I'm a thirty-year-old software engineer in Bengaluru, and at the moment I live in a small rented flat on the ninth floor of a big apartment complex. So the home I dream about is basically the opposite of that.
I'd like it to be just outside a city, ideally somewhere like the hills near Mysore, where my grandparents came from, within a couple of hours of an airport so I could still travel for work. It would be a single-storey house, not too big, built with local stone and a red tiled roof, with a wide veranda around it. Inside I'd want an open kitchen, lots of windows, a study where I could work remotely, and solar panels on the roof so we'd hardly pay for electricity. The most important thing, though, would be the garden. I'd like a big one, with fruit trees and space to grow vegetables.
I'd live there with my wife, our children if we have them, and hopefully my parents too. In India it's still common for grandparents to live with the family, and I'd love my children to grow up with them nearby.
There are a few reasons I want this kind of home. Living high up in a crowded complex, I feel disconnected from nature. I hardly ever touch soil, and I can hear my neighbours' televisions all day. I'd like a quieter, slower life where I can step outside in the morning and pick a mango. I also think a home with space for three generations would make family life richer. Realistically it'll take me ten years to afford it, but having a clear picture keeps me motivated.