A serene and magical white blanket now envelops our liked iciness holiday spot—Manali. The snow, which is now knee-deep in maximum portions of the town, gives the iciness satisfaction now we have all been eagerly expecting.
Even though a bit of later than same old, the town now ornaments a pristine white iciness glow, best for attractive you for a weekend getaway. Only a brief stroll from the well-known Hadimba Temple lies a assets that can change into your own home clear of domestic.
Afsana Homestay, a 50-year-old dust domestic, takes the ‘domestic’ phase very severely. Impressed via conventional Himachali houses and the tradition they embrace, this homestay gives a lot more than simply lodging.
Heena Mahant, the founding father of the homestay, instructed The Higher India, “The homestay is greater than only a position to stick. It’s an enjoy I sought after to percentage with everybody—the enjoy of dwelling in a real Himachali domestic, secluded from the bustling town whilst being nestled between a wooded area and an apple orchard.”
Heena’s Homecoming
Born and raised in Kullu, Heena recollects visiting her grandma’s domestic as her kid. Again then, she used to be now not conscious that that domestic would sooner or later change into her inspiration.
Like most children, Heena grew out of her easy pahadi lifestyles and moved to Chandigarh. “After finishing my commencement and MBA, I began to reside within the town and labored for just about 12 years running as a virtual marketer,” she says.
Then again, whilst she beloved her occupation, Heena’s middle belonged again domestic. In 2020, she fell in poor health and made up our minds to go back domestic. “I had installed numerous arduous paintings for a decade and sought after to concentrate on my well being for some time,” she says.
Returning domestic, she realised that she sought after to create one thing of her personal in Manali.
“Numerous my buddies owned homestays and I used to be freelancing and serving to them marketplace their homestay. It used to be the primary time the speculation of proudly owning my homestay got here to me,” she says.
“Then again, it used to be my grandmother’s heat and comfortable domestic that changed into my inspiration,” she provides.
Being in Manali introduced again recollections of Heena’s candy formative years, and she or he yearned to recreate one thing identical. “My grandmother’s domestic used to be so unique, so comfortable, and immersed in nature. It presented an enjoy that used to be actually distinctive. I sought after to recreate that magic,” she says.
With a transparent path in thoughts, Heena wanted a forged plan. “I made up our minds to proceed freelancing whilst concurrently looking for homes and travelling to seek out the very best domestic,” she says. It took a yr of looking prior to Heena in spite of everything discovered the very best assets.
When Heena laid eyes at the 50-year-old domestic that may change into Afsana Homestay, it used to be love in the beginning sight. “It used to be as though all my visions for the homestay got here to lifestyles. The home, part a century outdated, used to be built with herbal fabrics like picket, dust, and stone. All renovations had been performed the use of the similar fabrics,” she says.
Nestled amidst an apple orchard and dense wooded area, the home used to be secluded and embraced via nature. “It used to be best in each and every sense,” she provides.
Heena made up our minds to buy the house and make it her interest venture. “No person in my circle of relatives had ever been on this industry,” she provides.
Recalling her folks’ preliminary response to her choice to start out a homestay, she says, “I nonetheless bear in mind my dad’s scepticism. There used to be all the time drive to get married and relax when I used to be in Chandigarh, however upon returning, it intensified much more. I don’t blame them; I’m nearing 32, an age society expects you to get married and “relax”, now not get started a zeal venture.”
“However quickly sufficient, my circle of relatives realised that I had other plans. My dad confirmed immense toughen as soon as he understood my imaginative and prescient for the homestay and my long run,” stocks Heena.
Armed together with her financial savings and toughen from her circle of relatives, Heena started paintings on her homestay in April 2022. “Inside 3 months, we had been in a position to welcome our first visitors,” she says with a grin.
Since Afsana Homestay opened its doorways, they’ve served over 300 visitors.
Developing her grandma’s magic
Speaking concerning the homestay, she says, “We have now 3 classes of rooms on the assets. We keep away from taking visitors who’ve youngsters underneath 8 years since the stroll as much as the homestay may well be an excessive amount of for the little ones.”
The valuables has personal rooms with connected washrooms. The costs vary between Rs 2,000 to three,000, relying at the season. “We even have personal rooms with a shared washroom. The costs vary from Rs 1,000 to two,000,” she says.
Afsana additionally has a room best for backpackers and travellers on the cheap. “Those shared rooms supply a cost-effective possibility at 600 rupees in keeping with mattress. Washrooms are shared amongst visitors on this class,” she says.
Speaking concerning the studies she supplies in her homestay, she says, “We offer a purely easy Himachali meals enjoy at our homestay. Our caretaker and outdated prepare dinner from again domestic joined me with the operations of the homestay and cooked those scrumptious foods. We use our mom’s recipes for making the normal dish, Siddu, served to our visitors.”
All of the uncooked fabrics are normally sourced from her domestic farm. “The walnuts for the siddu, the ghee for the meals, the veggies and milk are all sourced from my very own farm,” she says.
As for the actions, she says, “We provide 4 to 5 actions as a part of our package deal. Visitors can revel in a guided excursion of the wooded area park, incorporated within the package deal, all over the morning or night. We additionally take them to a secluded, hidden point of view with breathtaking perspectives. Right here, visitors can bask in a picnic, savour tea, and soak within the outstanding surroundings.”
She additionally has 3 hikes that the folks can enjoy. She says, “We provide 3 further climbing choices: Lion King Rock, a one-hour hike; Lamaduk, a four-hour trek; and Rani Su Lake, a full-day hike. Visitors can revel in those tours at an extra price.”
All through those treks, Heena makes certain there is not any plastic waste discarded via her visitors. “It’s our responsibility to care for the sanctity of the hills. On my long ago, we additionally acquire the rubbish we discover at the trail to stay the environment blank and inexperienced,” she says.
Umang Thebaria, who visited Afsana Homestay, has some superb issues to percentage about his keep. “One phrase that sums up my enjoy — domestic. It used to be so comfortable and home-like that we made up our minds to leave out our bus simplest to stick a couple of extra hours at the balcony and soak within the silence. The scrumptious foods that Ludramani Bhai Ji made for us had been so easy but scrumptious,” he says.
Solitude is one thing that is helping you end up and that’s precisely what I felt within the assets. I will be able to now not pass to Manali with out visiting Afsana now,” she says.
But even so, Heena says that the serenity across the homestay makes her visitors disregard all worries of the sector.
“It is extremely quiet and serene across the homestay. All of the visitors stay coming again to get a style of the silence once more,” she says.
Heena in my opinion looks after her visitors and remains close to the valuables. “I wish to create a bond with my visitors. The title Afsana approach making tales and that’s exactly what I wish to do with my visitors, make candy and remarkable recollections,” she says.
(Edited via Padmashree Pande; All pictures credit score: Heena)