COVER STORY

Wellness is synonymous to almost every Indian destination. It’s time to know India through its top 15 unique wellness therapies and treatments.

Check yourself into a luxury wellness retreat or experience simple living amidst nature, indulge in holistic healing treatments or harness the power of ancient practices, do a lot or do nothing at all. Whichever path you choose, our curated list of 15 carefully-designed, unique offerings from around the country will help you turn the gaze inwards towards creating a more wholesome you, while rejuvenating your body, relaxing your mind, and re-energising your soul along the way.

#YOGA Live The Yogic Life

Since the conception of its core sutras some thousands of years ago, the wellness practice of yoga has evolved into various spin-offs that have become hugely popular worldwide. But here in its birthplace in India, one can still indulge in a deeply authentic experience, albeit in luxe settings. From regular classes of traditional schools of yoga to simple ashram experiences, from swanky retreats to plush yogic oasis, the options are quite endless. Learn the ancient art of bettering your body, mind, and soul from some of the world’s best gurus, enjoy carefully curated meals put together by renowned chefs, spend your free time lazing by the pool or detox with a glowing facial—luxury is certainly at the core of these retreats.

However, an intensive roster of soulful treatments, trained professionals, fixed schedules and healthy food ensure that wellness remains the focus of these yoga escapes.

TRY IT HERE Anahata Yoga Retreat, Goa; anahataretreat.com

#MONKLIFE Take A Spiritual Journey

Buddhism may have branched into several schools of practices, since its origin in the fifth Century BCE. But one simple rule still defines its core: practice compassion. In India, visiting the monasteries that dot the Himalayan region offers an insight into how this is accomplished. If you wish to delve deeper, enroll yourself in a Buddhist programme to best absorb the formula for Zen. The

‘Monk for a Month’ programme at Spiti Ecosphere, for instance, is a ‘spiritual adventure’ in which a 21-day itinerary offers a hands-on experience of Tibetan Vajrayãna Buddhism. Six of those days involve staying in a monastery with basic provisions, meditating, and engaging in daily chores, just like the monks and nuns do. Your spiritual journey is further enriched with lessons on mandala making, the art of nyungne, silence, and more. As part of a sustainable tourism initiative of Spiti Ecosphere, you also get to contribute to eco-friendly activities such as greenhouse farming. A two-day pilgrimage to the city of Dharamshala, the seat of the Dalai Lama, concludes the programme.

TRY IT HERE Spiti Ecosphere, Himachal Pradesh; worldweavers.com

#NATUROPATHY Put Your Trust In Nature

Nature is truly the best healer. So, when it comes to holistic wellness treatments, Naturopathy scores big. The alternative practice of using various natural, noninvasive techniques, and remedies to aid one from ailments can be traced to the beginning of recorded history. But you can get a sampling of it now by indulging in wellness treatments that use natural elements like earth and water to heal you, with practices like herbalism and acupuncture adding to your well-being. Colon hydrotherapy, cold packs and wet sheets, turmeric and mud baths, leaf wraps—the range of Naturopathy therapies available is wide.

TRY IT HERE Shreyas Retreat, Karnataka; shreyasretreat.com

#TIBETANHEALING Wellness At Its Best

Still unknown to many, the traditional Tibetan medicine practice of Sowa Rigpa is deeply rooted in Ayurveda, Buddhism, and Chinese medicine. This unique amalgamation helps emphasise the treatment on the mind and emotions, and aims at well-being in its entirety. It starts with inviting the healing powers of the Blue Medicine Buddha to take over: hot towels are placed on the feet, and herbs, therapeutic oils, and warm poultices are paired with soft, relaxing, and easing touches. The sound of Tibetan chanting melt in the background, offering an atmosphere of immediate serenity. Over 75 minutes, this process of medicinal curing relaxes your body, calms your mind, and warms your heart. Later, you are offered a steaming cup of turmeric and ginger latte to soothe your soul for the road.

TRY IT HERE Vana Wellness Retreat, Dehradun, Uttarakhand; vana.co.in

#SATTVIKFOOD Cook Food For The Soul

The trend of turning vegan might be picking up only now all over the world, but sattvik food—light, simple food based on gunas or quality—has been a fad in India for ever. Built on the belief of ‘you become what you eat’, Ayurvedic or yogic food is said to bring you calmness, stability, and relief from different health issues. Various wellness institutes and retreats are now offering regular cookery classes, where you can learn to cook yourself a scrumptious meal from fresh organic produce, based on the Ayurvedic guidelines of spiritual and righteous living. The idea is to not only serve you with wholesome food during your stay, but also help you inculcate the habit of healthy eating into your daily living. These diets comprise lacto-vegetarian or vegan produce fresh off the farm that deliver mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. The meals are cooked as per your choice and taste. TRY IT HERE Rishikul Yogshala in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand; rishikulyogshala.org

#GUDDABATH Bathe In Serenity

There’s nothing quite like a hot shower at the end of a long, eventful day. Except perhaps a bath therapy inspired by traditional Coorgi households, where warm water is slowly poured over your body from a gudda or a wood-fired copper vessel, as you breathe in the

serenity of lush rainforests around you and feast on verdant views of treetops from an allglass wall. As the water flows down, you can feel your muscles relaxing, your breath easing, and stress leaving your body and mind. But before all of this, comes a relaxing massage with essential oils, followed by an exfoliating scrub of nutmeg, turmeric, and herbs. The hot water bath from the copper vessel is said to be a good disinfectant, and is followed by another wash with soap. Once done, a glass of warm almond milk or herbal tea is offered to relax you even more.

TRY IT HERE Jiva Spa at Taj Madikeri Resort & Spa, Coorg, Karnataka; tajhotels.com

#DIGITALDETOX Disconnect To Reconnect

It doesn’t really benefit to enroll in a wellness initiative and simultaneously post it on Instagram about it. For a complete detox of mind and soul, unplugging oneself from technology is paramount. The ‘Calming the Mind’ programme at the Dharmalaya Institute in Himachal Pradesh’s Bir village is one of the few wellness escapes in India that strictly caters to this aspect of well-being. A six-day meditation retreat designed by the world-renowned meditation master Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, it helps you explore the landscape of your experience with mindfulness and presence, while teaching how to use the body, sensory experiences, thoughts, emotions, and awareness to attain a state of complete meditation. Most of the retreat is held in silence at an eco-friendly campus, with an organic diet, an integrated yoga programme, and a complete disconnect from the outside world. Applications for its upcoming edition from October 7-12 are currently open.

TRY IT HERE Dharmalaya Institute, Bir, Himachal Pradesh; dharmalaya.in

#AYURVEDAGOODNESS Detox in style

If your idea of a wellness vacation in India goes no further than a typical Ayurveda retreat, then you might be surprised to find several hidden gems in the country’s abundance of culture, traditions and heritage. Offering Ayurveda’s best-kept secrets in an exuberant Mughal-inspired setting against the ruggedness of the Aravallis, Amanbagh in Rajasthan’s Alwar is a resort that offers immersive wellness experiences for the discerning luxury traveller. Its personalised Detox & Cleansing programme has been designed to eliminate the toxins accumulated in your body as a result of stress, improper diet, and unavoidable environmental factors. By working on hidden health stressors, providing the antidotes, and improving the digestive, lymphatic, and elimination systems of the body, this wellness sojourn leaves you with an improved immunity, cellular regeneration and a reinvigorated sense of well-being.

TRY IT HERE Amanbagh, Alwar, Rajasthan; aman.com

#SHELLTHERAPY Bask In The Goodness Of Sea

It’s no secret that the sea, with its mineral-rich saline water, has many healing powers. But several other components found in the sea are also being used for wellness treatments, nowadays. The comparatively new seashell massage is gaining quite a following lately, where instead of hot stones, smooth and striped clam shells are placed on the body. The carefully handpicked shells are only used for therapy after a sachet full of rich minerals, dried sea kelp, algae and sea water is inserted in each and then sealed to keep all the goodness intact. The chemical reaction between the ingredients naturally heats up the shells, helping soothe muscle pain without much pressure being applied to the body. Sometimes, coconut oil is poured over the seashells to add to the relaxation.

TRY IT HERE Sheraton Grand Pune Bund Garden Hotel, Pune; marriott.com

#TRADITIONAL Indulge In A Hammam

A trip to Marrakech is no longer a requisite to partake in the rejuvenating offerings of a hammam. Now, many countries on the tourist map are adopting the age-old traditional Moroccan bath-house and offering their own interpretations. In India,

hammams may still be few and far between, but the ones that are there come complete with a variety of luxurious treatments. Choose from refreshing body cleanses, Moroccan masks and relaxing steams, to body wraps, scrubs and massages with perfect stretching to free you from the stress of daily life.

You may also enjoy a romantic wellness experience by opting for a private couple hammam session, where you and your beloved get to unwind together with this traditional treatment.

TRY IT HERE Royal Coffee Hammam Treatment at Six Senses Noida, Uttar Pradesh; sixsenses.com