29 May,2022 08:31 AM IST | Mumbai | Jane Borges
Abhishek and Corrie Shirsat, founders of Red Earth Commune, opened the space to residents soon after they moved into the house in December 2021
For nearly a decade, Abhishek Shirsat has lived a peripatetic life. Rescuing snakes and researching their behaviour gave the 27-year-old purpose; so did living close to nature, says the former Mumbaikar. In 2018, on one of his travels, he happened to meet Corrie, a tattoo artist from London, who was visiting India for the first time. "I met Abhishek within 10 days of arriving here," she recalls in a telephonic interview. The connection, they say, was instant. Where Corrie introduced Abhishek to the arts and helped him discover his creative side, he drew her into the wild, exploring the forests and habitat around it. "I didn't just fall in love with him, but also India," says the 30-year-old. It's perhaps around this time that they decided to further their interests together. But, nothing came of it until last year, when Corrie returned from the UK after a brief separation due to the pandemic-induced lockdowns. The two married soon after, moving into an abandoned home in Jangamwadi, a village 45 minutes from Chiplun in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. This is where they built Pehli Kutia, meaning âfirst house,' which now functions as the Red Earth Commune, a space where people can "live, collaborate, and create".
The idea of starting a commune came about while they were redoing the house they had moved into, in December last year. "We always wanted to do something with land - a place where we could build ecological homes, live simply, and have people come over to explore their art practices," says Corrie. The house in Jangamwadi belongs to Abhishek's school friend. "Since none of his family members had lived there in 20 years, he offered us the place," says Abhishek, adding, "The house was in a state of ruin. It had four walls, and the plaster was coming off. There was no electricity either. So, we had to start from scratch."
Abhishek, who is passionate about natural building and creating spaces from resources available in nature, used mud, lime, straw, bamboo sticks and cow dung, to recreate the space. "Most of the skills I acquired are through self-study. During a visit to Harihar Gad in Nashik, I also met a man, who goes by the name Bhagwan Baba. He used to build homes and temples with natural materials. I assisted him for a while, and learnt a lot under him. His methods were primitive, but my research helped me explore the processes further. I started incorporating my own techniques," he says, adding that building Pehli Kutia involved a lot of trial and error.
Friends and volunteers joined them at the site, working selflessly in the couple's vision for their home. This is when they seriously started thinking about the commune, which would essentially serve as a practitioner's residency. The commune, just like their home, they say, is still a work in progress, but the couple is welcoming everyone from artists, thinkers, musicians, researchers, healers and conservationists to meditators to live in the space, temporarily or long-term, and practice their disciplines.
Those who simply want to live and contribute to commune life, can also move here for a minimal cost, but would require to assist in the running of the space, says Corrie. This would include water collection, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, and gardening.
Over and above this, they also hope to share their interests with fellow members of the commune. Abhishek, for instance, is holding workshops in natural mud building processes. "Mud building is not complex, but requires a lot of time and effort. Teaching it would mean to first acquaint participants with mud. They need to hold it in their hands and feel it. I don't like to use the term workshop. I would rather call it volunteering," he says, adding that you can't put a time stamp on learning. "For whatever time a resident is here, they can participate in the building process." On their Instagram page, the couple has shared snatches of this experience, which includes creating mud sculptures - where details are moulded and smoothed with the base of the hand - a micro-library, a bamboo shed, as well as an "oddly interactive" toilet.
Corrie who is a self-taught tattoo artist is also opening the place for tattoo sleepovers, where one can stay, and get a custom handpoke tattoo by her, amidst the forests. She, however, insists that this is no place to "chill and relax". "It's not a vacation. You can't sip a bear, and sit on the beach. Every day, we wake up, and build something together, whether it's through our practice or through renovations within the space. That's what we identify as communal living. There's no gate-keeping here. It's a place for people who love to share their knowledge and experiences," says Corrie. Abhishek adds, "It's for those who are creative, curious, and willing to learn, and want to follow their discipline seriously."
