For women in Ladakh's Phyang hamlet, opening their houses to tourists has been a path to social and financial empowerment, as they have long laboured unseen as cooks, cleaners, and farm workers, and are now finding new confidence as mini-entrepreneurs.
The ladies of Phyang, a mountain community approximately 15 kilometres from Leh with excellent vistas of rocky peaks and cloud-laden blue sky, are quietly coming into their own as homestay hosts, with many of the men serving for the Army and being away from home for months at a time.
For Hum Sab Ek, a project aimed at encouraging women to become micro-entrepreneurs by assisting them in becoming homestay hosts, Airbnb, the online travel site has partnered with the non-profit organisation Self Employed Women's Association of India (SEWA).
Ten homes in Phyang village have been posted on the travel portal as part of the SEWA-Airbnb collaboration, with the number anticipated to grow in the coming years.
Amanpreet Bajaj, general manager, Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan said, “We are proud to extend our partnership with SEWA in Ladakh and help empower local women Hosts on Airbnb to secure their financial independence and bring valuable tourism dollars into their communities. As part of our broader efforts to help rebuild tourism for the benefit of local communities, we aim to work together with these micro-entrepreneurs to promote sustainable and responsible travel and stays that contribute to resilient local economies and support jobs.”
In Phyang village, the project is important for social and financial empowerment.
Women are the central figure in most houses here, performing a variety of tasks such as cooking and cleaning inside the home as well as farming outside. Their labour has typically gone unrewarded and unrecognised, much like household work across the country.
However, change is afoot, and the women, who are plainly bashful and insecure, are striving to become the arbiters for themselves and their families.
The cost of a room at one of these Phyang homestays is 2,000 a night. These offer all of the essential lodging facilities, as well as spectacular vistas and the chance to experience Ladakhi life in its purest form.
Traditional bread and local fruits such as apricots and seabuckthorn berries, which are also consumed as jams and juices, are all available in the kitchens and dining rooms of these homes.
Homestays in Phyang are a welcome addition to Ladakh's tourism sector, which already includes homestays in places like Leh, Nubra Valley, Alchi, Siachen, and Pangong.
Phyang isn't one of the most well-known tourist spots in the Leh-Ladakh region, yet it is worth visiting.
The location of these homestays, according to SEWA's Tejas Raval, will allow tourists to take a day off to acclimatise to the altitude while also having a culturally enriching experience with the locals
Before moving on to Leh, one can see the Gurudwara Pathar Sahib, the tranquil Sangam, the confluence of the Indus and Zanskar rivers, and the ever-popular Magnetic Hill, all of which are accessible from these Phyang homestays.