Imagine walking into Abel’s Garden for the first time. The air is warm, scented with blooming jasmine and the fresh earth of our gardens. You hear the gentle ripple of water from Malinchi Hill, and through the open windows of the dining hall, laughter spills out as residents share stories over plates of sumptuous delicacies. Or perhaps you’re flipping through an album, seeing snapshots of a yoga class under shady trees, a resident teaching children to plant seeds, or a quiet evening in the amphitheatre with poetry under the stars.
Let us take you back to where it all began, a 15-year dream to create a haven where Ikigai, the Japanese art of finding your reason to rise each morning, weaves purpose, joy, and connection into every moment, became the soul of everything we do at Abel’s Garden.
It all began in 2011, when Josemon Francis met Sebastian Jose of Silpi Architects to dream up a retirement home that would change how we age. That first try didn’t work out, but the idea stuck with us. We visited retirement homes in Kerala, the US, and Ireland. Some were decent, but too many felt like places where life just stopped. We wanted something different: a home where people don’t just age, but begin a new chapter of life, one that is filled with purpose and meaning. That’s when Ikigai came into our lives.
This Japanese idea of finding the sweet spot where what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what keeps you going all come together. It felt like the answer we’d been searching for.
Years later, we found the perfect land in Thodupuzha, with mild weather and water flowing from Malinchi Hill, and everything clicked. Dinil Peter joined us, getting things moving, and soon Innocent Kuzhippillil, Hybeen Thomas, and Sojy Thomas joined, each adding their heart to the vision. When Dr. Prince Pallikkunnel came on board, our dream took on a global reach, growing bigger than we ever imagined.
We couldn’t stop talking about Ikigai, and we won’t stop talking about it either.
There’s this Harvard study we found, showing that staying connected, eating well, and doing things that matter can help you live into your 90s, like folks in Japan. We’d seen too many people in retirement lose their fire, not because of age, but because they felt alone or without a reason to get up. We wanted Abel’s Garden to be different, a place where every day feels like a chance to rediscover yourself.
Ikigai, to us, is more than just a word; it’s the thread that ties everything together here. It’s the promise that every resident can find their purpose, whether that’s teaching a child to garden, sharing a lifetime of wisdom with a young entrepreneur, or simply enjoying a quiet moment by the pond.
It’s why we designed every space, from the dining hall to the yoga pavilions, to spark joy and connection. It’s why we believe retirement isn’t about slowing down, but about living more fully, with intention and heart.
So, we got picky about where to build. We searched for years and found an 8-acre plot in Thodupuzha, flat and easy to wander, wrapped by water flowing from Malinchi Hill all year round, swelling in the monsoon with a check dam to keep it steady. Though it was a bit pricey, it was perfect: safe, serene, a place where you can breathe deeply and feel alive.
With Silpi Architects, led by Sebastian Jose, we set aside 3 acres for homes and a big community hub, the Ikigai Centre, and left 5 acres for gardens, trails, and a pond that hums with peace.
We believed with all our hearts that growing older isn’t about fading away, it’s about starting a new chapter. Forget those old ideas that retirement means stepping back. Every person here is a storyteller, a teacher, a friend with something to share.
At Abel’s Garden, Ikigai means rediscovering what lights you up, perhaps digging in the raised garden beds, watching seeds you planted grow into something beautiful, mentoring children from town, passing on lessons from years as a teacher or officer, or sitting with a young entrepreneur, sharing the wisdom of a career well-lived.
We dreamed of a place where you could paint in a sunlit studio, lead a cooking class, or just swap stories over dinner. Our team, including Sojy Thomas with his sharp eye for detail and Dinil Peter, who brings people together, poured everything into making this a reality, a home where every day feels full of possibility.
Our vision was a place where Ikigai isn’t just a word, it’s in the air you breathe. We built 96 cosy homes, each with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area, a pantry, and a balcony where you can sip tea and watch the gardens.
The Ikigai Centre, a 20,000-square-foot clubhouse designed by Silpi Architects, is where the magic happens, with a warm lobby opening to a dining hall with views of the amphitheatre and gardens, a 30-seat cinema for film nights, a quiet library for losing yourself in a book, and wellness suites for Ayurvedic care or a quick check-up.
There’s an air-conditioned gym for rainy days, an open-air one for sunny ones, yoga pavilions, and pools for swimming or soothing sore joints. The 5 acres of gardens, with walking trails, a cycling path, and a pond, are like an invitation to slow down and feel the world around you. Sebastian Jose said it best: “At Abel’s Garden, we’ve designed more than buildings, we’ve designed possibilities.”
Our mission is to make ageing feel like a gift, a chance to live with purpose, connection, and joy. Yes, we have top-notch care, with Dr. Paul Francis Britto and James Francis looking after body and soul, but it’s more than that.
It’s about waking up to a day full of choices: joining a yoga class, teaching children photography, or savouring a meal like fresh tomato salad or a berry tart with mint in our dining hall, where studies show that 66 per cent of people feel less alone just by sharing a table.
We plan outings every few months, perhaps a cultural festival or a trip into nature, to keep things lively. Everything, from the solar panels powering our lights to the gentle trails winding through the grounds, asks: Does this help you live your Ikigai? Our team, from Josemon’s big-picture thinking to Hybeen’s knack for thoughtful spaces, ensures the answer is always yes.
Abel’s Garden matters because people matter. Too often, the world acts like older adults have nothing left to give. We see it differently. In Thodupuzha’s gentle climate, safe from storms, with water from Malinchi Hill nourishing the land, our 8 acres are a haven where wisdom shines.
Picture a resident teaching gardening to children, planting seeds for the future, or leading a poetry workshop under the stars. This is where retirement becomes a new adventure, a place to laugh over breakfast, lose yourself in a painting, or find quiet by the pond, all wrapped in Ikigai.
Fifteen years ago, we sat around a table, dreaming of a place where growing older felt like coming home to yourself. With our team’s heart, Silpi Architects’ vision, and Ikigai as our guide, Abel’s Garden is that place. I’m one of the founders, and I’d love for you to see it, walk the trails, taste the food, and feel the warmth of our community.
Come find your Ikigai with us at Abel’s Garden..
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