Ayurveda Tourism in Gujarat

W W W . T R A V E L R E S P O N S I B L Y . I N F O 03
Vol 2, Issue 3
Responsibly & Sustainably
TM
THE ORGANISATION THAT WORKED TO
RESCUE FLOOD AFFECTED ANIMALS
SUSTAINABLE LIVING AND TOURISM
IMPLEMENTED BY ONE MAN TO IMPROVE LIVES
COMMUNITY ACTION TO REVIVE 200
ACRES OF DEFORESTED LAND
BLOCK PRINTING IN BAGRU —
ANCIENT TRADITIONS OF PRINTING
YOUNG MINDS GIVE BOOST
TO ECOTOURISM
• MEET THE ARTISANS...
• EXPERIENCE THEIR WORK AND LEARN...
• BOND WITH THE COMMUNITY,
EXPERIENCE LOCAL CULTURE...
• STAY IN A TYPICAL RURAL HOME...
• CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENT, CHOOSE
AN ECO RESORT...
• CONSERVE WILDLIFE, BIODIVERSITY...
BE A RESPONSIBLE TOURIST!
BAIGATRIBEWOMAN(LIVEINCENTRALINDIAANDBORDERSOFEAST)
final_rt_booklet2016_full_booklet.indd 1 10/20/2016 4:06:20 PM

02 W W W . T R A V E L R E S P O N S I B L Y . I N F O
Puducherry
Welcomes You
4th to 7th JANUARY, EVERY YEAR
Yoga
Festival
International
Web: http://www.pondytourism.in/ Email: pondytourism@gmail.com
Interesting Features
• Yoga meditation
• Yogasana practical
• Presentation of papers, discourses & workshops
• Yoga Therapy
• Yogic food
• Yogic music & dance

ow many men does it
take to turn a rocky and
parched hill, spread
over a few kilometres,
into a lush green
paradise that birds find irresistible?
The answer is one. And this man
from Srirangapatna (South India)
has proved it. It took Ramesh Y five
years of back-breaking toil, but
his efforts have borne much fruit.
Ramesh is a 40-year-old graduate
who abandoned law studies to
take up small works to support
his family. Eventually, he became
a supplier of mineral water in
Srirangapatna and nearby
areas. He was a regular at the
Venkataramanaswamy temple,
nestled in Karighatta hills.
But every time, Ramesh went up
the hill, it bothered him to find its
scanty vegetation withering away
in the heat. One day, he decided
to do something about it. “I could
see a few plants around, but they
obviously weren’t tended to. I built
small bunds around each and
watered them. It was quite a task,
which I soon realised was also in
vain. This wasn’t going to work. It
was too hot and the water would
seep in too fast,” Ramesh told.
Someone told him that drip
irrigation was the best way to
save the trees. But with his limited
income, there was no way he
could afford to lay pipelines
around Karighatta, spread across
5-8 sq km. One day, when he was
trying to junk an expired water
can, an idea struck. “Why not use
this for drip irrigation? I had plenty
of such cans at my disposal. Using
them would be cost-effective and
would easily serve the purpose,”
said Ramesh. The only investment
would be the wires, and of course,
his time.
Once he learnt the technique,
he went on to select the plants
and tie the modified mineral water
cans around them. He would cut
off the bottom half of these cans
and suspend them upside down,
letting the water dribble out of
the mouth. He ensured that the
drops fell onto the roots. In a few
days, it was clear that the plan was
working. The greenery had started
spreading. The orange of the
parched land was changing into a
luscious green.
“Once filled up, the cans could
hold water at least for two to
three days. This made my job easy
and I extended the project to
many more trees so that I could
alternately water them,” said
Ramesh. The blooming landscape
not only pleased him, but also the
birds in the area. The availability
of water was a big draw for the
winged visitors. But he saw how
they struggled to take a sip while
precariously balancing on the
edge of the can. And when the
water level dropped, it became an
impossible feat altogether.
Being the problem-solver that he
is, Ramesh came out with another
indigenous idea—he placed a
stick inside the cans. Now the
birds not only had a better grip,
but could also reach the water
regardless of its level.
Ramesh is also actively engaged
in planting new saplings. “I go
to the market once in a while to
buy seeds for neem, jack fruit,
tamarind, millettia pinnata and
others. Not every seed sprouts,
even my limited success over the
course of time will bear fruit. My
dream is to see this area converted
into a dense forest. It will definitely
help in increasing rainfall in this
area,” said Ramesh.
BARREN, ROCKY HILL CONVERTED INTO A
LUSH GREEN PARADISE BY RAMESH
ARTICLE
H

AYURVEDA TOURISM
IN GUJARAT
yurveda is an ancient
system of medicine with
historical roots in the
Indian subcontinent.
It has been handed down from
one generation to the other since
ages. Although it dates back to 5
millenniums, its therapeutic values
are now once again being realized
all over the world.
Ayurveda employs a holistic
approach for elimination of
illnesses by focusing on the root
cause of the diseases. Ayurveda
also aims at maintaining a perfect
balance between the body, soul
and mind. In this present era of
busy and stressful lives, Ayurveda
is now viewed as a remedy for all
these ills.
THE LAND OF INNUMEROUS MEDICINAL
PLANTS
Located off the west coast of India,
Gujarat is home to Ayurveda since
many centuries.
Most of the herbs used for curing
illnesses by means of the Ayurvedic
healing processes are seeded and
grown in this state. The sufficient
agro-bio diversity contributes to
the growth of 786 herbs which
are also called medicinal plants.
Some of the well known ones
include—Shatavari, Sonamukhi,
Sankhapushpi, White Musli, Neem,
Jeevanti, Isabghol, Aloe Vera and
Asawagandha.
JAMNAGAR – AYURVEDIC RESEARCH
AND EDUCATION CENTRE
Jamnagar occupies a proud
place in the Ayurveda map of
India, for it has the only Ayurvedic
University in the country which is
exclusively looking after Ayurvedic
research and education. The
University Gardens boast of more
than 200 species of herbs and
medicinal plants. The famous
J.S. Ayurved Mahavidyalaya
is located in Nadiad district of
Gujarat. The college is a private
aided institution, which is affiliated
to Gujarat Ayurved University,
Jamnagar.
The Ayurveda College was
established in 1938, to promote this
vital ancient science. The institute
A

also provides many facilities to
its students such as a library, well
equipped laboratory, research
centre, computer facilities and
modern medical facilities.
The Jogi Ayurved Hospital
located in Surat is another famous
Ayurvedic medical centre. The
team is led by one of the leading
Ayurveda Practitioner of India: Dr.
Devangi Nilesh Jogal, M.D. (Ayu.),
Double Gold Medalist. Apart from
the complete range of Ayurvedic
Treatment, Jogi Ayurved Hospital
also has a full-fledged team
for providing services of Garbh
Sanskar and Agni Karma.
They are also involved in many
activities aiming at enhancing
the awareness about the efficacy
and applicability of Ayurveda
as the most preferable system of
healing. For this, seminars, lectures,
camps and group discussions are
organized at various levels in the
society.
PIONEER IN AYURVEDIC TOURISM
Gujarat is doing extremely well in
Ayurveda based medical tourism.
There is an advent in the growth of
the number of spa and Ayurveda
centers in Gujarat.
From relaxing Swedish massage
to the rejuvenating Panchkarma,
Gujarat’s Ayurveda centers have
many options to keep the mind
and body relaxed. Cambay Orient
Spa and Resort in Gandhinagar,
Madhuban Resort and Spa in
Vallabh Vidyanagar and Aum
Health Resort in Vadodara are
some of the finest spa centers in
Gujarat, which have varied options
to stabilize body, mind and soul.
The Aum Health Resort in
Vadodara is situated within the
serene atmosphere amongst
the gushy and green trees. The
residential treatment center is
spread over a 17 acre land at close
to Ajwa lake, 26 kms far away from
Vadodara city. At AIMRC every
patient is treated holistically. It
incorporates different systems of
medicine and therapies.
The RMD Cancer Hospital in
Gujarat is India’s only hospital
offering Ayurvedic treatment for
cancer patients at subsidized
affordable rates.
Moreover, there is special care
taken to arrange good quality
of food for patients and relatives
at just Re 1. The RMD Cancer
Hospital is all set to provide an
excellent cancer treatment to
its patients. The state-of-the-art
centre at Waghaldhara, Valsaad
provides cancer treatment with a
difference.
Gujarat is slowly and gradually
becoming an offbeat Ayurvedic
center in India. The state
has earned many titles and
applauds for its world class spa
and Ayurveda resorts. Gujarat
was the first state in India that
started the concept of Ayurveda
schools. Tourists from around the
world visit Gujarat in pursuit of
healing Ayurvedic treatments and
therapeutics.
“Ayurveda based medical
tourism is growing and Gujarat has
good potential. We are striving
towards making Gujarat a hub
of Ayurveda, naturopathy based
tourism,” says Mr. Nityanand
Srivastav, MD, Gujarat Tourism
Corporation Limited.

THE CLEANEST
VILLAGE IN ASIA
awlynnong claims
to be the Cleanest
Village in Asia. The
road leading up to it
has some of the most panoramic
and breathtaking views in the
country.
Nestled in the pristine East Khasi
Hills of Meghalaya (North East of
Indian state), the residents of this
picturesque village along the
Indo-Bangla border have learnt to
live at harmony with Mother Nature
and might very well become an
example that urban folk should
emulate.
As one walks around the narrow
zig-zagging paths of the village
one is astounded by the clean well
maintained black tarmac and the
spotless front-yards and sidewalks
of the bamboo stilt houses.
There are stylish bamboo
dustbins everywhere and separate
compost pits in various pockets
of the village for organic and
inorganic wastes.
Polythene use is completely
banned and so is smoking. There
are public toilets which the
villagers themselves maintain and
everyone takes part in the ritual
weeding, sweeping and cleaning
of the gardens and roads which
happens every evening.
Even the children are taught
from an early age to keep their
surroundings clean and they don’t
hesitate to pick up the odd piece
of garbage on the road and put
it in the bin. The village is well
supplied with an efficient localized
water supply and sanitation
system.
Just outside the village on
the river is situated the amazing
living roots bridge which speaks
out for the ingenuity of the
people. It is over 200 years old
and was constructed by tying
the roots of two banyan trees
and maneuvering them to get
entangled in such a way as to
create a passage over the stream.
The Sky-view tower on the
eastern side of the village is a tall
structure built on the support of
a tree with bamboos and gives a
wonderful view of the Bangladesh
plains.
For the discerning traveler
there are many unmapped trails
that one can explore around the
village full of little waterfalls and
sacred forests abounding in flora
and fauna. The guest houses in the
village are basic tree houses built
on top of stilts that almost jut out
into the adjacent forest. Staying in
them is an experience in itself.
There is a lot urban society
could learn from Mawlynnong
and its environmentally conscious
citizens. The self sustaining models
though rudimentary have very
strong foundations and have more
to do with behavior and customs
that the peoples have adhered to
and upheld. With the increasing
influx of tourists, the challenge
for Mawlynnong is to maintain its
culture and also educate outsiders
with their ways.
Mawlynnong can be reached
by road and it is roughly a three
hour drive from Meghalaya’s
capital, Shillong. The nearest
airport is Guwahati, in Assam,
which is around three hours from
Shillong and is well connected.
M
ARTICLE

UNTRAVEL WEEKENDS: KABANI
THE OTHER DIRECTION
IF YOU LOVE TRAVELLING BUT AREN’T SURE HOW TO DO IT RESPONSIBLY, & LEAVE AN IMPACT
ON THE SOCIETY WHILE YOU ENJOY YOURSELF, KABANI IS FOR YOU!
amed after the Kabani
River, one of the rivers
in Kerala flowing in
the “other direction”,
Kabani attempts to facilitate an
alternative outlook towards travel
and tourism. It works towards a
better tourism model in India,
finding its basis in local people,
focusing on the socio-economic
security of the people and
sustainability of the destination
Sumesh Mangalassery from the
organization talks about Kabani,
responsible travel, their journey
and much more.
Q: How it all started?
Sumesh: We envision Kabani as an
organization working on tourism
issues in the areas of research,
and campaigning against the
negative impacts of tourism on
local communities and natural
resources. After many years of
opposing the malpractices in
tourism, we decided on proposing
a better and fair travel which can
benefit the local communities by
adding to their regular income
from farming and at the same time
[remain] totally in tune with the
environment.
Hence our first tourism project
at Bamboo Village, Thrikkaipetta,
Wayanad was developed in
association with Uravu, an NGO
based at Wayanad.
The second project was
launched in Alleppey, involving
fishing and farming communities
in the backwaters and coastal
areas. Now we expanded our
programmes considerably in many
other Indian villages where we
can offer a fair package of diverse
travel experience to our guests
across south India.
These programs cannot be just
limited to be termed as tourism
projects,but has a responsibility to
sustainably develop the village as
a whole. As tourism researchers
and campaigners against
unsustainable tourism, we realized
the need for a better model to of
sustainable tourism that benefits
people.
We want the communities
involved to be creative, self-
reliant and responsible for their
own living conditions and socio-
economic security through active
participation in development
activities.
Organic farming, coir
processing, fishing, sculptures,
weaving, bamboo handicrafts,
food processing units, home
stays and tourism activities are all
included in the programs.
Q: How does Kabini promote
sustainable travel?
Sumesh: As proposers of
sustainable travel we believe and
implement a set of practices which
ensures the sustainability of the
program:
One of the homestaysSUMESH MANGALASSERI,
CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERVIEW
N

i) Community driven Initiatives
The basic principles behind the
program where the community lies
in the centre as decision makers
and not just suppliers of produces.
Kabani, as an organization
focusing on sustainable
socioeconomic development of
villages and the conservation of
natural resources, continues to
share this philosophy by promoting
more villages at different locations
across India, which is in tune with
their vision on tourism that it should
always benefit the local people
neither diluting their culture nor
harming the environment.
ii) Benefit sharing with communities
(Families and Village as whole)
For the locals, this is a way to
decentralize tourism and directly
benefit from guest’s holiday
budgets. As their homes can cater
for a few additional guests, the
initial investment being very low or
rather nil.
In addition, a benefit sharing
scheme makes sure that the
entire village has its fair share.
60 per cent of the income from
accommodation stays with the
host families, and another 15
percent goes to a village fund
to provide professional trainings,
support youth and old age
projects, development of village
level entrepreneurships, and
the ongoing development of
thetourism project.
The remaining 25 per cent cover
the expenses of the organization
KABANI and its sustainable tourism
activities.
iii) Placing local People at the
centre of cultural exchange
The project caters to travellers
who look for a very personal and
ethical way to stay. The travellers
are accommodated in family
homes, sharing their hosts’ daily
routine, getting to learn about
their lives first-hand and tasting
the wonderful flavors of home-
cooked Keralite dishes. Here you
find exchange of more values and
culture than just that of words or
currencies.
The hosts welcomes the guests
to their homes being guests of
God. Here the hospitality does not
begin and end merely with food
being served to you and a room
provided; but with families sharing
their time and lives with you with
no intrusion to privacies.
iv) Environment conservation and
enhancement
We also view the conversation
of the environment and our
natural resources as an integral
part of the initiative. A set of
principles evolved with the values
of the community including
the clear understanding of
the waste management and
effective utilization of village
resources makes our villages
shower harmony and becomes
an example to the neighboring
villages.
v) Tourism not a development
model but a facilitator
Here we propose tourism not as
an alternative to the traditional
income sources, but as a
additional source of income which
can enhance the living conditions
of the village communities, such as
farmers, coastal communities etc.
Organic farming and other
enterprises ensure sustainable
income generation, whereas
tourism provides a complementary
income source. The investment of
the in tourism has been kept to the
minimum, since we don’t want it to
replace the traditional livelihood
means as the main source of
livelihood....
KABANI focuses on sustainable socio-economic development of villages and the conservation
of natural resources.
Kabani also view the conversation of the
environment and our natural resources
as an integral part of the initiative.
INTERVIEW
Read the whole story in the CD

magine a village where
homes have no front
doors, shops are always
left unlocked and locals
never feel unsafe.
This is the story of Shani
Shingnapur in India’s Maharashtra
state, where villagers eschew
security because of their undying
faith in Lord Shani, the god of
Saturn, who is considered the
guardian of the village. Legend
has it that about 300 years ago,
after a bout of rain and flooding,
a heavy black slab of rock was
found washed up on the shores of
the Panasnala River, which once
flowed through the village.
Later that night, Shani appeared
in the dreams of the village head,
revealing that the slab was his own
idol. The deity ordered that the
slab should be kept in the village,
where he would reside from here
on. But Shani had one condition:
the rock and its colossal powers
must not be sheltered as he
needed to be able to oversee the
village without hindrance.
Shani then blessed the leader
and promised to protect the
village from danger. After the
villagers installed the huge slab on
a roofless platform in the heart of
town, they decided to discard all
doors and locks. They didn’t need
them anymore, not with the Lord to
watch over them.This tradition has
continued for generations. Locals
occasionally lean wooden panels
against their front door frames
to keep stray dogs out – but they
have no permanent doors, and
leave their jewellery and money
unsecured, firmly believing that
their holy guardian will protect
them from any mishap. Even the
public toilets in the village square
just have a thin curtain at the
entrance for privacy.
New constructions have to
honour these protocols, too. The
police station – which only opened
in September 2015 and has not
yet received a single complaint
from the villagers – has no front
door; while the United Commercial
Bank opened India’s first “lockless”
branch in Shani Shingnapur in
2011, installing a glass entrance in
the spirit of transparency and a
barely visible remote-controlled
electromagnetic lock in respect of
the villagers’ beliefs.
Locals are so nonchalant
that they don’t even ask their
neighbours to watch over their
house while they are out of town.
They believe that thieves will
immediately be punished with
blindness and anyone dishonest
will face seven-and-a-half years
of bad luck. In fact, local lore says
that when one villager installed
wooden panes at the entrance of
his house, he had a car accident
the very next day.
Because of this strange history,
Shani Shingnapur attracts
devotees from across India. At
least 40,000 visitors pour in each
day to see the once-humble shrine
that has grown into a large temple.
Although Shani Shingnapur has
officially remained free from thefts
for centuries, a 2010 visitor reported
that cash and valuables worth
35,000 rupees were stolen from
his vehicle. Another theft of gold
ornaments worth 70,000 rupees
was reported in 2011. However the
charges were dismissed as the
villagers insisted that they took
place outside the village.
Most villagers at Shani
Shingnapur hope that the tradition
will continue for many centuries to
come.
THE VILLAGE
WITH NO LOCKS
OR DOORS!
I
ARTICLE

he new buzz word in
the world of travel,
voluntourism is a
concept that aims to
combine people’s wanderlust with
their desire to make a difference.
India has several voluntourism
organisations that offer diverse
and pocket friendly opportunities
for community service combined
with eco-friendly vacations.
One such enterprise is World
Wide Opportunities on Organic
Farms (WWOOF). This non-profit
organisation works with tourists
and organic farms to facilitate
the barter of a few hours of daily
volunteer work in exchange for
accommodation, delicious food
and a chance to learn organic
farming techniques.
Many countries the world over
have WWOOF chapters that
help tourists and locals work with
organic farms of their choice.
WWOOF originally stood for
“Working Weekends on Organic
Farms” and was started in England
in 1971 by Sue Coppard, The aim
was to provide city dwellers with a
getaway to the countryside, while
promoting the organic farming
movement. The idea soon became
popular with backpackers and
now, more than 50 countries across
the globe have their autonomous
WWOOF networks.
WWOOF is now an international
exchange programme. The
organisation publishes lists of
organic farms, smallholdings
and gardeners that welcome
volunteer help. Volunteer helpers
or WWOOFers choose the hosts
that interest them and make direct
contact to arrange a stay, usually
with the farmer’s family.
WWOOF India was started on
August 15, 2007, by Harish Chander
Tewari, a member of SEWAK — an
Uttarakhand-based NGO that
promotes organic agriculture and
local handicrafts.
While initially there were only
14 hosts in India, WWOOFers from
the world over can now choose to
volunteer with any of the 217 farms
(spread across 16 states) that are
listed with the organisation.
These farms include tea and
coffee estates, spice estates, fruit
orchards, and vegan agricultural
communities.
While most farms are certified
organic, WWOOF India also
welcomes small farmers, who
cannot afford the process of
certification.
Host selection is done after an
interview with the farmer about the
organic practices implemented
on the farm. Farms have to pay a
fee of Rs 500 to be listed as hosts
on the WWOOF India network.
However, small and marginal farms
(below five acres) are exempted
from this fee. Volunteers pay
an annual fee to the WWOOF
organisation of a country (in India,
it’s $25 for foreign citizens and Rs
1,125 for Indians) for a subscription
that comes with a booklet with a
list of organic farms volunteers can
choose from.
ARTICLE
T
LIVE AND LEARN
ON ORGANIC
FARMS WHILE
YOU TRAVEL

ARTICLE
“This arrangement is beneficial
to both hosts and volunteers. The
volunteers can work anywhere.
They can also choose the kind of
work they would like to do and the
duration of it.
The farmers, on the other
hand, get help tending their
farms, composting, running
the machines, and so on,” says
Tewari, adding that WWOOF India
focuses on sustainable livelihoods,
promoting cultural understanding
and community mobilisation
around organic farming activities.
Some volunteers with WWOOF
India donate street lights, pumps
and benches to the villages where
they go to stay, while others help
with the maintenance work for
hosts with eco-resorts and farms.
Some have even helped in
selling their hosts’ organic products
while others have volunteered
to teach English at the village
schools.
Even as WWOOFing has become
a popular way for discerning
travellers to see countries, its
core aim remains generating an
understanding of sustainable
agricultural practices.
Towards this aim, WWOOF India
has set up four WWOOF Global
Villages (WGV) in India that are
research centres on organic
farming and climate change
adaptability. The first WGV is in
the village of Surajpura, near the
world famous Khajuraho temples
of Madhya Pradesh.
By 2020, WWOOF plans to
expand its organic farming
operations to 25,000 acres by
including 1000 organic farms that
would place more than 5000
volunteers and 200 interns in
various projects.
By bringing together hosts and
volunteers, WWOOF has been
building bridges between cultures
where people learn about more
sustainable ways of living from
each other and make a healthier
world. It gives volunteers firsthand
experience of ecologically sound
growing methods, life in the
countryside, and a chance to
meet, talk, learn and exchange
views with like-minded people.
As a regular WWOOFer says, “For
a city-dweller, working on land
helps you get ‘closer to your plate’
and understand what goes into
the food you eat everyday. It’s an
enriching experience.”
www.wwoofindia.org

ARTICLE
ayanad, a tourist
paradise, is home to
a large number of
adivasis or indigenous
tribal people. The adivasis have
lived in these hills for at least the
last 300 years. But over the years,
greedy landlords in the area have
often subjugated them and used
them as bonded labour. They
were even sold as labourers to tea
plantations. When this exploitation
came to the notice of the
government, a rescue operation
was started and the tribal people
liberated. The authorities were
farsighted enough to conceive of
a livelihood opportunity for these
people.
Priyadarshini Tea Estate,
eponymous of the then Prime
Minister (1980s), was founded as
a co-operative to rehabilitate the
indigenous tribes by giving them
shelter and employment. Set up
with the purpose of supporting the
adivasis, Priyadarshini was never
about profits. The tribal people
found a safe haven as workers
of the tea plantation. Elected
tribal people were part of the
estate’s board to empower them
in participative governance. But,
the initial welfare momentum
did not last long. Corruption
and mismanagement plagued
Priyadarshini. The estate saw
several strikes and lockouts for
prolonged periods, and once
again misery befell the lives of the
tribal people. With no work and no
income, the worker families started
going hungry. They resorted to
tobacco chewing, not as much
for intoxication as for suppressing
hunger. As late as 2005/06, people
were dying due to starvation
and there were suicides too. This
humanitarian crisis sent chills down
the spine of Keralites.
The government intervened
again. A new IAS officer, Prasanth
Nair, fresh from his IAS training,
took charge as Managing Director,
Priyadarshini Tea Estate, in 2009.
The young officer was
determined to do his best to
change the lives of the tribal
workers for the better. He dug out
details about the history of the
estate, the accounts and other
minute details to understand the
problems plaguing Priyadarshini.
Of the many complex issues he
unearthed, there was a particular
one that caught his eye—the
medical reimbursement expenses
of the estate were extremely high.
“People were falling sick rampantly
and most of them suffered from
malnutrition. It was food that
was at the core of the problem.
I realized that the workers were
toiling at the plantation, morning
till evening, without getting proper
food to eat,” says Prasanth Nair.
Nair wanted to make nutritious
food available to the workers.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN A TEA
ESTATE BUNGALOW SAVED INDIGENOUS
TRIBES FROM STARVATION
W

ARTICLE
But there was no budget for it nor
could he expect the workers to
pay for it. Food had to be provided
free of cost. He scoured for ideas
and his eureka moment came
when he hit upon the idea of
connecting tribal well-being with
tourism.
Wayand is a charming hill
station on the Western Ghats
and there was a huge demand
for accommodation facilities for
tourists. There is a bungalow on
the Priyadarshini estate, which was
built for its Managing Director. But
neither Nair nor his predecessor
had ever used the bungalow since
they had their sub-collector’s
residence. Essentially, the
bungalow was unused. “Why not
convert this building into a tourist
resort?” was Nair’s game changing
idea.
He proposed this to the
administrative officers of
Priyadarshini and they were
thrilled. Together, they decided
to make Priyadarshini a tea
plantation resort, christening
the resort ‘Wayand County’. The
bungalow had just four rooms,
but the building and the 400
acre tea estate carried their own
unmatched charm.
The team readied the bungalow
and the estate to host tourists. A
few tribal youngsters were trained
to become guides. Some were
even sent far down the hills to learn
to become chefs.
A trekking route was mapped
out and an enchanting viewpoint
identified. They called the
viewpoint ‘Vishwas’, as a symbol
of belief and hope for the people.
Slowly, tourists started coming in
and Wayanad County became a
much sought-after resort.
The success of the resort was
more about the tribal people than
of tourism. Nair and his team had
decided on and even formulated
a policy at Priyadarshini that all
the money from Wayanad County
would be used to provide meals
for the workers. Initially, the food
was the simple traditional kanji and
payar gruel and green gram, but
the change was tremendous.
Malnutrition and illnesses
dropped within just three months,
and so did Priyadarshini’s
expenditure on medical
reimbursements.
“Linking tourism to tribal welfare
was not easy. It was even seen
with suspicion by many. We did the
impossible by linking it with daily
food which everyone could easily
relate to. The workers did not have
to worry about hunger anymore.
Their faces gleamed and their
sense of relief was palpable. What
food can do, probably nothing
else can,” says Nair. The then
Secretary of the estate, Babu
Rajendran, says “Providing food
for the workers has been the most
satisfying work I have ever done in
my career. I saw the transformation
that the people went through
from starvation and malnutrition
to having a satisfying meal every
day.”
To everyone’s delight, the tea
production at Priyadarshini too
peaked during this time. From
annual tea production of 6 lakh
kilos, the numbers surged to
14 lakh kilos. Never before had
Priyadarshini seen such high output
levels.
Prasanth Nair and his team
also built new houses for the
workers, getting rid of the earlier
dilapidated shelters. Bank
accounts were opened for every
worker. Wayanad Tea County
added more rooms and brought
in more tourists throughout the
year. On the whole, there was
good food, good homes and
happy hearts in Priyadarshini. And
then, it was time for Prasanth Nair
to leave.
Prasanth Nair was there only for
two years but his work changed
the course of Priyadarshini’s
destiny. One old tribal woman
poignantly asked him, “Will they
stop our food if you leave?”
Thankfully no, Priyadarshini
continues to provide free meals
for its 300 workers. The new Sub-
Collector, Sambasiva Rao IAS,
is now leading a new wave of
change in Priyadarshini. The
Priyadarshini Tea Factory, which
had shut down many years ago,
has started functioning again.
Efforts are under way to help
the next generation of the tribal
community find more lucrative
jobs than what the estate can
provide. Plans are also ongoing
to add newer revenue areas like
adventure tourism.
“So if you plan a trip to
Wayanad, you might want to
consider staying at Wayanad
County. What you spend as a
tourist will feed over 300 people,”
says Prasanth Nair, who deeply
cherishes his tenure at Priydarshini
Tea Estate.
Nair carried forward his
experience at Priyadarshini to
Kozhikode where he now serves as
the district collector, and initiated
Operation Sulaimani, a much
appreciated free meal coupon
scheme that ensures no one goes
hungry in the city.

agru is known for natural
dyes and hand block
printing. Bagru is the
place of Raiger and
Chhipa community (Rajasthan,
Western India). Chhipa community
people who are involved in this
printing tradition since 100 years
ago and also Raiger community
people are involved in processing
and manufacturing of leather
and their products (like boots,
mochdi, Rajasthani jhutee and
other leather goods). The Raiger
community export raw leather
(semi processed) to big leather
companies and also sell in local
market (Hatwara, Jaipur).
Bagru is also known for Natural
dyeing, Indigo Dyeing and
Wooden hand Block Printing over
textile articles. Bagru is a small
village, located at a distance of
30 km from Jaipur, on Jaipur-Ajmer
Road.
The village town of Bagru is not
popular for any palace or fort, but
for its typical wooden prints. These
prints of Bagru are acclaimed all
over India and are particularly
known as Bagru prints. The prints
of Bagru, unlike other prints,
involve a different kind of printing.
The unique method for printing
employs wooden block in it. In
the process, the desired design is
engraved on the wooden block
first and then the carved block is
used for replicating the design in
the preferred color on the fabric.
Chippa Mohalla (printer’s quarter)
is the area for those who are
interested in textile printing. One
can walk into the quarter, where
people are always engrossed with
dyes and blocks.
The three-centuries-old tradition
of block printing is kept alive
with the efforts of Bagru artisans.
Keeping the convention, these
artisans smear the cloth with
Fuller’s earth procured from the
riverside and then dip it in turmeric
water to get the habitual cream
color background. After that, they
stamp the cloth with beautiful
designs using natural dyes of
earthly shades.
As a matter of fact, Bagru
prints are more famous for their
exceptional quality of being
eco-friendly. Even today, artisans
use traditional vegetable dyes
for printing the cloth. Like, the
color blue is made from indigo,
greens out of indigo mixed with
pomegranate, red from madder
root and yellow from turmeric.
Usually Bagru prints have ethnic
floral patterns in natural colors.
Bagru prints form the essential part
of the block printing industry of
Rajasthan. The village fabricates
some of the fabulous bed covers
and other materials.
The brilliance of the craft
has located this small village of
Bagru near Jaipur on the map of
International fashion. Rajasthan
block printing recognition gets
complete, with the amalgamation
of Bagru printing in it. The village
of Bagru will be definitely a treat
for craft lovers and one must
visit the place to acknowledge
the tradition of former centuries.
Bagru prints have already marked
their name in the fashion industry.
For those who are crazy about
textile printing or wooden or block
printing, this craft centre is one
which is worth exploring.
ARTICLE
B
BLOCK PRINTING IN BAGRU—ANCIENT
TRADITIONS OF PRINTING STILL KEPT ALIVE!

ARTICLE
alap is a small village
with a population of
around 500 people,
located 200 kms from
Dehradun (Himalayan state of
Uttarakhand, North India) in the
Tons river valley.
The nearest road is an 11 km trek
away, in Netwar. It takes about
five hours of trekking in winters and
about eight hours in summers to
reach Kalap from Netwar. Lack of
connectivity meant that the village
lacked electricity, education and
basic medical facilities until 2013
when Anand Sankar decided to
adopt it and change the lives of
the people for the better. Anand
Sankar, the founder of the Kalap
Trust—the man who brought social
inclusiveness to the otherwise
forgotten village and its people.
Visiting Kalap is like stepping
back in time—with traditional
wooden houses, cattle and sheep
in every household, and smoke
curling up above the roof tops. The
former photo-journalist, originally
from Bengaluru (a metropolitan
city in southern state of Karnatka)
first visited the village in 2008. The
untouched beauty of the place
and the simple people struck
a chord with him. He ended
up making subsequent visits
and eventually fell in love with
everything there.
But the more he visited Kalap,
the more he realized how socially
isolated the village was. On one
of his trips he met an old woman
suffering with high fever. He gave
her a paracetamol and when the
fever came down, she literally fell
at his feet.
He then got to know that no
doctor had ever visited Kalap,
realizing that the many things
taken for granted by city dwellers,
are hard to come by in Kalap. He
arranged for visiting doctors and
set up the first ever health camp
in Kalap in 2014. It was disturbing
to know that many villagers were
diagnosed with tuberculosis during
the health camp.
That’s when Anand decided
to do something more long term
to improve the lives of people
there. He set up the Kalap Trust
in September 2014. And a lot has
changed for good since then.
A free clinic has been set up to
deal with two chronic health
issues affecting most people
there– tuberculosis and nutritional
disorders. The clinic’s focus is
on the vulnerable population –
children, pregnant women and the
elderly.
A doctor, Dr. Nandana Acharjee,
MBBS, has been appointed full
time on a salary by the Trust. She
has also trained two local women
as her assistants who help her run
the clinic. Apart from treatment,
even preventive measures like
spreading awareness about
K
SUSTAINABLE LIVING AND
TOURISM IMPLEMENTED BY
ONE MAN TO IMPROVE LIVES

ARTICLE
hygiene, cleanliness, nutrition, etc.
are provided to the villagers. The
doctor also travels once a month
to the nearby villages to conduct
checkups and health camps.
The Trust has installed specialized
equipment at the clinic, The
Trust dispenses medicines free
of cost, which has been a boon
to the villagers, since monetary
transactions are minimal in Kalap
where the barter system is still
prevalent.
The second most important
project taken up by the Kalap
Trust is education. The only barely
running government school
was totally neglected bereft
of teachers. The Trust set up a
Montessori-cum-primary ‘after
school’ in the village.
The purpose of this initiative is
to assess the gaps in government
education system and fill them.
The school runs every day after
regular school hours and full-time
on holidays and during vacations.
One of the most important things
it imparts is English language
training, which prepares the
children to adjust easily to an
English medium school later in their
academic life. Another emphasis
is on nature interpretation, outdoor
experiential education, basic
science and math education.
There are English classes
for adults in the late evening.
The school, like the clinic, is
entirely crowdfunded! To know
more about how to sponsor the
school, you can send an email to
getintouch@kalaptrust.org. The
lack of electrification in Kalap is a
serious infrastructure challenge.
Though the village is connected
to the power grid, the power line is
too weak to serve the community’s
needs. For months together, the
line remains non-functional due
the terrain and harsh weather
conditions. To solve this energy
crisis, Kalap Trust has partnered
with M/s E-Hands Energy Private
Limited with a long term MoU to
deploy a renewable energy mini-
grid for the village.
Since the village’s geographical
orientation is south-facing, it is
greatly conducive for solar projects
because it enjoys the maximum
amount of sunlight time at any
given time in the year. Added to
this is its location at the height of
7,800 feet above sea level, where
sunlight is strong with few days of
total cloud cover. The solar grid
project is structured in the form of a
Village Electricity Company (VEC)
called ‘M/s Kalap Solar Power’,
which is entirely owned and run by
two local youth from the village.
The villagers pay for the electricity
consumed. A long tenure soft loan
was taken to finance the mini-grid
and the loan is repaid from the
monthly payments collected from
the homes that avail of this service.
Currently, 23 homes have been
electrified since June 30, 2105 by
‘M/s Kalap Solar Power’ which
operates a 1 kW grid.
Charging of mobile phones has
enabled access to information
from across the world thus ending
the social isolation of the village.
As travellers it was a relief to
charge our phones and camera
batteries in the home-stay.
Being nestled in the Garhwal
Himalayas, Kalap has many
trekking and hiking routes offering
splendid views of the mountains.
These routes pass through quaint
villages, virgin forests, gurgling
mountain streams and alpine
meadows. Anand has started a
community tourism programme,
which generates gainful
employment for the local people.
Local men and women have
been trained as mountain guides
and perform other activities on a
campsite like cooking, taking care
of guests, etc. Rooms in village
homes are used as homestays. This
project began in June 2013 and
has been running successfully.
Visitors get to experience the local
culture, interact with the village
people, sample local cuisine and
explore the beautiful surroundings.
There are itineraries designed to
suit different people: http://www.
kalap.in/
Another important project
taken up by Anand is to spread
awareness about the importance
of sanitation. The village people
perform their morning ablutions
out in the open just outside
the village. Not only does that
spread diseases but also ruins the
beauty of the place. He has been
encouraging people to construct
toilets. In 2013, there were just two
toilets in the village of 100 homes.
Today, there are 25 toilets.
Using sustainable tourism,
Kalap’s projects can benefit more
and directly contribute to more
initiatives in the village.

COMMUNITY ACTION TO REVIVE 200
ACRES OF DEFORESTED LAND
unique understanding
of historical, cultural
and causal points
ensure that voluntary
action by citizens lasts longer than
government initiatives.
One such example is a Grow-
Trees’ project at the periphery of
the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar,
Rajasthan.
The areas adjoining the forest
are largely undeveloped and
inhabitated by tribal communities
like Bhil, Meena and Gujjar.
These areas, known as ‘Orans’
or ‘Devbani’ in local parlance, are
spread over 100 thousand hectare
of land in Rajasthan. These lands
are managed and maintained by
local communities.
Communities in Alwar recognise
the Orans as a source of water,
food, fodder, fuel and medicines.
They are the only surviving
area of mature woodland in
otherwise bare surroundings
and provide refuge for wildlife.
Slow deforestation over the years,
however, have left the Orans a
shadow of their former, lush selves.
Several factors have contributed
to the deforestation and
degradation of the Orans.
Years ago, saints and learned
men used medicinal plants and
herbs to treat the sick. This ensured
that these plants were planted
in abundance and were well-
maintained.
However, changing lifestyles
and changing medicinal practices
in rural areas have resulted in a
sharp decline in the number of
these medicinal trees. The situation
has further been exacerbated by
the lack of rainfall in the area.
Rainfall is crucial for the grass
to grow and for the water table to
replenish itself. Lack of rainfall has,
therefore, transformed the nature
of soil from semi-arid to arid in the
last few years.
KRAPAVIS, a NGO headed by
biologist Aman Singh, stepped
forward to take on the revival
of the Orans. In two decades,
the organisation has done
commendable work that has been
recognised internationally.
Grow-Trees tied up with
KRAPAVIS in the year 2011.
The two organisations have since
planted more than 20 million trees
in the Orans....
A
Read the whole story in the CD
ARTICLE

nil is a PhD scholar in
tourism. He came out
with a very enterprising
idea to involve
communities in the Buddhist
nations to start a community
based festival of plantation—the
Roaming Buddha Plantation
Festival.
Anil works in close conjunction
with local governments and gets a
piece of land allocated.
Then he moves in the villages
and mobilizes communities to join
hands and come together once a
year for a mega plantation festival.
The villagers are then
encouraged to adopt each
sapling giving it their family name.
This way it leads to care and
sustainance of the tree.
Already successfully launched
festivals are running across several
states (provinces) in India. Assam
being the first.
In the recently concluded
International Buddhist Conclave
- 2016 on 6 October at Venu
Van, Rajgir, Bihar, 39 Countries
participated in the Plantation
Festival (1000 saplings each)
including India and planted
Buddha belly bamboo saplings
in the Bamboo Grove / Venu
Van where Buddha himself
lived for 14 years. Countries
including Australia, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Cambodia, China, etc.
participated
Anil is always on the move,
lending ideas to several
government departments and
forest officials on sustainable
tourism, afforestation projects.
He mostly works alone with no
office support. “I spend most of
my time in trains or buses travelling
from one place to the other” he
says gleefully.
Very soon he is keen on
integrating community based
tourism with his festivals.
Anil is looking to provide full
assistance to other countries to
join in to organise a similar festival
annually during the rainy season.
ROAMING BUDDHA
PLANTATION FESTIVAL
Why Roaming Buddha Festival?
1. Reason 1 : Gautama, The
Buddha’s Life is full of Trees and
Nature:
• Birth is under in sal tree
(Shorea robusta) in Lumbini
Garden.
• Enlightenment is under the
sacred fig tree (Ficus religiosa).
• First sermon is in Mrigadava /
Deer Park, Sarnath.
• Attained parinirvana under
sal tree (Shorea robusta).
• Spent his life in Gardens /
Nature with his disciples.
Reason 2 : Gifts Heartily
Accepted by Buddha - Gardens/
Vana..!! Buddha whole heartily
used to accept the Gardens as
the most preferred gift from his
disciples. He used to reside in
them with his disciples. During his
life, he accepted three gardens
and resided in them. There after
many kings offered Gardens /
Aaramas for Buddhism.
• Venu Van, Rajgir is one of
such park offered to Buddha
by Raja Bimbisara. Here he
stayed for 5 vassas—14 years.
• Jetavana Anathapindika’s
Garden, Savatthi—accepted
from Anathapindika & Spent
19 vassas.
• Ambavana, Vaishali—
accepted from Ambapali.
The best way to please
Buddha is not to offer him
riches but plantation, offer
him Vana / gardens by not
ignoring any rainy season.
Reason 3 : Vanaropan Sutta
(Tripitaka)
Buddha said : They who plant
orchards and gardens, who
plant groves are those whom
merit grows day by day and by
night. They are the people that
are established in the Dhamma.
A
ARTICLE
ANIL KUMAR GADE

aziranga National Park
(North Eastern state
of India, Assam) is a
UNESCO World Heritage
site and home to more than
two-thirds of the world’s rhino
population.
Unfortunately, the devastating
floods caused by heavy rains in
Assam during July and August had
a huge unforeseen impact on the
animals living in the national park.
At least 250 animals perished in
the floods, including 20 rhinos.
However, there are some people
working with dedication towards
the conservation of animals in
Kaziranga. The Center for Wildlife
Rehabilitation and Conservation
(CWRC) was established in 2002
by the Wildlife Trust of India in
Kaziranga to attend to a range of
wildlife-related emergencies.
Located in Bojuri village, next
to the Kaziranga National Park,
CWRC aims to stabilise displaced
animals and provide them with
expert medical attention.
After the treatment, they work
on releasing the displaced animals
back into the wild, as close to the
site from where they were rescued.
Four Mobile Veterinary Services
were deployed by the CWRC in
July and August to run round-the-
clock rescue efforts and provide
aid to stranded, displaced or
distressed animals in parts of the
Park that had been completely
inundated by the floods.
Kaziranga National Park is
bordered by the Brahmaputra
river on the north. Whenever the
river overflows, the plains get
flooded and cause a large-scale
displacement of the animals. The
animals have no place to seek
refuge because the man-made
highlands get washed away during
heavy flooding. If the animals
want to head out of the sanctuary
in order to save their lives, they
become victims of road accidents
due to vehicles that speed past
along NH 37.
But the large influx of animals
being admitted to the nurseries
for rehabilitation purposes has led
to the shelters overflowing and
resources being stretched to their
limits.
CWRC needs your help because
they are in desperate need of
funds to support their animal
rescue program. http://wti.org.in/
ProjectsDetails.aspx?ProjId=55
K
THE ORGANISATION THAT WORKED TO
RESCUE FLOOD AFFECTED ANIMALS
ARTICLE

ive years ago, when Isam
Wani and his brothers
Yasub and Minam
introduced the European
concept of glamour camping
around the nestled mountains
of Sonamarg, it was something
unwelcome as people did not
understand its importance.
But as 2016 marks its sixth year,
the three brothers have been
successful in giving a push to the
struggling ecotourism in the Valley.
“We used to travel in winter
months to different European and
Arab countries and brought this
idea from there. Initially, it was
challenging as people did not
understand its importance. It is
going very well now,” says Isam
Wani (28), the owner of Ahsan
Mount Resorts in Sonamarg, (http://
www.ahsanmountresort.com/)
which is a small tented colony
overlooking the beautiful river
Sindh. The multi-layer insulated
tents carry a perfect setting for an
adventure traveller.
One can get the view of snow-
capped mountains and pine trees
which are aligned as if in a queue
while just lying in the bed.
The continuous breeze and
humming of bees make the use
of an air-conditioner irrelevant in
summer.
The resort and its modified
insulated safari tents is the first-
of-its-kind eco-resort in Kashmir
located at Sonamarg. As the
concept of luxurious tents got
widely accepted by tourists visiting
the Valley, many young people are
finding the opportunity useful for
investment.
“The resort carefully combines
luxury accommodation with
environmentally conscious
practices without sacrificing
comfort or convenience. The idea
was to give a boost to tourism in
the Valley. We were the first to start,
but many people have joined in
now to take forward the same
thing,” says Isam, who is a MBA
from the University of Kashmir.
Nestled in the midst of pine trees
and green crystal waters of the
Sindh, the place is perfect to relax
in a landscape with panoramic
views of mountains and glaciers.
“The camp is an ideal getaway
for outdoor enthusiasts, families,
couples and those looking to
escape the hustle and bustle of
everyday life and reconnect with
nature. All our luxury tents are
equipped with modern amenities,
providing the perfect setting from
which to watch the glorious scenic
beauty of Sonamarg,” says Isam,
who is planning to extend his
business to the famous destinations
of Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
The concept has been praised
by visitors, from top industrialists
of the country to bigwigs of
Bollywood. People have loved to
prefer to stay in the luxurious tent
than a seven-star hotel.
YOUNG MINDS GIVE
BOOST TO ECOTOURISM
IN VALLEY
ARTICLE
F

SUSTAINABLE TOURS
VISIT REMOTE VILLAGES IN THE
HIMALAYAN RANGE, SET UP SOLAR
PANELS, UPGRADE SCHOOLS AND
MORE...
The GHE expedition team has
created a tangible impact in the
lives of people in Ladakh. From
running a school with all modern
amenities, to generating self
sufficiency in electricy with solar
panels...
State: Jammu & Kashmir
LEARN ANCIENT ART OF WEAVING
AND MEET THE ARTISANS...
Avani works with over 1,100
artisans in 101 villages of two
districts. What starts as a training
process becomes the way of life
for the people who end up being
closely associated with Avani.
State: Uttarakhand
CHAMBAL SAFARI
The Chambal Safari is an attempt
to acquaint visitors with a land
that has retained its unique
landscapes, rugged charm and
rare wildlife.
State: Uttar Pradesh
PABU KI DHANI
The eco village comprises
some dried mud huts made by
local techniques which can
accommodate travelers looking
for authentic experiences.
Travelers find themselves involved
in the daily lives of this community
called Bhil, descendants of the
people of the Thar Desert in
Rajasthan.
State: Rajasthan
CHHOTARAM PRAJAPAT’S
HOMESTAY
Established in 2009, Chhotaram
Prajapat’s Homestay holds the
reputation of being one of the
first Homestay near Jodhpur.
Prajapatis are the weaver class.
The home stay is located on the
outskirts of Jodhpur in the village
Salawas which is just 20 kms from
city centre.
State: Rajasthan
ANIMAL AID UNLIMITED (ANIMAL
RESCUE FOUNDATION)
Welcome to Animal Aid Unlimited,
an animal rescue, sanctuary, and
rehabilitation center. You can
feed animals, wash them, nurture
them with your hands and get very
connected to loving people from
the West (the founders)...
State: Rajasthan
DEVRA HOSPITALITY (UDAIPUR)
A barren land, 2 committed
people from principalities of the
oldest serving dynasties of the
world, Mewar and Marwar with a
fervour to take forward the legacy
of long history and culture and 22
years of hard work, today, Devra
Hospitality is located in a land with
plenty of green cover.
State: Rajasthan
NIRVANA ORGANIC FARM
Arvind’s organic farm is nothing
short of an oasis. You can help till
the land and harvest the crops,
look after the cattle, stretch out
on a khatiya (cot) to watch birds,
take a cooking lesson on an
open-air chulha (clay stove), and
indulge in delicious farm-grown
food.
State: Rajasthan
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM USING
DESERT NATIONAL PARK
To promote tourism and eco-
tourism in Jaisalmer, eco-tourism
has been started, which will
increase tourist flow and villages
associated with the DNP will also
be developed. Apart from this,
youth will get employment and
there will be an atmosphere of
friendship.
State: Rajasthan
THE MOUNTAIN SHEPHERDS
INITIATIVE
A community-owned and
operated ecotourism company
that grew out of the famous
Nanda Devi Campaign for cultural
survival and sustainable livelihoods.
State: Uttarakhand
THIS YOUNG TEAM IS ENABLING
TOURISTS TO TURN INTO CHANGE
MAKERS IN THE HIMALAYAS
Avail an opportunity to meet the
villagers and work for community
good with these young group of
travel enthusiasts...
State: Himachal Pradesh
HIMALAYAN ADVENTURE
SPORTS & TOURISM PROMOTION
ASSOCIATION (HASTPA)
Get on to adventurous biking tourthat creates a positive impact
not only on the environment but
also on the lives of villagers in the
Himalayas with HASTPA.
State: Himachal Pradesh
NORTH INDIA
WEST INDIA

EAST INDIASOUTH INDIA
WELLNESS CIRCUIT IN GUJARAT
TOURISM TO ENCOURAGE
CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED
TURTLES
Participate in the Olive Riddley
Turtles conservation program.
If you are not able to, take a
look at the Kindness Farm (over
thousands of animals are rescued
and rehabilitated)...
State: Andhra Pradesh
JAIPUR RUGS: A GARGANTUAN
FEAT OF LOGISTICAL FINESSE
Jaipur Rugs Company launched
a simple business model, cut out
the exploitative middlemen who
paid so little for the weavers’ rugs
and thereby give the weavers
a greater share of rug industry
earnings.
State: Rajasthan
CULTURE AANGAN HOMESTAYS
Culture Aangan is a social
enterprise dedicated to promoting
sustainable rural tourism and
supporting grass root development
projects. Their focus is on both
conserving and celebrating
cultural traditions, to help stem
the migration to the cities. They
bring traditional Indian culture
to travelers, so that they can
experience rural India, off the
beaten track but with homely
comforts.
State: Maharashtra, Rajasthan
RESPONSIBLE RURAL TOUR BY
CHANDRA NIWAS
For those of you seeking to escape
the hustle and bustle of the city
and see the “real” Rajasthan,
we welcome you to explore the
beautiful unspoiled countryside
and rural villages surrounding
Udaipur.
This tour includes a number of
activities and provides a refreshing
relief from the hassles and crowds
of the city, while enabling you to
learn about traditional village life
and culture.
State: Rajasthan
SHILPGRAM - THE CRAFT VILLAGE
Situated 3 kms west of Udaipur
near the Havala village is
Shilpgram - the Rural Arts and
Crafts Complex.
State: Rajasthan
THE GREEN PATH ECO RESORT
A man with a fiery vision, to bring
radical changes in the quality of
food we eat, our lifestyle and our
thinking!
Meet Mr. Jayaram, the simple
farmer as he calls himself, who is
singlehandedly responsible for this
change!
State: Karnataka
BANGLANATAK DOT COM
Bangla Natak.com is a social
enterprise that was incepted with
the vision to utilize underlying
potential of intangible cultural
heritage of Indians providing
livelihood oppourtunities to rural
and tribal communities rich in
oral traditions, performing arts,
traditional craftsmanship, but
lacking formal education.
State: West Bengal
WEST INDIA
NATUROPATHY CENTRES IN GUJARAT
• Bajaj Nature Cure Hospital
• Mission Health
• Navjivan Nature Cure Centre
• Nimba Nature Cure Village
• Nisargopachar Kendra
• Ratanveer Nature Cure
• Sarva Mangal Arogyadhan
• Shankus Natural Health Centre
• Shivashram Natural Health Centre
• Swas Naturopathy
• V.A.M. Nature Cure Hospital
• Vaatrika Lotuspond NaturopathyGoogle map has been used. Please note that this list is not the complete list. For more details
please contact info@gujarattourism.com

Responsibly & Sustainably
TM

Over a thousand species are facing extinction, many art forms/folklore are
languishing, age old practices and traditions that need preservation and
encouragement are now being looked at as “old fashion”. To keep sustenance,
preservation and conservation, a lot of efforts are required. Most of these efforts
go unnoticed, they don’t get the deserved attention or financial support. And
many such projects close down over a period of time.
Travel Responsibly & Sustainably is a consortium that maps such projects from
developing nations, creates integrated circuits, promotes them using various
avenues of sales and marketing. We hope that with tourists’ visits to such projects,
will enable them to a better understanding of such projects and create more
avenues for revenue generation for those working at the grass root level.
We also are sensitizing potential travelers, specially, well placed business executives
to reach out to such projects by way of roadshows and personalized mails.
We also look forward to your suggestions and comments/feedback. We invite
your articles, expert opinions. We have a section specially reserved for Industry
Leaders. Our email address is editor@travelresponsibly.info
Some of the stories that have been encapsulated earlier, are available in the CD
accompanying this booklet and also in our website, www.travelresponsibly.info
Brought to you by www.travelresponsibly.info
Travel Responsibly & Sustainably

Ayurveda Tourism in Gujarat

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