Rural homestays for solo, offbeat travellers

Sipping nimbu pani to beat the heat, star gazing, listening to birdsong and harvesting vegetables are what travellers at a rural homestay in Ladpura Khas near Orchha in Madhya Pradesh do. Few can resist the temptation of this place with its towering cenotaphs dedicated to erstwhile kings and the calm blue of the Betwa River. 

Ladpura Khas is near Orchha, a UNESCO world heritage site. Mughal emperor Jahangir had set foot in Orchha and the ornate Jahangir Mahal in Orchha Fort was built in his honour. The grandeur of its past is giving way to the exploration of rustic simplicity amidst hills and forests. 

Away from the bustle of its busy by-lanes and crowded temples is Uma Pathak’s homestay, Mahua Hill View, where nearly 400 travellers from India and abroad have stayed since it started taking shape in 2019.

Homestays such as Pathak’s, not only provide visitors with a relaxing getaway but provide the local economy with a boost.

For women, by women 

In Radhapur village near Ladpura, sisters-in-law Rekha and Kamala Kushwaha have set up a homestay. About 150 travellers have visited so far. While cooking dal-chawal on a hot afternoon, Rekha said that the place bears a heavenly look in monsoon. 

Besides being budget-friendly, the Pathaks’ place, Mahua Hill View, is safe for single women. Uma recalled that a European woman came with her eight-year-old daughter and stayed for three days. 

Pathak’s companion is the ever-smiling Bhagwati Kushwaha who stays close by and cooks for guests. Lunch of rice, different kinds of vegetables and dal are her forte, in addition to poha and paratha for breakfast. 

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While plucking vegetables around the homestay Pathak said that she had seen many single women in Orchha. Now she is thinking of building a mud house in Bundelkhandi style at her Ladpura property, which could serve as a homestay and provide a livelihood to such single women.

Government support

Pathak, who runs the place with her husband Sandeep, admits to being apprehensive initially. “I wondered if customers would enjoy dal-roti in a village. But when the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and non-profit organisation, Haritika, approached us we took the plunge,” she said. 

The couple invested Rs 12 lakh for two cosy rooms and received a government subsidy of Rs 2 lakh for each. 

Covid-19 slowed down things, said Yogendra Singh Yadav of Haritika. “Many people commit and then they backtrack. But a few took loans or invested their savings and started the homestays,” said Yadav, who motivated some of these people to build the homestays.

Though there were challenges, Sandeep said that they could deal with them. “It was easy as the government supported us,” he said. 

Designed for offbeat tourists

As homestays are picking up, Avani Mohan Singh who heads Haritika said that the rural tourism initiative started in 2019. “Haritika works with the tourism board. Our experience of working in Bunelkhand was a plus point and helped in raising awareness about homestays.” 

Manoj K Singh, director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, said MP has a rich and varied culture that can be enjoyed in a rural setup. 

At Mahua Hill View, brick walls and bamboo furniture lend a simple charm to the rooms. On the balcony, a swing looks heavenly amidst flowers. Small artefacts cover the walls. 

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The cost is nominal at Rs 2,000 per day, which includes breakfast. Lunch and dinner are priced at Rs 200-250. There is a machan for enjoying a tea break and hilltop view. Even in the scorching summer heat, the place offers respite. 

Homestays offer the owners also different experiences. “Homestays are the best way to meet people from all walks of life. A guest taught me to prepare blue tea. Many have become friends,” said Uma Pathak.

Boost to rural economy

Apart from women-run homestays, female e-rickshaw drivers are making a mark in Orchha, in what is a perfect example of social inclusion. 

Prabha Rajput, a resident of Maharajpura village, 8 km from Orchha, drives one. Initially, she faced opposition from her husband and neighbours. 

“But I wanted to be empowered. I took a loan to buy the vehicle at Rs 1,60,000. I make Rs 200-300 per day. I enjoy driving solo women to these homestays as they feel safe with me,” she said.

The most prominent among the women drivers is Gayetri Kewat who has been driving for eight months and has also driven Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. 

“I have family responsibilities, so I took this up. Initially, as people laughed and stared at me, I felt nervous,” said Kewat. But now she looks forward to plying women travellers. She fondly remembered a woman from Delhi who hired her for a whole day. 

Currently, the tourism board is active in 100 villages and the result is positive. Grassroots-level implementation is carried out with NGO partners. The idle workforce that used to stay at home is now working confidently. 

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Deepanwita is a journalist based in New Delhi. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism, she writes about rural development, gender and climate change.