finding something deeper, something that city life couldn’t offer. Today, the couple lives in Satoli, a remote village nestled in the Uttarakhand mountains, about two hours from Almora. Here, mornings begin with birdsong and mountain walks, and nights fall quietly under starlit skies. Life is slower, simpler, and more grounded.

But their journey to Satoli wasn’t without questions — or challenges. How did a textile designer and a former banker end up building a life so far removed from the one they were trained for? What did they leave behind and what have they gained in return?

Two different paths, one shared vision

Vasanthi spent her childhood on the green campus of IIM Ahmedabad, where her father was a professor. “I get attached to a place. Living on a green campus, I developed an affinity for plants. Also, my mother was very passionate about gardening,” she recalls. Apart from a short trip to Himachal, she had never really experienced the mountains as a child.

That changed during her years at the National Institute of Design (NID). While documenting the texratile traditions of the Northeast, she lived in Nagaland — an experience that deeply shaped her worldview. “The Northeast was an eye-opener. It made me realise that certain crafts traditions were dying and had to be revived.”

She also spent considerable time in a semi-rural environment, working with artisans. A student exchange semester in Melbourne made her realise how highly Indian crafts were valued abroad. In 2015, she co-founded ‘Peoli’, a textile design studio based in Almora, with her NID batchmate Abhinav Dhoundiyal. “We felt our presence as designers would have more impact in a remote area,” she says. “My parents had always encouraged me to pursue what I wanted. So, taking the unconventional path came naturally to me.”

Anurag’s upbringing, on the other hand, was marked by frequent moves — his father was in government service. “I’ve been constantly moving home all my life. This has impacted my life choices and passions. I love travelling. I don’t get rooted to places. Also, I am comfortable in most places,” he says.

Family vacations to hill stations like Shimla, Mussoorie, and Nainital were a yearly ritual — back when these places were quieter and less commercial. “I used to wonder what it would be like to live in the mountains,” Anurag adds.

Anurag studied economics at Delhi School of Economics and completed his MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. After 10 years in banking, he worked with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, where he developed a growing appreciation for the natural world. “By then, I was drawn to the social impact sector. My travels brought me to........

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