Touch of Joy
Hindustan Times — September 22, 2005

"Give us back our youth," we told the spa therapists, half in jest. It was a tall order, which could only be fulfilled by waving a Divine magic wand. So, instead, they stripped away 10 years of our lives and sent us back looking younger and radiant. At most of these oases of self-indulgence and rejuvenation, ancient Ayurveda has been packaged in indulgent forms.

Others like Taj Group's Jiva, offer a range of Indian aromatherapy massages, body scrubs and wraps which are age-old rejuvenating treatments in which aromatic oils from Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia and products made from fresh fruit, vegetables, Indian herbs and milk, are used. Press the unwind button at some of the finest spas in the country and retrieve the joie de vivre that you lost somewhere along the way!

Jiva Spa at Kovalam, Kerala

• The Place: in Kerala, known for its beaches and labyrinthine backwaters. The scenic vistas are therapeutic enough but when in an indulgent mood, the Jiva Spa at The Taj Green Cove Resort in Kovalam is the place to be. Surrender yourself to the expert hands, fragrant oils and rejuvenating wraps.*
• The Look: minimalistic, with its wooden floors, rockery, flower-filled copper bowls, lotus pools, sprawling greens and manicured lawns.
• The Ritual: it was sweet torture! They first slathered us with a gooey paste and then swaddled us in a sheet. We lay there on the oil-slicked wooden beds like Egyptian mummies waiting to be entombed. The only difference was that we were very much alive...alive to the cool fragrance and the soothing strains of Buddhist chants that wrapped around us. We lay there for an hour - drifting in and out of sleep, the soft music nibbling at the edge of our consciousness

Orange County at Coorg, Karnataka

• The Place: taking its cue from its neighbour, Karnataka too has its crop of spas. At Orange County in Coorg or Kodagu, we discovered that Ayurveda is very alive and soothing.
• The Look: traditional and Tudor, dotted with cottages built in the 16th century Tudor style, standing amidst cobbled pathways. The Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Centre is housed in a traditional Kodava house complete with courtyard and exquisite woodcarvings.
• The Rituals: rasayana chikitsa, a programme of massage and medication, which strengthens the immune system; pinda sweda, poultices containing a mixture of hot rice and herbs. We opted for pinda sweda and the two therapists massaging us elevated the experience to a different plane.

Taj Residency Hotel, Calicut, Kerala.

• The Place: we were at the Taj Residency Hotel in Calicut where the fusion of the Taj Group of Hotels and Coimbatore-based Ayushman Ayurvedic Trust has resulted in a facility that pampers guests with five-star services without compromising on their treatment at the attached Ayurvedic Centre: a full-fledged clinic run by a team of qualified doctors and masseurs.
• The Look: Natural. Set amidst dense groves of coconut palms and five acres of lush greenery, the spa is a haven of impeccable amenities.
• The Ritual: Our masseuse first prayed before an idol of Dhanwantari, the Divine physician of the scriptures, before beginning the magic. A head and face massage was followed by nose drops (endurable) and smoke inhalation (cough! cough!). We then lay down for a full-body massage. By the second day of the week-long Ayurvedic programme, the initial 'wow' of the oil massage had given way to something sinister: an addiction! We had become spa converts.