When we first arrived in Bandipur, the Mangala dam was brimming with water. Elephants outnumbered humans and the bush was so thick, only a few dared to venture in. Somewhere down the beaten path, nestled between the hills, we found what we were looking for; a quaint little spot that overlooked Kardi-Betta. As romantic as it sounds, it wasn’t easy at first. Integrating with the tribes was a challenge but after a year of dedication and love, we earned their trust. Our journey began and not long later, the cottage was born.

If the 80’s was a challenge, the 90’s really tested us as we expanded our lodge even as Veerapan ran rampant in the valley. With dedication and perseverance, against all odds, slowly but surely we established eco-tourism as a tool for conservation in the valley. Our love for nature and the beautiful locals we had befriended, proved able companions on a journey riddled with life threatening situations. The Cottage remained a symbol of a fight against oppression from internal conflicts we faced by poachers, smugglers and inherent caste divides. We rose against all odds and grew to be the pioneers of eco-tourism and wildlife in the area. Mangala valley grew with us.

Years have passed since the genesis but the Cottage still stands strong, transcending time. Today it is a just as quaint as it was 30 years ago. What was once a family home, is now open for all of you to come and enjoy. We want you to lose yourself amidst the romantic woods, ridden with history and spend time in a lost world, far from the maddening crowds.

Conservation & Us

The Bandipur Cottage is run by Buffer Conflict Resolution Trust of India (BCRTI) a non-profit organisation addressing conflicts within the buffer regions of our protected forests. We have chosen to dedicate ourselves to the start of a healty dialogue with the local people, leading to mutual respect and trust. For it is only after the local people trust you that they allow you into their homes. And it is only after you earn their respect can true conservation be accomplished.

At BCRTI we are presently focussing on various conflicts within the buffer regions of Nagarhole & Bandipur National Parks. The absence of a stand-alone Conservation Law in India has frozen any dialogue between the officials and the people living in the buffer zones to a dangerous deadlock. As a consequence, over time, there evolved a complete unaccountability of the official to the people; empowering the Government to embrace draconian and conflicting laws. This has led to major conflicts in the buffer regions of our protected forests. At BCRTI, income from The Stone Cottage helps us address such conflicts.

A non-profit organisation (NPO) in India has to be extremely careful that it does not slip into corruption. This normally happens when the NPO relies on moneys solely received from patrons, leading to a compromise of its own mission statement as funds given by patrons have their own set of conditions that limit the proper functioning of the NPO. Having The Stone Cottage as a revenue center for BCRTI, ensures that we do not have to depend on the begging bowl to meet our basic financial need. We now approach the patron with our head held high, knowing that we can afford the luxury of accepting funds at our terms, without compromising on our ethics.

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