At Vana, Malsi Estate in northern India, a profound state of wellness awaits
Every morning, after yoga, I head to Salana, the quietly opulent dining room at Vana, a luxury wellness retreat in Dehradun, close to the Nepal border. Weather permitting, I enjoy my organic breakfast outdoors: aromatic masala chai, beet juice with pineapple and basil, and homemade muesli (with milk from cows that graze in the Himalayan foothills nearby).
The air is lightly tinged with mango leaf, incense and eucalyptus. It is so pure and fresh that you may find yourself keenly aware of your breath, as you exhale and relax. That state of relaxation and peace will envelop you immediately, in the tranquil sal forest, an area that many say is a spiritual vortex, and the birthplace of ayurveda and yoga.
Vana founder Veer Singh has gone to great lengths, and great expense—with a project that took five years, and cost $55 million—to ensure that guests will be profoundly well cared for, while attaining tangible, sustainable results.
“The River Ganges is born in this region, and I feel a sense of duty to take ayurveda and yoga and give them the opportunity to be experienced in their purest form,” says Singh.
A stay at the 21-acre estate begins with a consultation by an ayurvedic doctor, who will assess your health and wellness goals, and determine your dosha (body type). Your treatment will include dietary recommendations and may combine elements of Chinese or Tibetan medicine (the therapists were trained at Men-Tsee-Khang, the Tibetan Medical Institute created by the Dalai Lama).
Therapeutic ayurvedic spa treatments like choorna swedana with synchronized abhyanga massage (with poultices stuffed with ayurvedic herbs dipped in medicated dosha oils) may target edema, while acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping may tackle stagnating circulation, or other internal ailments.
The property features three restaurants (with one, Anayu, for guests on a Panchakarma retreat, who follow a strict ayurvedic diet). All of the delicious food, created by the talented Chef Kuntal Kumar, is sourced locally. Singh, once an organic farmer, is conscious about supporting local farmers in the region. And the commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability is high. “The architects did not cut down one tree when they built Vana,” says Singh.
But the Spanish design team, Esteva i Esteva Arquitectura, did build a breathtaking modern lobby and minimalist suites that each feature a private yoga and meditation room, with a bodhisattva hand-painted on the wall by a monk from the nearby Tibetan monastery. Rooms feature organic cotton robes, sheets and towels; and the property is on track toward a LEED Platinum certification.
Singh hopes to create “the most iconic wellness retreat in the world”—and then open six more. “I am a purist,” he says. “There is no point in doing this half-heartedly. When you transcend spa and move to wellness, when you transcend wellness to well-being, there is nothing you cannot contemplate.” vanaretreats.com