Take a break from your daily grind, get nourished with these healing spa treatments across the country
These spa treatments will the change your perspective towards life.
Zehen, The Manor (Delhi)
The spa is divided into two sections-the ground floor is dedicated to international massages and the second floor is for authentic Ayurvedic therapies. Head to the second floor terrace that boasts of a beautiful vertical garden and the Ayurveda section. We tried the abhyanga patra potli, a 90-minute authentic Kerala therapy that starts with a full body oil massage, followed by a hot herbal compress dipped in warm medicated oil. A deeply relaxing treatment, it helps counter ailments such as chronic back pain, joint stiffness, and muscular tension. Post-shower, enjoy a cup of ginger tea and head down to their private dining room to try their Ayurveda thali prepared by chef Manish Mehrotra of Indian Accent. USP Abhyanga Patra Potli, a rejuvenating therapy done with a herbal compress dipped in medicated hot oil. Duration 60 minutes; Cost Rs 4,500 plus taxes; www.zehen.com
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Kaya Kalp - The spa, ITC Sonar (Kolkata)
A long sip of refreshing coconut water, some Pomelo salad and feeding the Koi carps in the side pools and already our spirits felt like chirping. A half hour walk and just when the toes wanted to stretch, a saucer full of tepid water, mixed with mineral salt and gondhoraj leaves and slices of fresh lime, a foot ritual, to squeeze off every ounce of tiredness. This is followed by body exfoliation-a soothing massage with long strokes of nimble fingers with paste of aromatic gobindobhog rice powder, cinnamon-clove-nutmeg and sandalwood dust with sprinklings of turmeric. For that embalming sense of freshness, the peel of gondhoraj skin is softly scattered all over the body. Three hours of detoxification and de-stressing followed by Kaya Kalp signature therapy in solitude interrupted only with the natural call of birds, rustle of leaves and whiff of gondhoraj. USP Indigenous treatment in nature's lap Duration Five hours inclusive of the trail and food; Cost Rs 10,000 plus taxes; www.itchotels.in
By Romita Dutta
Kairali - the Ayurvedic Healing Village, Palakkad (Kerala)
Rest, relax, rejuvenate. With a combination of traditional Ayurvedic treatments and medicinal oil massages, visit to Kairali will not only renew you physically and emotionally, but will also ensure that you come back again. Built on 60 acres of green vegetation, the resort lets you identify your accommodation based on your zodiac sign. Choose from their aesthetically designed villas and suites- deluxe, royal and maharaja. The weight loss package is a must-do for those battling the bulge. The programme includes a controlled Ayurvedic vegetarian diet, combined with massages using herbal powders and oils. Add to that herb-enriched steam baths which stimulate the body's circulatory system and prevent further fat deposits. USP Classes on cooking and nutrition let you continue the programme once you are back home Duration 14 to 28 days; Cost Rs 2.02 lakh to Rs 4.04 lakh plus taxes; www.ayurvedichealingvillage.com
Wildflower hall, Shimla in the Himalayas, an Oberoi Resort (Shimla)
The Oberoi Spa at the Wildflower Hall, Shimla in the Himalayas, is a soothing balm for your eyes as it is for your soul. Set amidst thick evergreen forests of cedar and pine trees, the heritage hotel offers a plethora of treatments which include massages, body scrubs, and floral baths. Yoga sessions are also conducted under the guidance of a resident teacher. The spa menu incorporates the therapeutic sound and vibration of Tibetan singing bowls to cleanse the chakra energy centres of the body. USP Rejuvenate, a therapy that blends herbal poultice massage with sound and vibration therapy, the ritual cleanses and enhances your chakras with the help of Tibetian singing bowls. Duration Three hours; Cost Rs 15,000 plus taxes; www.oberoihotels.com
By Jahnavi Chakravarty
Atmantan, Wellness Centre and Resort (Pune)
An hour's drive from Pune lies a serene oasis of self discovery nestled in the Western Ghats. Atmantan, overlooking the Mulshi lake, is more than just a picturesque wellness centre. Check-in is followed by a doctor's consultation and a body composition analysis to create a regime that works best for you. Most packages include spa treatments such as aromatherapy, invigorating massage and the Chi Nei Tsang, a Taoist abdominal massage. USP Chi Nei Tsang, a Taoist abdominal massage to cleanse emotional knots, improve sleep and boost immunity. Duration Three to seven day nights; Cost Rs 75,000 for three nights; www.atmantan.com
By Suhani Singh
Jiva Spa Taj Santacruz (Mumbai)
deep muscular massage, the orja dayaka therapy, begins with the therapist washing your feet with rose water and aromatic oils. Leading you into the process, the therapist then explains the ingredients of the aromatherapy oil. The "energising oil", as it is known, contains tulsi for clarity of mind, patchouli for detoxification, fennel for stimulation and nagar-motha for uplifting the senses. Starting from the legs, the therapist kneads your body and your senses, leaving room for little thought, aside from a sharp focus on the loosening of stress-induced knots and pressure points. USP The deep tissue orja dayaka massage with a heady mix of aromatic and rejuvenating oils. Duration 60 minutes; Cost Rs 4,400; www.jivaspa.tajhotels.com
Ayurvedagram, Kerala Ayurveda, Heritage Wellness Resort (Bengaluru)
Situated amidst an expanse of unending lush greens, Ayurvedagram transports you back in time. The soothing and calming fragrance of medicinal herbs infuses the air at the wellness resort, which offers over 45 massage therapies. Njavara-kishinev (saashtika-pinda svedam) or red rice-poultice sudation is what we settle for. It involves a full body massage with cotton poultices filled with njavara rice pudding. USP Counselling with therapists, yoga and meditation sessions Duration Three, seven and 14 days. Cost Rs 12,190 per day, per person for stay, food, treatment and doctor consultation; www.keralaayurveda.biz
Espa at the Leela Palace (Chennai)
Spread over 16,000 sq ft, ESPA at The Leela Palace takes your spa day to the next level with a private spa suite that overlooks the sea. The gentle calming waves of the Bay of Bengal and the rejuvenating massage gradually find a rhythm of their own to give you a relaxing experience. There are vitality pools, relaxation lounges, sleeping pods and a spa menu with beverages and short-eats to cater to your needs through the day. All treatments use products from ESPA, the UK-based wellness brand. A selection of music and oils helps personalise your treatment. The Royal Leela Facial uses different massage and exfoliation techniques, warm poultices with herbs for a point massage and pink hair and scalp mud for a destressing head massage. USP The Royal Leela Facial, a deep exfoliating treatment which shows instant results; Duration 90 minutes; Cost Rs 9,900; theleela.com
By Prachi SibalThe Tamara Coorg (Karnataka)
Tamara cleverly combines pleasure and virtue in one sweeping move and its glorious spa-The Elevation-is a case in point. Ensconced in a restored 100-year-old plantation bungalow, it offers both Ayurveda and western treatments with few, but welltrained therapists. The signature treatment is the coffee therapy, which uses plantationgrown organic coffee beans that are loaded with natural antioxidants to battle toxins, stress, and exhaustion. The gentle coffee scrub works in ways that only show up as silken skin and coffee-scented dreams. USP Uses coffee, cardamom and honey grown on the plantation in therapies Duration 120 minutes for signature coffee therapy Cost Rs 6,250; coorg@thetamara.com
By Chumki Bharadwaj
Ananda - in the Himalayas (Rishikesh)
For the well-intentioned, Ananda in the Himalayas offers both salvation and succour. The four-day detox starter programme is ideal for the wellness virgin; a gradual immersion into a world laden with special diets, detoxifying scrubs, and rejuvenating body masks. Whether it's yogic detox, weight loss or stress management that you've signed up for, the spa menu includes more than 80 body and beauty treatments with Ayurvedic therapies as well as modern western spa rituals. USP Wellness as a holistic experience. Duration Minimum stay of five nights; Cost Rs 23,000 per person a night plus taxes; www.anandaspa.com
By Chumki Bharadwaj
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"The ride was therapy for me as much as it was for others"
By riding a bike across the country, Sana Iqbal, who once suffered from depression, is now spreading awareness on how to deal with it.
I 've always been a bold person, but then I had my own set of fears, thanks to the news. I used to be a person who would think if I'm going out at 2 am, I would end up getting raped. Wherever I went, I had this fear. I used to work for a BPO at that time; I used to drive down and I needed to have tinted glasses. From that person, I went to being someone who sat on a bike and said hey, look here's a woman on the road!
Questioning morals and motherhood
I was a person who had my set of ideas about a perfect life and perfect married life. But unfortunately, when things started going out of hand, it became impossible for me to accept what was coming my way. When my marriage started falling apart (I'm not divorced), I didn't know what to control or how. There was a lot of distance which was created between my husband and me. People would say things would get better once we had a baby, but they got worse. I had so many questions, social pressure, and self-created anxieties. I just could not see a ray of hope.
When everyone around me became a mother, their lives changed; their whole lives became about their children. But when my son was born, I could not feel that. I was stressed mentally, completely, and just could not feel emotions for my own child. I would question my own morals and motherhood, and I could not talk about it to anyone. Once in a while, when I tried talking about it, people would lecture me instead of understanding what I was feeling and going through.
Saturation point
I come from a very educated family, but not even once did it click, that it was depression. I reached a saturation point, and was unable to sleep or do anything. That's when I decided I wanted to end my life. I wanted to die in an accident. I got my bike back and made a foolproof plan. I was on the highway, and waiting for it to happen painlessly. As I started moving out of Hyderabad, I saw a small child waving at me with immense joy. I started noticing a lot of things. When it was raining, I stopped at a dhaba and the man there wanted to take a picture of me and show it to his daughter, because he thought it would motivate her and he wanted her to be like me. The goodness of people on the way took me out of my feeling of neglect and helplessness.
The ride to recovery
When I returned, I came home happy, and with a new perspective on life. My mother was ecstatic to see me like that. But in close to 10 days, I started getting back into the same old zone of constantly trying to reach out to my husband. But this time I realised I was falling into this again. So, I did some self-counselling and that's when I thought of the idea of the ride. I enjoy interacting with people, helping people. I've been a motivational trainer. I gathered my experiences and decided to put my psychology education to use. And by helping people I ended up helping myself. The ride across cities to spread awareness about suicide and depression was therapy for me as much as it was for other people.
Changing perspective
It's important to look at yourself as a third person, that's when you see a better picture of yourself. I would often ask my students, do you ever see your old pictures, in their own homes or on Facebook memories. Most times I would get the same reaction, "Yuck, I didn't look good, now I'm better." If you ask yourself how you felt when you uploaded that picture, it will make you happy. After some time, you look at yourself as a third, different person, and you're in a better position to assess yourself. You have then a point of focus and nobody can stop you. Sana Iqbal, 29, from Hyderabad, journeyed solo across the country conducting sessions on tackling issues related to depression and suicide on her Royal Enfield, talking about everything from acne to complex relationships, careers, marriages, depression and suicide. She is simultaneously pursuing a masters in psychology and does corporate training sessions on behavioural skills.
As told to Asmita Bakshi