WHEN LESS IS MORE

WITH MORE AND MORE YOUNG PEOPLE CHOOSING TO REJECT A LIFE OF EXCESS, MINIMALISM IS GAINING CURRENCY AS A WAY OF LIFE

- SUHANI SINGH

In 2019, Samiksha Lohar was thriving as a social media strategist in Mumbai. However, she couldn’t ignore the gnawing sense of despair every time she encountered news of growing landfills, corporations accused of contaminating rivers or farmers giving up their profession due to unpredictable climate patterns. Lohar began to reflect on her lifestyle and, aware of its excesses, decided to opt for a minimalistic way of life. She began seeking out second-hand or exchanged products over new ones and moved back to her home in Alibaug in Maharashtra’s Raigad district where she began a new chapter as a regenerative farmer and permaculture designer. Lohar always aims to reuse rather than discard—worn-out clothes are turned into ropes, dusters and fences at the farm. “I am figuring out ways to get maximum use out of everything I own,” says the 27-year-old. “The aim is to make stuff last and, if/ when the need arises, to buy pre-loved stuff or from local businesses and individuals.” Lohar’s wish is to live a “slow and conscious” life, one where “the ego associated with owning more” gets diluted, so that she can feel “less hyperactive” and “stay in the moment”.