How 2 Siblings Built a Sustainable Fairytale Home in the Foothills of Rishikesh

In the foothills of Rishikesh, a short walk from the Ganga, two siblings began shaping a dream that felt far bigger than a house. The land was quiet, the pace was slow, and the idea was simple: build a home that felt rooted in the earth and open to the world.

This is Tiny Farm Fort, created by brothers Raghav and Ansh Kumar after they stepped away from Delhi’s rush for a life with more space, calm and intention. Mornings here start with birdsong, evenings settle into soft orange light, and the home sits surrounded by fields and trees that frame every view.

A house built by hands from around the world

Tiny Farm Fort grew through community. Over 90 volunteers from 18 countries travelled to Rishikesh to help the siblings build it — learning, sculpting, and shaping each part of the structure with their own hands.

Explaining how they brought in foreign hands for the project, Raghav laughs and says, “It wasn’t planned. We put out a request on the website ‘Workaway’, asking people interested in sustainable building to join us. Through the months, we got many who were keen on this.”

The house is crafted entirely from cob, a traditional mix of sand, clay, straw, and water — a material that has sheltered communities for centuries. A strong stone masonry base and eucalyptus wood beams support the structure.

Its 18-inch-thick mud walls aren’t just visually stunning; they’re natural insulators. Combined with the year-round river breeze that flows through the property, the home remains cool, airy, and comfortably peaceful even in the peak of summer. Skylights bring warm sunlight into the rooms, casting soft natural light across the space. 

Outside, handcrafted garden benches sit under trees. Inside, a driftwood chandelier sourced from the Ganga hangs like a piece of lived-in art.

Where sustainability meets storybook beauty

Every corner of Tiny Farm Fort feels personal, intentional, and deeply poetic. Nothing here is rushed. The beauty lies in textures, in the sculpted curves of the walls, and in the handmade details that tell stories of people who touched the space.

In the golden evening light, the house looks like a page pulled from a fairytale — an earthy, handcrafted dream that comes to life.

We sat down with Raghav and Ansh to hear the full story behind Tiny Farm Fort. Take a look here.

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