PrashantNews
A tourist destination is not just all about beautiful mountains, rivers and seashores. It can be a quaint village which is far from the madding crowd.
Welcome to the homestay tourism in Uttarakhand which is getting popular these days.
One such village which is attracting tourists these days is Matholi in Chinyalisaur block in Uttarkashi district of Uttarkhand for its homestay. Matholi is now known by a new name “Bwari Gaon (village of daughter in laws) because bahus in Uttarakhand are known for their warm hospitality.
The credit for popularizing Matholi as a tourist hotspot goes to a young local, Pradeep Panwar. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Panwar returned to his native village to explore new job opportunities.
He soon converted his cowshed (locally known as “chhani”) into a homestay and opened it for tourists, says a tourism official. At the same time, he trained local women in hospitality, cooking, trekking, and village tours.
Additionally, through events like the “Ghasyari Competition,” he introduced tourists to unique aspects of village life, which have been widely appreciated. Local woman Anita Panwar shares that more women in the village are now coming forward to convert their own chhanis into homestays.
Panwar mentions that his homestay is now registered with the tourism department, enabling him to accept online bookings. He started his homestay on March 8, 2022, and since then, around 1,000 tourists have visited, providing employment to around 20 women from time to time.
Currently, 5,331 homestays are registered with the tourism department, most of which are run by women in rural areas. Under the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Homestay Scheme, the government provides a subsidy of up to 25% in plains and up to 33% in hilly areas for the cost of setting up a homestay.
Matholi village is a model for both rural tourism and women empowerment. If any family from the village wants to start a homestay, they will be given access to all tourism department schemes and assistance with the registration process. Other villages should take inspiration from Matholi, says Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Rashmi Chitranshi of Ghaziabad, a teacher, said she would love to visit Matholi after watching a video on the village. “I have circulated this video to many people,” she said.