Rise of the healing holiday

At the foothills of the Himalayas, India’s most celebrated wellness retreat offers guests respite, recovery and rejuvenation.

As Oprah Winfrey famously said: ‘Going to Ananda is more like a pilgrimage than a visit.’ And as everyone knows, when Oprah speaks, people listen. Ananda In The Himalayas has a reputation that precedes it. It has consistently remained one of the most recognised and awarded destination spas on the planet for almost twenty years.

Unlike other major luxury resorts, from the Maldives to Marrakesh, which offer five-star spa services, Ananda is a true wellness retreat, with a focus on holistic living principals through the application of balance and harmony.

According to founder and managing director Ashok Khanna: ‘In ancient India, holistic living was a way of life. People inherently understood the balance of nature, the ways of the universe and how the elements affected not just their physical health, but also their mental wellbeing.

‘It was understood that if they achieved harmony within, they would be at peace with their surroundings.’

‘As the world changed, so did we,’ he says. ‘But deep within us we have always upheld those beliefs and principles. My idea was to bring together the ancient remedies, practices, and the deep rooted wisdom of Indian culture and blend them all with the best of international practices.’

Khanna’s vision for a destination that offered healing from a modern world could not be more salient today.

Technological advancement has escalated our hyper-connected lifestyle, mental illness and stress-related autoimmune diseases are on the rise and, according to a recent World Health Organisation report published in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), ‘burnout’ is now a legitimate medical diagnosis.

Chronic illness, extreme work pressures and emotional stress have been part of the cultural lexicon for several years, giving credence to the relatively newfound search for an antidote to the stressors of the modern world.

As such, the popularity of wellness or ‘healing’ holidays has grown in popularity with retreats such as Ananda doubling down by offering guests a side of unrivaled luxury, along with their downward dog.

Ananda In The Himalayas is designed to keep you busy. Busy getting relaxed. Busy attaining balance. Busy being pampered. It’s not as contradictory as one may think. The retreat offers a number of programmes that are designed around health and wellbeing and built on the principals of ancient Ayurvedic practices. All are supported by a team of doctors, therapists, nutritionists, yogis and chefs. Each guest is given a customised programme and itinerary upon arrival that usually commences and concludes with a detailed appraisal with an experienced Ayurvedic doctor. You can literally fall in to the arms of an army of wellness therapists and mentally check out for a week.

Guests stay in sumptuous suites or villas that are dotted around the property, surrounded by a canopy of greenery, waterfalls and even a golf course. The more lavish offerings include two 2-bedroom villas and one 1-bedroom villa, each elegantly appointed with a living room, a butler’s pantry, dressing room and a large bathroom featuring a private sauna with view over the private swimming pools (one of which is an Instagram classic.)

Most of the experiences are built around seven-day programmes but can extend up to 21 days. There are also a selection of shorter programmes for guests who want to swoop in for a luxury spa weekend or micro stress-relieving session.

The range of options include Ayurvedic Rejuvenation, Weight Management, Detox (and the supercharged Yogi Detox), Yoga, and Dhyana Self-Realization, along with Ananda Active and Ananda Renew Programmes.

One of the most popular is the Stress Management programme, which is available as either a five or seven-day package. It hones in on minimizing stress by creating positive changes to various elements of your life in order to create a comprehensive healing experience. The objective is to create balance for the mind, body and spirit.

In practice, the seven-day experience includes in-depth consultations with an Ayurvedic doctor who then builds a programme for you that is customized to your particular stressors or health issues. That could range from anything from general low-level stress to chronic illnesses.

The programme includes daily spa treatments such as aromatherapy and Tibetan Ku Nye massages to Shirodhara – the ancient Ayurvedic therapy that involves pouring warm oil over the head of the recipient in a gentle, constant motion. Reiki, reflexology and private yoga and meditation sessions are included, as well as a customized diet, prepared by expertly trained chefs, based on your Ayurvedic body type.Ananda is located at the foothills of the Himalayas, a picturesque 40-minute drive from Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. Most guests fly in from Delhi but you can also travel by train, road or helicopter.

The property sits within a 100 acre Maharaja’s Palace Estate, surrounded by Sal forests, and overlooking the spiritual town of Rishikesh and the Ganges River Valley.

Rishikesh is the gateway to the upper Garhwal region and the starting point to the Char Dham – four famous pilgrim centers that include Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamnotri.

The Ganga flows through the town and it has long been considered a spiritual centre and the birthplace of yoga. It has numerous ashrams, some of which are internationally recognized as places for philosophical studies, yoga and meditation.Though it is perhaps most famously known by its connection to the The Beatles. The band came to stay here with their guru, Maharshi Mahesh Yogi, in the 1960s and are rumoured to have written The White Album while they were in situ.

Today, Ananda In The Himalayas has become a beacon of celebrity cache with everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Michelle Obama having drunk the cool aide and raved about it.

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO AYURVEDA

Developed more than 5000 years ago in ancient India, Ayurveda – meaning ‘whole body’ – is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems.

The principals are built on the premise that the mind, body and spirit can be aligned by achieving a state of balance.

According to Ayurveda, the universe is made up of five elements: space (Akash), air Vayu), fire (Agnil) water (Jal), and earth (Prithvia) and these combine in the human body to form the three life forces, or energies, known as doshas. They are Vata (space and air), Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and earth.) In Ayurvedic terms, all humans have elements of all three doshas in they constitution but in unique proportions where once dosha is usually predominant.

Know You Dosha Type

While your own dosha is often a mix of types, one is usually more prominent. An Ayurvedic doctor can confirm this through a detailed consultation, but here are some of the most prominent features:

VATA

Physical: Taller or shorter than average, thin in build and have difficulty maintaining weight. Dry skin and scalp. Light sleepers. Overall they are physically energetic and enjoy speed, motion and aerobic activity.

Mental: Quick and agile thinkers with minds that often wander. They often have negative images of themselves and fear is their first reaction to anything new or strange. Prone to worry and anxiety. They are commonly rebels.

Health Concerns: Constipation and bloating are common, as are general aches, pains and injuries.

Diet: Stick to warm, freshly prepared food and streer clear of raw, unripe or cold food. Avoid spicy, bitter and astringent tastes in favor of sweet, sour and salty foods. Opt for hot beverages such as herbal tea rather than cold or aerated drinks.

Optimal State: Creativity and enthusiasm are hallmarks when the data dosha is in balance.

PITTA

Physical: Average height and build with welldeveloped muscle. Sensitive skin prone to acne, freckles or moles. Sensitive to sunlight and heat, and often grey or bald early. Good appetites. They do not easily gain weight but are prone to hyperacidity and heartburn. Sweat easily.

Mental: Intelligent, perceptive and systemic, yet may be opinionated and judgmental. Competitive and goal oriented and are often great orators. Natural leaders but have a tendency to be aggressive and dominating.

Health Concerns: Prone to acidity, hypertension, inflammations, skin conditions and hormonal imbalance.

Diet: Pittas favor sweet, bitter and astringent tastes, and cooling and refreshing foods. Avoid spicy foods and opt for a predominantly vegetarian diet.

Optimal State: Self confidence and an entrepreneurial spirit are hallmarks of a balanced Pitta.

KAPHA

Physical: Strong builds with well-developed muscle and usually normal to short in stature. Given their large frame, it is often difficult for them to lose weight. Skin is thick and prone to stretch marks. Complexion is fair and bright. Hair is usually abundant and wavy. They have a low but constant appetite.

Mental: Emotional in temperament with a great capacity for love, devotion and loyalty. They require much repetition to learn new things but master them when they do. Better at completing things rather than starting them. Romantic and sentimental and do not like change.

Health: Prone to diseases that relate to excess weight and water including obesity, asthma, edema and congestive disorders.

Diet: Favoured tastes are spicy, bitter and astringent. Warm freshly prepared food, gently cooked, and predominantly vegetarian.

Optimal State: A calm and caring nature are hallmarks of a balanced Kapha.