natural high: get kneaded and pummelled into state of ... mail online 18.11... · call me...

11/18/13 Spa holidays: Get kneaded and pummelled into state of sheer bliss at Ananda Himalayan spa | Mail …

1/5dailymail.co.uk/…/Spa‑holidays‑Get‑kneaded‑pummelled‑state‑sheer‑bliss‑Ananda‑Himalayan‑spa…

Natural high: Get kneaded and pummelledinto state of sheer bliss at a Himalayan spaBy Steve Turner

PUBLISHED: 15:08, 17 November 2013 | UPDATED: 15:08, 17 November 2013

A stay at an awardwinning spa high up in the Himalayas came as a welcome relief after a week spentin the dust, heat and noise of Mumbai and Calcutta.

Peace was established the moment my car swept past the wroughtiron entrance gates at the Anandain Rishikesh, and climbed up towards the centuryold Viceregal Palace that acts as the resort'sheadquarters.

Soothing: A visitor enjoys a relaxing treatment on a balcony at Ananda

Checkin took place over a hot cup of herbal tea. 'Welcome back, Mr Turner,' said the receptionist,wafting a bowl of aromatic petals beneath my nose and wrapping a garland of roughcoated rudrakshaprayer beads around my neck.

It was good to be back. On my last visit, I'd used Ananda as a hotel while exploring northern India, butthis time I was going to be immersing myself in the spa experience. I was going to get oiled, pummelled,stretched and fed into a peaceful state of body and mind. In Sanskrit, ananda means bliss.

The main accommodation is downhill from the palace, at the end of a narrow road that snakes throughthe 100acre grounds and is plied by golf buggies driven by men in white uniforms and red turbans.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Steve+Turner



On the short journey to my room, a manager pointed out newly built villas, a sixhole golf course, anamphitheatre used for yoga and concerts, a restaurant, spa, gym and pool.

The 78room hotel was built in 2000 on ground just below the furthest ridge. Only the upper levels arevisible from the lawns and entry is made over a covered bridge. It fits so snugly into the environmentthat it looks as if it grew there along with sal trees and chir pines.

Impressive: The former Viceregal Palace is now the company's headquarters

Inside, everything from the marble staircase to the shapes of the windows has been designed withtranquillity in mind. My balcony at the rear of the block had magnificent views of the mountains and,sitting in the bath at night, I could gaze down through the picture window to the twinkling lights ofRishikesh 3,000ft below. That was bliss in itself.

My fellow guests were here to get fit, healthy and destressed. There were no designerlabel warsbecause everyone wore the white kurtas supplied in the rooms.

The Ananda's programmes, diets and therapies are grounded in the ancient ayurvedic medicinal viewthat divides people into three types (known as doshas) Vata, Pitta or Kapha. Analysis of our dosha, sothe theory goes, determines the treatment needed for good health.

Shortly after arriving, I had a 30minute consultation with Dr Matthew.

There wasn't a blood pressure monitor or stethoscope in sight. Instead, I was asked how much tea Idrank, what I dreamed about at night and whether I suffered from cold hands. Dr Matthew concludedthat I was Pitta full of fire and water. I needed to avoid fermented products, too much sun and heavymeals. I should be eating plenty of fruits and salads.

The restaurant offered doshabased menus, plus a general menu of Indian, Chinese and Europeanfood. I started with worthy lentil stews but after day two I had a stomach upset (probably caused by toomuch India rather than too much Ananda) and switched to the more hedonistic dishes.



Back to nature: The view from resort's spa

There's no central gathering point at the Ananda. In the palace, there's a library with old books from theMaharaja of Tehri Garhwal's collection (his family still owns the property), a sitting room full of paintingsof Indian princes, and a billiard room, but I never saw anyone using these.

The way to meet fellow guests was during the daily activities I chose Introduction To The Vedanataand Hatha Yoga For Beginners.

'Feel the gentle pressure in the abdomen,' said the yoga instructor as I vainly tried to master The Bridgeand The Spinal Twist. 'Feel the movement in your body.' All I felt was stiff and embarrassed.

Ananda's manager, Jaideep Ananad, recommended three spa treatments, including abhayanga, asynchronised massage given by two masseurs.

Call me oldfashioned, but I didn't particularly enjoy being kneaded by men while wearing a John theBaptiststyle loincloth. I felt more comfortable with Tashi, a diminutive Tibetan girl, who smeared mewith oils and surrounded me with hot poultices during the socalled Ananda Fusion.

I was supposed to let the oils work for two more hours after leaving the room, but after 15 minutes ofquietly sipping hibiscus and lemongrass tea I succumbed to a warm shower.

The next day, Tashi gave me a facial with sandalwood, rose oil and honey. The session began with theceremonious lighting of a candle and ended with the tinkle of a bell.

In the photo she took of me with strips of cucumber covering me from hairline to collarbone, I lookedlike a leftover salad. In the photo I took of myself an hour later, I looked freshfaced and brighteyed.

Ananda can also arrange guided trips, so I decided to go birdwatching and visit the celebrated GangaAarti ritual in Rishikesh. I met ornithologist Suniti Bhushan Datta at 7.30am one day, and within minuteshe had pointed out a scarlet minivet, fantail flycatcher, Hume's warbler, Himalayan bulbul and redbilledleiothrix.

The Ganga Aarti, meanwhile, takes place every evening at sundown. Rishikesh, best known to us in theWest as the place where The Beatles came to meditate with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1968, is athriving collection of ashrams, shops, stalls and cafes. It's a typical Indian mix of shabbiness, decay,



dust and ornate splendour.

Mystique: Part of the celebrated Ganga Aarti ritual in Rishikesh

For tourists, the religious ceremony, held on the steps outside the Parmarth Niketan ashram, is a splashof colour and Eastern mystique set in a beautiful location close to mountains and temples. Fordevotees, it's a ritual of thanks to the Ganges for bringing life and prosperity.

Offerings were burnt, lamps were lit, saffronrobed boys chanted mantras, and when the bearded guruPujya Swamiji materialised on the steps, the singing and clapping intensified to fever pitch. By now nighthad fallen and the mosquitoes were looking for their own form of life and prosperity.

As a place of peace, cleanliness and natural refreshment, Ananda is hard to surpass. I can't imagine abetter place to unwind and recharge.

When it was time for me to check out, a receptionist waved a sprig dipped in holy water from theGanges over my head and tied a red kalava around my right wrist. She then chanted a mantra to wardoff evil, rang a bell, and I was sent on my way back to the India of cows, car horns and tuktuks.

Getting there

Wellbeing Escapes (wellbeingescapes.com, 020 7644 6120) offers a sevennight Active, Rejuvenationor Detox programme at Ananda in the Himalayas from £3,099 per person. This includes all treatments,fullboard accommodation with an exclusive Wellbeing Escapes discount and return flights from Londonto Dehradun and transfers.

Read more:

wellbeingescapes.com

Book your travel

http://wellbeingescapes.com/

http://wellbeingescapes.com/



Holidays Hotels Flights City Breaks

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

© Associated Newspapers Ltd

http://book.travelmail.co.uk/

http://book.travelmail.co.uk/accom_only.phtml

http://book.travelmail.co.uk/flight_only.phtml

http://book.travelmail.co.uk/citybreaks.phtml

http://www.and.co.uk/

natural high: get kneaded and pummelled into state of ... mail online 18.11... · call me...

Documents