In a remote forest, 60 kilometers from the town of Dandeli, where the air crackles with birdsong and the scent of wet earth, lies a home powered not by wires, but by will. Here, electricity bows to the sun, time runs on forest hours, and the night gleams with fireflies rather than fluorescent bulbs. This is “Off The Grid,” a rustic, sustainable homestay carved into the heart of the Western Ghats.
Run by the quietly inspiring duo of Sylvia Kerkar, a journalist-turned-potter, and John Pollard, a veteran white-water rafting expert from Britain, Off The Grid is more than a retreat — it’s a philosophy. A lifestyle. A rebellion against the rush.
The Shift From Headlines to Clay
Sylvia began her career chasing stories in bustling newsrooms. With bylines in The Times of India, Economic Times, and Gulf Today, she found her stride in journalism across continents. But in the corners of her mind lived another calling — the pull of the potter’s wheel.
In 1999, that calling took her to Golden Bridge Pottery in Pondicherry, where she trained under master potter Ray Meeker. That same year, fate threw another curveball: she met John. Together, they were kindling more than just campfires.
From Wilderness to Warmth
In 2001, the couple moved to Dandeli. While John scouted river routes for the forest department, Sylvia immersed herself in pottery. During one fateful trek in 2003, they stumbled upon a dense, untouched forest. No roads. No electricity. Just the murmur of a nearby stream and a vision.
They bought the land with no plans for a business — just a dream for a personal haven. But practicality nudged them towards building a homestay to sustain it. Thus began a slow, laborious, four-year journey of building without machines, roads, or power.
Building With Hands and Heart
With help from local villagers, Sylvia and John constructed the space brick by brick. Literally. With no path for trucks, every brick had to be hand-carried for kilometers. Their workforce — a community of just fifteen families — brought not only labor but also warmth, resilience, and age-old forest wisdom.
Construction challenges were constant — from missing tools that required 30-kilometer detours to workers fleeing in fear of the jungle’s nocturnal symphony. But with grit and grace, the couple pressed on.
A Homestay That Breathes With The Forest
Since 2011, Off The Grid has hosted over 1,200 guests. It’s more sanctuary than resort — solar-powered, water-fed by a gravity-based system from a natural stream, and fully off the electric grid. No plug points. No Netflix. Just nature and nourishment.
Guests pay Rs 4,250 per night for a twin-sharing room with home-cooked meals. Accommodations include earthy forest teepees, a cozy wooden cabin, and a rustic farmhouse — all with open-air bathrooms and moonlit skylights.
A Playground For The Soul
Guests can choose their own adventure — from pottery workshops and waterfall treks to fire-making and survival camps for kids. There’s river rafting, treks to Dudh Sagar Falls, and even lessons in mud oven building. Sylvia’s pottery, inspired by lichen and bark, is sold quietly — often by word of mouth.
More Than A Stay — A Way Of Life
Off The Grid is not just about unplugging. It’s about reconnecting — with nature, with purpose, and with oneself. During monsoon, the forest becomes impassable and they temporarily move to Goa. There, John leads rafting expeditions while Sylvia continues her ceramics practice.
They’ve refused electricity lines despite them reaching nearby roads. Why? Because they’ve already proven that life — rich, full, joyful life — can flourish on solar power, silence, and intention.
A Living Manifesto
For those who visit, Off The Grid is more than a getaway. It’s a glimpse of what life could be if we let go of convenience and leaned into simplicity. It’s a love letter to the land, penned in clay, sung by cicadas, and lived every day by Sylvia and John.
In a world obsessed with connection, they offer the ultimate luxury: disconnection, done right.