More than a spa

Housed in a luxury mall in Delhi, Paro by Good Earth offers a refreshing experience for the mind and the body, says

As I set foot in Paro, a new luxury brand from Good Earth, I am greeted with sandalwood tea, the aroma of jasmine and warm, earthy interiors. I had walked in expecting a luxurious spa. What I find instead is a space that offers multiple experiences — a reading room, essential oils, healing massages, and more.

Paro, founded by Anita Lal who is behind the design brand Good Earth, and her daughter Simran, is touted as a space where the mind, body, spirit and nature come together to experience luxury in its most personal form.

Spread across 2,400 sq ft on the first floor of The Chanakya, a luxury brand mall in Delhi, Paro in Sanskrit means “the sharing of special knowledge”.

The month-old concept store is many things rolled into one: it’s a spa, a one-stop shop for essential oils, a therapeutic space and a haven for those seeking everything organic. It also comes with a quaint reading room called Shanthi that can accommodate about 30 people for talks on women issues, health and wellness.

“Paro is based on ancestral wisdom,” says Lal as she generously applies fragrant body butter on my wrist. The essential oils here, I am told, are available based on the season. For instance, on display right now are essential winter oils extracted from herbs and plants such as thyme. “Why do you think coconut oil freezes in the winter?” asks Lal. “It’s because it is not meant to be used right now. Coconut oil cools the body and is to be used in the summer,” she explains.

Synced with nature, Paro produces small batches of essential oils. Herbs and plants from Himachal Pradesh, Indore, Coimbatore and Jabalpur, to name a few, are sourced from small traders who deal in organic, chemical-free ingredients.

Besides essential oils, also on offer is jewellery made by Padma Jewellers and Gem Palace, Jaipur, incense, candles, khadi towels, organic cotton sheets and pillows, handmade pottery, Kashmiri shawls and Chanderi stoles with real vark.

I walk through Shanthi, which is lined with ancient and contemporary texts such as the

Kama Sutra and diet books by nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, to reach the two cleverly designed “treatment rooms”. One wall in each of these rooms is made entirely of pink Himalayan salt. While they look pretty, aesthetics isn’t their sole purpose, I learn. “Positive ions from the extensive use of devices such as phones are not good for us,” says Zoni, the spa manager who goes by a single name. “Pink Himalayan salt releases negative ions that create a peaceful and balanced environment, putting your body and mind at ease.”

All spa experiences here start with a five-minute “oxygen infusion” — a rejuvenation treatment that is believed to help combat pollution, clear the mind and cleanse the body. One can get a facial or a massage that ranges from an hourlong to two-hour session. The rituals, depending on what you opt for, include breathing exercises ( pranayama), sound healing, Tibetan massages, and so on. But if time is a constraint, there are 30-minute express massages.

The massages are presented as those that cater to both micro and macro issues of the body and mind. The Karuna Kaya Hot Stone Therapy (~5,500 for 60 minutes), for example, is specifically meant for stiff, aching muscle and computer shoulders. Similarly, the Sunheri facial (~9,500 for 90 minutes) is for extreme hydration and cellular rejuvenation. Longer sessions, called rituals, (~11,000 for 120 minutes) depend on what you would like your spa experience to be like.

Paro is clearly not your usual spa. As Lal says, it’s about defining Indian luxury.

Herbs and plants are sourced from small traders who deal in organic, chemical-free ingredients