British Guests Experience Rural Life, Local Culture and Village Haat at Lamna Village Stay
Raipur, September 24, 2026/ Chhattisgarh’s natural beauty, rural lifestyle, folk culture and warm hospitality are increasingly attracting visitors from beyond India. As tourism evolves, travellers are looking beyond major cities and well-known destinations to experience the sights, sounds and rhythms of village life, including local cuisine, traditions, handicrafts and community interactions. The recent stay of British visitors at Lamna Village Stay in Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district offers a glimpse of this emerging dimension of tourism in the State.
British visitors Mr. Frank Roger Marston and Mrs. Jennifer Margaret Renfrew Marston received a traditional welcome on their arrival in Lamna. Villagers greeted them with tilak and the beats of drums, creating a warm and celebratory beginning to their stay. The guests responded with equal enthusiasm, interacting freely with local residents and experiencing Chhattisgarh’s rural culture at close quarters.
Their experience at Lamna Village Stay extended well beyond accommodation. A ‘Village Walk’ introduced them to the village lanes, fields, traditional surroundings and everyday rural life. During the walk, they interacted with villagers, learnt about local lifestyles and enjoyed the peaceful setting of the village. They also spent time conversing with rural families, women, children and other community members, experiencing the warmth of village life firsthand.
Village Haat Becomes a Special Attraction
The local rural haat emerged as a particular attraction for the British guests during their stay. They interacted with shopkeepers and villagers and explored a variety of locally available products, including earthenware, bamboo articles, household items, local food products, vegetables and other rural produce.
The bustle of the village market, diversity of local products and the easy, welcoming interactions with residents gave the visitors an opportunity to experience everyday village life in a more authentic setting.
The Experience of Personal Connection with Rural Life
The distinctive feature of Lamna Village Stay is its focus on experience-based tourism. Visitors are not merely spectators at a destination; they are encouraged to engage with the local community and experience its way of life.
The British guests spent time in the rural surroundings, sat and conversed with local residents and experienced the traditional village environment at close quarters. The simplicity of the village, its natural setting and the warmth of its people added a distinctive character to their stay.
A New Chapter in Chhattisgarh’s Tourism Identity
Tourism in Chhattisgarh is expanding beyond conventional nature-based and sightseeing destinations towards more immersive experiences. Efforts are being made to connect nature, tribal culture, handicrafts, homestays and eco-tourism with the State’s tourism economy, creating opportunities for local communities in employment and entrepreneurship.
Lamna is an example of how rural tourism can connect visitors with both the natural environment and the everyday life of local communities.
Lamna: Where Nature, Culture and Hospitality Meet
Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district offers diverse possibilities for nature and religious tourism, with the Maikal mountain range, forests, waterfalls and important religious sites. These include Shivghat Manaura, Jaleshwar Dham, Lakshmandhara, Jhojha Waterfall and Dhanpur, among other destinations.
Rural tourism centres such as Lamna Village Stay add another dimension to the district’s tourism landscape by offering visitors an opportunity to experience nature alongside local life and culture.
From Bastar to Lamna, Experience-Based Tourism Is Expanding
Tourists today are increasingly interested not only in visiting destinations but also in experiencing local food, handicrafts, folk traditions and community life. Homestays and rural tourism are emerging as important links in this changing tourism landscape.
The experience of the British visitors at Lamna reflects this approach. Rather than simply viewing a destination from a distance, they entered the village, met local residents, explored the rural haat and experienced the simplicity and warmth of Chhattisgarh’s rural life.
Chhattisgarh’s Hospitality Leaves a Lasting Impression
During their stay, Mr. Frank Roger Marston and Mrs. Jennifer Margaret Renfrew Marston were seen interacting with children, taking photographs with villagers and spending time with local families. Their warm interactions with rural women and children reflected the intimate community experience offered by Lamna’s rural tourism model.
The arrival of international visitors in villages such as Lamna points to the expanding scope of tourism in Chhattisgarh, where new destinations and community-based experiences are complementing the State’s established tourism attractions.
The growth of rural tourism can also create new avenues for income and employment for local families, small businesses, artisans, rural markets, local guides and homestay operators.
The visit of the British guests to Lamna offers a vivid glimpse of a tourism model in which nature and culture, village life and hospitality, and tourism and the local economy move together. It is this simple, warm and vibrant character of Chhattisgarh that is increasingly opening its rural heart to visitors from across India and the world.
