Some homes begin with a drawing, and The Saffron Verandah began with an orchard. In the mango-growing landscapes of Shoolagiri, a quiet hamlet in northern Tamil Nadu, the land has settled into its own rhythm over generations. Rows of mature mango trees stretch across nearly three-quarters of an acre, their broad canopies tempering the southern sun and creating a microclimate that is noticeably cooler than the fields beyond. Here, time is measured less by calendars than by the flowering of trees,