Uttarkashi's Matholi village emerges as symbol of women empowerment
Uttarkashi's Matholi village emerges as symbol of women empowerment
Dehradun, Uttarkashi district's Matholi village has become a symbol of women empowerment and rural tourism as women are providing hospitality to tourists through homestays and taking them on village tours.
The women of Matholi village in the Chinyalisaur block have transformed their village into a new tourist destination with their warm hospitality and skills.
From managing homestays to conducting village tours, everything is being handled by women.
The credit for turning Matholi from a regular mountain village into a tourist hotspot goes to a young local Pradeep Panwar who had to return to his village during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Using his prior experience in the tourism sector to his advantage, Panwar converted his nearby cowshed into a homestay and opened it for tourists.
At the same time, he trained local women in hospitality, cooking, trekking and village tours.
He also branded the village as "Bwari Village" to spread the message of women empowerment far and wide. Bwari in local dialect means daughter-in-law.
Additionally, through events like the "Ghasyari Competition", he introduced tourists to unique aspects of village life that have been widely appreciated.
More women in the village are now coming forward to convert their own 'chhanis' into homestays, Anita Panwar a resident of the village said.
Pradeep 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 it, providing employment to around 20 women from time to time.
"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," Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said.
Currently, 5,331 homestays are registered with the tourism department, most of which are run by women in the rural areas.
Under the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Homestay Scheme, the government provides a subsidy of up to 25 per cent in the plains and up to 33 per cent in the hilly areas for the cost of setting up a homestay.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
