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The ultimate holiday in India An exciting, innovative way to holiday in India offers you an unparalleled chance to experience the country close at hand says Harry Coen
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ndia is easy to find on a map. But the real India, the rich experience that so fascinates the Westerner, is much more elusive. The subcontinent is so vast and populous, its myriad languages and its many cultures so diverse and its landscapes so astonishingly varied that most of us have no idea where to start. Now there is an answer – and it’s one that will lead the delighted traveller right into the heart of an enchanted world with ease, comfort and security. Mahindra Homestays can take you where resort holidays, tourist packages and even guided tours cannot. After all, who knows India better than the people who live there – and how could you possibly get to know India better than by staying with local people in their own houses? India is renowned for being a land of contrasts. Everything from style of dress to architecture changes from state to state and town to town, so a local insight is not just a luxury, it is essential to getting the most out of this extraordinary country. That’s what makes a home stay so ideal for travellers: the sights, smells, tastes and traditions of India are truly experienced rather than just watched, they are lived rather than observed. You certainly can’t get this from a guide book. A home stay isn’t simply somewhere to rest your head; many homestays offer a range of activities which give guests the opportunity to experience the specific culture in their particular area. That means that homestays aren’t just a base from which to explore the local area – they are a holiday destination in themselves. A home stay combines the comfort and individuality of a boutique hotel with the personal hospitality, informality and local knowledge that comes from staying with a friendly family. And this is where Mahindra Homestays can help you choose the ideal place to stay for your interests and needs. You can choose what kind of home you would like to stay in and what kind of things you would most like to experience. For instance, in Kerala at the southern tip of India, many homestays offer backwater cruises or canoe trips along the narrow canals. Further north, in Rajasthan, some
homestays offer jeep safaris or horseback treks to visit tribal villages and spot wildlife. In plantation areas and hill stations, you can take guided tours through fragrant spice gardens and forests. There are also fascinating rural homestays in the shadow of the mighty Himalayas, areas loved for their remote mountain beauty and Buddhist culture. Wherever you choose, the food is terrific: nothing can beat home-cooked meals, family-style. Many homestays offer a chance to learn authentic recipes and techniques, too. For calm and relaxation, India’s plethora of well-being techniques such as yoga, ayurvedic treatments and all kinds of massage are yours for the asking. Local traditions of dance and music are made accessible in ways no package deal could possibly rival. And your hosts, always available but never intrusive, will ensure you get the most from your experience. Most homestays offer about six rooms and never more than eight, so you can be sure of personal hospitality. Your hosts will pride themselves on the individual attention they can give their guests, whether for comfort, food or just a congenial chat. There is none of the aloof impersonality sometimes experienced in hotels, yet this doesn’t mean guests and family live on top of each other – some homestays have rooms in separate cottages in their grounds, for instance. Guests can have as much familiarity with their hosts or as much privacy as they like. Excitingly, the types of houses vary with locality. It could be a stylish town house in Delhi, with all the excitement of pulsating city life. Or a Persian-inspired haveli in northern India. These are usually large, elegant houses with a courtyard at the centre and a variety of Islamic architectural details such as decorative external carvings, murals and interior alcoves. Kerala boasts distinctive tharavadu houses, built round courtyards and wells, with sloping red-tiled roofs, verandas and intricately carved gables often set in the midst of rich countryside. Many of the interiors are hewn from carved teak. There’s also the legacy of the Raj, which has left wonderful colonial-style homes
Authentic stays: anticlockwise from top, a plantation home in Kerala; Pahuna Haveli in northern India; relaxing over a meal and chatting with hosts that are now fully integrated into Indian life. There are grand old plantation houses and classic bungalows, incorporating neoclassical and gothic revival elements as well as indigenous Islamic and Hindu styles. All the houses and the hosts have been meticulously vetted by Mahindra Homestays, an offshoot of the Mahindra Group, a 70-year-old multi-billion-dollar
enterprise that’s currently revolutionising the leisure industry in India’s fast-growing economy. The houses and their localities have been carefully categorised and offer incredible value for money, with an average price of £45 for bed and breakfast for two people. Our choice has never been clearer, more varied – or more inspiring.
Mahindra Homestays offer an experience leagues ahead of other accommodation on the tourist trail. It takes the detachment away from tourism, makes the guide book redundant and gives you a unique and unforgettable experience of the intricacies of Indian life and culture. Now the real India – the India we have dreamed of – is there for us to enjoy.
For more information call 020 3140 8422 or visit www.mahindrahomestays.com