Overlooking the green jungle, on Mehrauli Road, outside New Delhi, photographer Raghu Rai has a 6-acre farmhouse where he likes to do a little bit of gardening. “Creative people don’t outsource their work,” he says. His farmhouse has ducks, pigeons and a birdhouse. His family gets wheat for a year from there and mustard oil too. “I like the house, as it is far away from the crazy maddening crowd, but it is not lonely. I have my special friends coming over all the time. My grandchildren come too and play volleyball, badminton and go for swimming,” he says.

His idea of a dream home is one which is basically the sum total of experiences one goes through while travelling to different countries and homes. “The home that you create when you come back with a clarity of what you want, is your dream home,” he says.

Raghu Rai likes to change his interiors every now and then. “When you feel static or feel you have lived enough, you want something different. I change even the windows, doors or the height of the ceiling,” he says. He likes it when all the artifacts blend with the surrounding. For instance, the house should have a lot of green shades to indicate the freshness of nature around you.

“I like the kind of décor, which becomes one with the world. I have created a pastoral theme and interesting cushion materials with nice texture. I like objects that are very natural looking. I have yellow, green and brown that you find in nature.” He also likes to have a music system, which gives life to every inch of space.

The photographer’s favourite corner also changes from time to time. “I cannot sit at one place for long. My daughter has recently done up her room. She has a magenta wall and interiors complementing that. I really loved it. It has a big bed in the centre. So, that is my favourite corner now. I had dinner sitting there with my daughters.”

“Life should not become static in any way, be it the experience or the energy surrounding you. If you change the place you live in, it revitalises your energy. Your body language also changes,” he adds. But his all time favourite is his drawing room, which has eight pillars and a 12 by 12 carpet. I like to sit on the floor there and have tea.”

He spends time with his daughters and also likes watching television. “I keep surfing channels, but there again I don’t like repetition. I can even watch six movies back to back, but they should be interesting. I like news channels, but they become repetitive after some time, which I don’t like.”

Raghu Rai, being an outdoor person, likes a house that has a good outdoor view. His drawing room has large windows through which you can view the jungle — all green. You can also see Qutub Minar on the left. His house also gives him the view of moon and sun. “It is very romantic to see sunrise and sunset from my room every day,” he says. Ask him about exteriors he likes, he says, “I don’t mind my house being surrounded by a sea, valley and mountain.”

He also prefers a comfortable house over well-kept house. “A house should be lovable and livable for which it has to be comfortable.”