India, July 23 -- In the first such initiative by a government body, the Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) will lead the transformation of historic Wadas or traditional courtyard houses near Shivneri fort in Junnar and in Baramati into heritage homestays, in a marriage of conservation and rural tourism. The initiative is being positioned as a model to preserve the cultural heritage while generating livelihoods for local communities.

The move comes on the back of Shivneri fort's inclusion in UNESCO's (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's) tentative list of world heritage sites, not to mention the growing interest in heritage tourism across Maharashtra.

So far, the ZP has identified 13 Wadas located near Shivneri fort...