Life is just an endless crick in the neck. The parents, the siblings, the grandmother, the nosy relatives, nosier society, high expectations, low expectations…Phew! It’s with a mind to unwind that I checked into the Jiva Spa at Vivanta By Taj Green Cove, Kovalam, one monsoon morning, to indulge myself in it’s new ‘indulgence wellness package’.
Jiva, the Taj group’s signature spa, is as welcoming as ever, spotless and serene, complete with relaxing music that immediately wraps you in an ocean of calm. As I browse through the spa’s expansive menu, which has a range of wellness therapies ‘borrowed from royal traditions and ancient Indian spiritual remedies,’ spa manager and naturopathy consultant Hergin Charles explains about the indulgence package. “It’s a promotion especially designed for guests who are not staying in the hotel; those who would enjoy a relaxing and healthy day out,” he says. As such each person who chooses the package gets a welcome drink, followed by a massage, a mocktail and a set lunch/dinner at Curries, the a la carte restaurant.
Meanwhile, Mimi, the friendly masseuse, who has (like all the spa staff members) been trained at Taj’s spa training centre in Aurangabad, has arrived with a warm smile and a Namaste, bearing a tray with the specially-prepared welcome drink, ‘Vishudhi’ chai. It’s a concoction of green tea, brewed with tulsi leaves, to which lime juice and jaggery has been added and meant for detox. While the flavourful and soothing drink comes as welcome relief to the nip in the air, I learn that there are two types of massages available in the package – a full body scrub or a head and foot massage, each of 45-minute duration. I don’t even surprise myself when I chose the former, though the head and foot massage – done with Jiva’s special blend of aromatic oils (do I detect a hint of aloe vera and shikakai?) – seems equally tempting. There is another choice to be made: Do I go for the ‘Narikela’ (coconut-based) body scrub or the ‘masala’ scrub? The Narikela scrub is a cooling mixture of ground coconut, coconut milk with a hint of turmeric, while the latter is hot and spicy (yes, literally) – a wet scrub made up of several spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, dry ginger and the likes. Since I had no intention of retuning to the office smelling like curry, I chose to indulge myself in the former.
And what an indulgence it was! Starting with the left leg and arm and then the right, Mimi’s gentle yet deft hands kneaded and massaged Narikela scrub over every square inch of the body, cleansing and unknotting all those tired knots in the process. She finally trussed the body in towels to let the cleansers do their work. Those 45-minutes went by ever so quickly...Sigh.
Cleansed to the very pore thanks to a sojourn in the attached steam room, which took care of those last knots, and a luxuriating shower later, it was time to relax at Neera lounge, sipping a ‘healthy’ litchi, lime and mint mocktail. Just as I was getting ready to dose off, lunch was announced. It’s a light meal, especially prepared for the package by executive chef Rishikesh Rai. “Each item, each fresh ingredient in the four course meal is healthy and has been selected with a person’s wellness in mind. The ABC (apple, beetroot, carrot) drink, for example, is packed with vitamins and is good for skin, eyes and hair,” he says. The fresh salad, with chunks of melon, watermelon, arugula, iceberg lettuce, orange slices and sprouts tossed in a simple vinaigrette, too is packed with nutrients. Diners can choose either the vegetarian main dish (stew, vazhapoo thoran and idiapppam made with chemba rice) or the non-vegetarian option (seared and grilled chicken with red wine jus served with vegetables tossed in olive oil). Dessert is fresh fruit served with steamed banana – altogether, wholesome, flavorful and satiating.
Primped in and out; this is what they call bliss.
The indulgence package costs Rs. 2,999 per person (all inclusive) and the promotion is on till September 30, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. It’s best to book in advance. Contact: O471-6613000
(The writer was at the spa at the invitation of the resort)
