What if your next vacation turned into a masterclass in conservation? 

Across India are stays that go beyond bed and breakfast; here, windows open into the wild. Far off the tourist trail, these stays border reserves and sanctuaries, where they share ground with the wilderness. Their doors open out into birdsong, and coexistence isn’t preached; it’s a lived reality.

After spending two decades in Australia, Kalponika Bhattacharya and her husband, Subhro, moved back to India, united by the intent to “do something in the wildlife space”. 

Kalponika explains, “We loved the jungle; on every trip to India, we would visit national parks and safaris.” 

One of these expeditions was to Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park, once the hunting grounds of the maharajasof Jaipur but now famed for its population of the Bengal tiger. 

“During my visits to these national parks, I started appreciating the local communities and conservation efforts on the ground. I realised this was what was missing in many stays,” Kalponika explains, adding that they decided to make community engagement the fulcrum of the Baaghini model. 

Guava, lemon and custard apple trees decorate the landscape, while frequent visitors — jungle cats, mongooses, foxes and honey badgers — stop by. The proximity of the homestay to the national park........

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