Meet the Mahindra Homestays blog contributors:
Japa India Office
Interests
Cricket, travelling to places off the beaten track and reading and discussing intelligence reports on various developments around the world.
Place
Has to be isolated high mountain passes and valleys in the Himalayas.
Food
Kakori kabab – meat can actually be silken! Also Jaldi chicken – my wife’s specialty.
Tip
Learn to absorb India as it comes and you will never have a dull moment.
Why Homestay?
In a Homestay your holiday does not end when you return to your room at the end of the day, but the discovery truly begins.
Sadhvika India Office
Interests
Reading, Travelling, Sleeping, Cooking and Eating. Retail and service industry fascinates me, which is why I’m in Marketing.
Place
Bhutan with a Buddhist Monastery with a 10 day meditation retreat in absolute silence. Lots of Introspection.
Food
Mom’s Avial, Paati’s Sevai, Dad’s Poori Aloo, Brother’s Sambar Rice, My kootu, Sweet Pongal, Welcome Hotel Parota Kurma, Vada Pav, Jaipur Gondh ke laddoo, Kerala Pradhaman, Chettiar Paniyaaram, Kheer, Ras Malai, Kaju Katli, Pasta at Amethyst, Ice cream at Movenpick, Chocolate Mousse from French loaf, Pav Bhaaji from Sowcarpet, Pani Poori from Bombay, Grandmom’s Gajar ka Halwa, and Curd Rice with Vatta Kozhambu especially when mom feeds me with her hands (did you know that our hands have a flavor of their own, and when moms feed us, the food tastes different)
Tip
Leave behind all the prejudices, thoughts and images you have of a place before you go visit it. Step in and see how refreshing and surprisingly different the experience is.
Why Homestay?
Whats with all the sanitized environments we crave? Whats what all the gadgets, gizmos and contraptions that need to be there to spell luxury? What can be more rich than going back to nature? What can be more complete than touching culture first hand? Homestays are for those who dont have to do the deja vu… who wants to see whatever you have read in the guidebook anyway? see something more.. something you never read….
Luke Europe Office
Interests
Running, digital media, travel
Place
Rajasthan. Love the palaces and forts, particularly in Udaipur. Plus being able to walk out of Pushkar and into the desert.
Food
Thali – a little bit of everything! Also partial to sag aloo.
Tip
Don’t try and cover too much, too quickly. Pick one area and invest your time enjoying and exploring it in full.
Why Homestay?
The experience you get from staying in a real India home has immeasurable value. If you are not traveling to get new insight and adventure, why are you traveling at all?
