Meet The Mother-Daughter Duo Founders of Atithi Parinay Homestay from the Konkan Coast!

Tucked away in the lap of nature is Atithi Parinay, founded by a mother-daughter duo, Medha and Vasudha Sahasrabudhe. What started as a mere accident and a wild thought has now been a homestay for the past 15 years. Atithi Parinay - one of Maharashtra's first homestays is dedicated to letting their guests understand and experience farm life, just like Medha did in her early childhood days. Living in the land of 'Chira', Atithi Parinay is built around the thought of eco-living while understanding the traditional way of living on a farm. On the occasion of Mother's Day, Local Samosa interacts with Medha Sahasrabudhe on her journey so far, running a business with her mother and more. 

The Beginning

15 years ago, Medha Sahasrabudhe was visiting her ancestral place in Konkan. Tucked away in the heart of Konkan, Ratnagiri, she would often make trips here throughout the year. On one such visit, she was accompanied by a friend, and he suggested she start a homestay in her ancestral home. It boasted all the right qualities. The secluded and quiet atmosphere, yet lively with birds chirping on many mango trees, was the ideal place to start a homestay.

However, Medha, the co-owner of Atithi Parinay Homestay, says to Local Samosa, “We have been coming here since my childhood. It is a home, finally. So when I was told to start a business like a homestay, it was never something I had ever thought about.” She continued to add more, “ For almost six months, I denied every proposal sent my way by my family or friends to start a homestay. I was always under the impression that, why would people come here and who would come to this place, as a homestay was an alien concept back then.”

However, one phone call entirely changed Medha’s life. “One morning, I got a call from my friend and he said, I am going to send a few people over to your house. Treat them like they are guests and make them feel like this is a homestay”, says Medha to Local Samosa. After her first impromptu guest visit, she noticed the calibre and the potential of starting a homestay, as they enjoyed it thoroughly. “After that, I immediately started working on building a homestay, and as I then understood the requirements and factors needed to run a homestay and now, it's almost been 15 years since.”

Founded in 2010, Medha and Vasudha Sahasrabudhe never once thought of running a homestay. And, 15 years ago, the concept of a ‘homestay’ was a novel idea for Indians. Coming from a background wherein her parents would always host people in their home in Pune, Medha had a deepened understanding of hospitality. “My mother and I had never planned on starting a business. It was a mere accident, and after it began in full swing, it quickly turned into a passion project for both of us. It was a project very close to our hearts. This is our ancestral family home; we grew up here. So, starting a homestay has truly been an adventurous journey”. 

When one decides to have a homestay, they build their space accordingly, but that was not the case for Medha and her mother. “We rented out the places where we were living. There were a couple of rooms right beside our main house. We never really built anything or a room from scratch. Everything happened organically. Medha mentions to Local Samosa that Atithi Parinay is one of the oldest homestays or one of the first homestays in Maharashtra. The homestay now has a total of 6 rooms. Medha Sahasrabudhe, an interior designer by profession, has designed all the rooms and the ambience of the space around the homestay.

The Journey

Medha and her mother’s love for hosting is a contributing factor that led to the birth of Atithi Parinay. “It has been quite a long and fascinating journey. We have also had people visit from all over the country and the world to experience the homestay life. It is amazing to meet people from different cultures and backgrounds and interact with them in a space where they feel comfortable and at home", says Medha. The first international guest visited their homestay in 2011, and ever since, people from countries like Italy, Germany, the UK, the USA, France, Austria, Australia, Canada and Russia have visited.

A homestay is entirely different from a resort or a hotel. At the end of the day, it’s a home. When we asked Medha her views on letting people in on their sacred space, their home, she replies, “It is of utmost importance for us that people understand their in someone's home. We want people to enjoy and have a wonderful time, but they also need to respect the hosts and their hospitality and adhere to a certain set of rules, as finally it is a home.” 

The Secret Sauce for this Dynamic Duo

Medha and Vasudha Sahasrabudhe make a good team as the mother-daughter duo. However, every good team needs to work together efficiently. When we popped the question to Medha, how do they balance out their responsibilities, she answers, “Everything is not technically divided as such, but I look after the bookings, the social media marketing, and the management of the homestay overall. And my mom looks after the guests, their needs and makes sure they are content.”  Laughingly, Medha continued to say, “We are like any other mother-daughter duo; we too have our quarrels, but eventually we do make up as well.”

"But none of this would’ve been possible without my mother’s support”, adds Medha. “My mother is my backbone, and this homestay is what it is today, only because of her unwavering support. She has been my biggest cheerleader, and she continues to have my back in everything that I do”. Despite her age, Vasudha Sahasrabudhe, today as well, looks after the homestay and ensures her guests have a good time.

And lastly, when Local Samosa asked Medha what she would say to all the mother-daughter duos out there who would like to venture into business, she says, “The only message I have is to be passionate about what you do. When one decides to run a business, it’s a lifelong commitment. It takes time, and patience is the key. And, nothing is impossible, believe in yourself and work towards it.”