E3 Dehene Hidden Village
18 February 2021
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7 min
An idyllic village at the foothills of the Sahayadris, Dehene is located a mere 160kms from Pune and around 200 Kms from Mumbai. Lying deep inside a forest in Maharshtra, this is one of the places that is still not on the commercial tourism map and can truly be called an offbeat destination of Maharashtra. Because instead of sightseeing tours and star hotels, it offers an experience of living with the villagers and tracing the journey of your food. Staying with a local family not only provides insights into the village life and the concept of rural tourism in India but also a peek into their lifestyle, traditions and struggles. Rural experiences like these, have been made possible by an award winning social enterprise and a responsible travel company called Grassroutes. In a way they adopt these villages, train them in hospitality and enable an alternate livelihood opportunity for them. The days spent here were a remarkable example of experiential learning. While our contribution helps the villagers to supplement their agricultural income, they showcased how to smile and keep the show running amidst all the struggles. May be this what we call the pursuit of happiness :