Retreat in the Himalayas

A place that is totally stress-free ... sounds too good to be true, says SUMITRA SENAPATHY.

IT is that horrid time of the year again. Is there anyone out there who has not eaten 26,000 calories every day for the past couple of weeks and aged several decades since? Time to get a grip on your sagging bottom at least. By the time I had settled into my room, I felt I had aged by another 10 years. Like so many deep-pile, luxury hotels, "Ananda" quickly destresses its guests to the point of shuffling, bathrobe-and-slipper wearing immobility. If I was not feeling any younger, I was certainly more relaxed - and I suppose a mild-mannered old bag is better than a cantankerous one.

To look out over the vast expanse of a Himalayan valley and the constantly shifting cloudscape was an experience much greater than missing the city lights. The view from the window was therapy in itself ... A spa holiday at "Ananda" in the Himalayas, near Rishikesh, does add that extra sparkle. Forget those old fat farms. Today's spa culture seems to be the way forward and destination-spas are a breed unto themselves. It is a place to take the load off one's mind, rather than the weight off one's bottom. Although the wholesome food diet, and the holistic treatments can dampen cravings for junk food, cigarettes and alcohol with startling results.

It is rediscovering the old-fashioned health-benefits of minerals and water mixed with a large dose of pampering. Unlike the spas of yesteryears, where the clientele was predominantly female, the new spas are frequented by couples keen to de-stress and spend a relaxing time together. This, in part, because spas are health, rather than beauty, oriented, and so appeal to both sexes.

Are spas really good for you or are they just luxury outlets with a bit of very expensive water added? What happens at a spa? On a recent visit to "Ananda", I decided to investigate and was totally hooked, though initially, I was nervous, mainly about how much clothing I would be allowed to keep on. The soothing ambience of the spa world is spread over an undulating 21,000 sq.feet, and you enter a very special zone given over to self- enjoyment and benefit ... Sauna, steam room, mirrors, lockers, make-up and hair-drying area. To pamper, tone and beautify face and body, the "Ananda" spa offers a wide range of exclusive specialist treatments, administered by a team of caring professionals ... seaweed wraps and hydrotherapy baths to a wide range of facials using fruit acids, pure plant oils, marine nutrients and collagen.

Pure self-indulgence is what I went in for at "Ananda", a destination by itself. Located amid the mystical embrace of the Himalayas and the Ganga. Tipped to be South Asia's finest resort and spa, "Ananda", translated from Sanskrit means "happiness and self-contentment". Once the abode of the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal, "Ananda" is obviously the chosen destination of today's traveller - leisure, lifestyle and business. A short distance from Delhi, it is spread over a 100 acres of wooded forest, neighbouring the town of Rishikesh, the spiritual birthplace of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda.

Within a few hours of arriving, the outside world melts from memory. There is only the Maharaja's palace and the attached complex with its glorious health spa, its massage rooms, swimming pool and fitness classes, and 100 acres of gorgeous hillside. On arrival, you are given the obligatory white robe - they even had one that fitted me, a first for me at any kind of resort - and you begin to float about its corridors, a willing disciple to the way of "Ananda". I was one of them now. All stays begin with a trip to see the spa doctor, who, officially, wants to help you, tailor your visit to your health needs and, unofficially, wants to check that you will not drop dead on them.

And then it is time to work. The staff try to encourage me to take one of the many classes that are held throughout the day. They have names like jazz aerobics, but I decide against it and head for the gym. I hit the step machine and treadmill for my usual 20 minutes and then work out using machines I have never tried before. Over the next 24 hours, I will fit in three workouts like this, in a desperate attempt to get as much out of my stay as possible. As a result, my thighs will complain for a week and my muscles will scream every time I move my arms, which is often.

The new spa treatments are less about deprivation, more about de- stressing - they are concerned with inner health and well-being, rather than outer beauty. Diffusing aromatherapy oils, soft music, dimmed lights and warm towels can make even the most stressed out person feel at ease. Slowly, you start to let go. Thai, Swedish, Shiatsu or Ayurvedic ... whichever massage you opt for, it is so relaxing. You drift off to sleep, and when you come to, you feel warm and cocooned. Definitely top notch and addictive. It is brilliant how they whip towels on and off you, so there is never any flesh exposed - it is like the dance of the seven veils. After a deeply satisfying massage, I was advised by the therapist to go and sit in the relaxation chamber to recover from the strenuous ordeal of having spent the last 60 minutes lying down completely immobile. The next bit was also great ... The hydrotherapy bath. Lots of bubbling water with scented stuff added - really pleasant. You luxuriate while a masseuse directs a high-velocity hose at your flabby parts. From here I stumbled, in a pampered haze, to the pool, the jacuzzi and the sauna, where I gave my body not so much a treat as a good punishment for having the nerve to get old so quickly. Afterwards, I spent a fitful night's sleep dreaming of the hour and a half Aveda facial.

I soon gathered that "Ananda" is unique, with its wide range of health and beauty treatments ... 13 treatment rooms, a 16-station life cycle gym together with squash courts, heated swimming pool and aerobic facilities complete with the wellness centre. In line with yoga as a discipline to cultivate mental and physical stamina, experts from the renowned Bihar School of Meditation conduct sessions in yoga. The outdoor activity regimen also includes river rafting, fishing, trekking and mountain biking in the midst of some of the most beautiful flora and fauna.

Exhilarating extensions to the spa are an array of outdoor adventures and thrilling explorations into the Himalayas. Venture into the Rajaji National Park, the Corbett National Park or the Chilla Sanctuary to sight the big cats or the gharial, the fish eating crocodile. View waterfowl in large numbers as they gather along the Ramganga and Ganga. Avid birdwatchers can sight almost 300 species. Backpack through the most sacred and scenic locales known to sages and trekking gurus.

Getting onto the Kunjapuri trail at the crack of dawn is not a bad idea. This holy shrine is dedicated to the Goddess Shakti, consort of Lord Shiva the Destroyer, and is located at 1,645 metres above sea level, the highest point in the immediate vicinity of the "Ananda". Folklore has it that this is the spot where the chest or kunja of Shakti's body was found after the Sudarshan Chakra of Lord Vishnu had dismembered it. Legend claims that the original temple was built at the dawn of time. However, the present temple was built in 1983. Offering a spectacular 360' view, this is one of the most breathtaking spots in the region and is a place worth visiting. There are various ways of getting there, varying from a short drive, followed by a climb up a flight of 308 steps, to a demanding trek from Laxman Jhula in Rishikesh, with an ascent of almost 4,500 feet.

While at "Ananda", you may like to visit the ancient and holy town of Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world. This serene town is considered to be one of the most sacred spots to Hindus. Thousands of pilgrims flock here every year, at the onset of the hallowed pilgrimage to the Char Dham. Ancient landmarks such as the Laxman Jhula and the Bharat Mandir enjoy historiesies that blend into legends and the aarti at Triveni Ghat, which is the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati, is an event to witness.

Sightseeing over, how about getting back to "Ananda"? There are a number of visitors who would like a spa holiday and not venture outside the green sprawling campus. (By the way, the weather plays hide and seek over here ... bright sunshine, heavy dark clouds, pouring rain, mist and often low lying clouds which you walk through.) A typical day at "Ananda" is sunrise meditation at 6-30 a.m., followed by yoga and a light nutritious breakfast. A medical consultation with the spa's doctor is recommended. After judging your body type, the treatments are suggested. At noon, have a spa lunch followed by a quiet walk through the grounds. A Thai massage, wrapped up with a seaweed bath does wonders for your system. By the time it is 5 p.m. you are more than ready for the aerobic workout. The day soothingly closes to an end with the evening lecture at 9 p.m..

What is the charm of "Ananda"? It is simple. You do not make a single decision. You do not decide when you eat, what you eat or what you wear (robes, robes and robes). For an adult, the total absence of any necessity to think probably offers an intense thrill. Utterly refreshing. "Ananda" is a place that is the dream of every urbanite, caught up with the nitty-gritty of the daily grind. A place that is absolutely stress-free. It is not only the treatments that are important when visiting a spa, but taking time out for yourself, listening to the sound of nature and enjoying inner contemplations that are the buzz philosophies of spa worship. When it comes to my own too-soft flesh, I believe firmly in the body beautiful - though only in the way that the devout believe in God. I have never seen it, but my faith leads me to believe that somewhere, hidden from view, it must exist. This is why I have known, on occasions, to climb a step machine to nowhere. Like a religious zealot praying for the messiah to reveal himself, I live in the hope that one day my dedication to ritual will be rewarded with the disappearance of my bottom. For the record, it is still there.

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Fast facts:

Rishikesh is 245 km from Delhi. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant, which is 18 km from Rishikesh on the way to Dehra Dun. Rishikesh is connected by rail to Haridwar, Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Lucknow and Agra.

Places of interest: Triveni Ghat, Lakshman Jhoola, Ram Jholla, Bharat Mandir, Shivanand Ashram and Neelkanth.

Ananda in the Himalayas is located within the foothills, 260 km north Delhi and a 40-minute flight away. There are 75 guestrooms and suites.

For more information contact - ananda@del2.vsnl.net.in

Reservations: Bawa Potteries Complex, Aruna Asaf Ali Road, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070. Telephone: 011-689999.

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