“If you start running, you will observe less. If you start working, you observe more. If you sit in one place, you will observe everything.”
Vinod Sadhasivan’s words reveal how he and his wife, Paulmathi Vinod, live: slowly and intentionally. They are not merely travellers but observers and custodians of the natural world. Calling themselves ‘Roaming Owls,’ they remain ever-vigilant in the quiet corners of the wilderness.
A seed of nature in a concrete jungle
45-year-old Vinod’s relationship with nature was not a sudden realisation but a slow-burning passion nurtured from childhood. Originally from Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Vinod had to grow up in the metropolitan hub of Chennai.
“I used to live in a very dense part of Chennai. There was nothing called nature exposure,” he recalls. “Since childhood, I have had the urge to explore nature. I used to come to Nagarcoil during my holidays and enjoy the nature here,” adds Vinod.
This longing for nature pushed him to seek an escape. “Unlike others, who have had the means to experience nature in its totality, the urge I had towards greenery eventually pushed me in this direction.”
A path towards financial freedom
But dreams, no matter how strong, need a practical plan, and Vinod realised this early. “Since all the high-paying jobs are in the city, I realised that to pursue my goal, I had to make a choice. Life is a one-time activity, and it is impossible to do the extremes. I chose nature,” shares Vinod.
However, he also knew that “to travel, I need a certain financial freedom to do so.” At 18, he began crafting a plan, a blueprint for a life where passion and practicality coexisted. “When I joined college, it was weird for me to think about studying four years of college, getting into a job and working till you turn 60. So I started planning my life,” explains Vinod.
This wasn’t a whimsical notion. Vinod ventured into the stock market and business. “While I was passionate about greenery, I had to equip myself with its polar opposite — money,” he laughs.
He worked in a bank, invested in properties, and diligently built a foundation. “The thought process was to earn a regular income apart from my job, which I was able to fulfil. I have done a lot in the approach,” Vinod shares.
A shared vision- an early retirement
When Paulmathi entered his life, his vision found a kindred spirit. “When Vinod shared his plans for travel and his goal, I got really excited,” she says. “The thought of exploring new places and travelling got me hooked,” Mathi adds.
They married in 2008, and their shared dream of a life beyond the ordinary began to take shape. “Earlier the plan was to get retired by 45. Once I got married, we decided to advance the retirement to 35 since we have two of us to bring in money,” Vinod explains.
Weekend escapes and a growing awareness
Their travel journey began with weekend escapes to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, a contrast to their weekday lives in Chennai. “Our routine was like this- Monday to Friday, both of us went to our 9 to 5 regular jobs. Friday evening, we used to start our travels, go somewhere in the middle of the forest, enjoy the weekend and get back to the normal routine Monday morning,” Mathi recounts.
These excursions were not mere leisure trips; they were a gradual key into the world they yearned to embrace. “Within a year, we started to know a lot of butterfly names, and Vinod was very interested in that. With the help of books, we started paying attention to birds and butterflies,” shares Mathi.
Vinod’s involvement with the Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN) at Marina Beach further deepened their commitment to conservation. “Instead of travelling for fun, we want to do something for society because we realise that we are also destroying the ecosystem in the pretext of travel,” Mathi says.
This realisation marked a significant shift in their perspective. “We watched the Discovery Channel and got to know about species abroad but failed to learn more about issues happening for our own wildlife,” she adds, highlighting the need to address local environmental issues.
Transformed by the American wilderness
Just as they were beginning to rethink their approach to nature, life presented them with an unexpected opportunity. Mathi’s IT job at Cognizant offered an on-site role in the United States, and by then, Vinod had already left his banking job. Their time in the US from 2010 to 2014 proved to be a turning point.
“In the US, we could see the seasonal change beautifully, and we became ardent birds and butterfly watchers,” Mathi recalls. Vinod’s expertise in butterflies even led to him being employed as a Naturalist in a park.
“We were also introduced to wildflowers, and we became very invested in that. We visited places just to see the blooms and travelled more with a specific purpose,” adds Mathi.
A commitment to conservation
Upon their return to India, they decided to dedicate their lives to conservation and travel. “I quit my job as well,” Mathi says. Their first major conservation project was in Himachal Pradesh, along with other volunteers, preserving Kutki flowers, which were exploited for medicinal purposes. “We stayed there for a year in all the seasons. We did more bird-watching and wildflower explorations via trekking,” Mathi says.
They travelled across India, from Kodaikanal to the Northeast, not to check off destinations but to explore biodiversity. “Mostly, we travel to forests while keeping biodiversity in mind. We don’t divide it based on location and state; we go by regions like Himachal, Andaman, central India, etc,” adds Vinod.
“We are not keen on going to the famous places of the forest or city. We are interested in the entire area where there is less commercialisation and simplicity,” Vinod explains. “Cambodia is famous for its temples. When we went there, we were more fascinated with the different birds we could find than the architecture. Wherever we go, the birds, butterflies and flowers of that place attract us,” Mathi adds.
Guardians of Kanyakumari’s biodiversity
Mathi and Vinod established their own NGO in 2022, Kanniyakumari Nature Foundation, to work extensively towards conservation, biodiversity and wildlife. “We are working with the forest department and the Kanyakumari Natural Sanctuary – a 400 sq kilometres protected area- for a few habitat restoration projects and conservation,” Vinod says.
“Instead of working for a species, we decided to restore an entire habitat which will benefit multiple species, and this is our core philosophy,” he adds, for which the couple is in the forest almost every day.
“An invasive species of plant has taken over a large part of the Kanyakumari sanctuary. We are removing that and restoring the forest,” shares Vinod.
While their travel has been reduced because of the restoration work, Vinod considers this a blessing. “Earlier, we used to go to public access places, but right now, we explore protected areas where people have no entry access. As a child, all I wanted was to be around greenery and the fact that I can do that every day now makes me happy,” he shares with joy.
Their efforts extend to documenting the biodiversity of the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary and raising awareness among schoolchildren and government officials. “Four years ago, when we had gone to Rameshwaram for a survey, we had noticed a migration of crimson rose flowers to Sri Lanka, and we were the first ones to notice that. Working with a few researchers, we published a research paper on crimson roses,” shares Mathi.
“We were also the first one, along with a team, to identify the bioluminescence mushrooms. we have written papers on that as well,” Mathi reveals.
“Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary is very biodiverse, but it does not have any official list of birds and other species in the forest. We are in the process of documenting all the species here. So we are involved in some research or the other. Right now, we are working on fishes and fungi,” Vinod shares.
“Our NGO has been awarded the Green Champion Award from the Government for the past two years. We have a huge group of 80 volunteers, out of which 30 to 40 members are very active,” adds Vinod.
A blog of nature, not destinations
Their blog, Roaming Owls, a window into their world, reflects their unique approach to travel. “Even on our blog, we don’t write about what you can eat or where you can stay. We focus on the natural aspects, different species and the ecology of the place,” Mathi says.
They understand that ‘travel is a calling,’ not a mere trend. “People are trying to replicate someone’s life, and they think that is travelling. And for some, it has become more for pictures and social media rather than taking the experience of being in that place,” Vinod observes.
“In fact, what you see on the blog is just 30% of what we have done. And we keep it that way because, unfortunately, people tend to exploit and ruin such magnificent locations,” says Vinod.
He urges vloggers to focus on the essence of a place, its natural treasures, rather than commercial aspects. “The forest is special because of its trees and biodiversity. It upsets me when I see vloggers talking about the best food there instead of the unique flora and fauna,” explains Vinod, suggesting they use their platform and popularity wisely.
Advice for aspiring explorers
For those aspiring to follow their path, they offer practical advice. “Concentrate on financial freedom as the world works around money,” Vinod advises. “You also need to be very aware as to why you are travelling. Don’t try to emanate another individual,” Mathi adds. “You need to travel based on your own comfort zones and requirements.”
Roaming Owls, Paulmathi and Vinod, have carved a life of purpose, where travel is not an escape but a profound engagement with the natural world. They remind us that true observation requires stillness, a willingness to sit and absorb the intricate beauty that surrounds us. Their story reflects the power of passion, planning, and a deep respect for the planet we call home.
Edited by Megha Chowdhury; All images courtesy Roaming Owls
