#175: One Week In India’s Top Wellness Resort
And How To Show And Not Tell In Travel Writing
Last week, we checked ourselves into the Jindal Naturecure Institute, one of the upmarket centers of the booming wellness industry in India.
We got up at five in the morning to catch a flight from Chandigarh to Bangalore. After two and half hour flight and an hour-long drive, we reached the institute and the hunger struck. I hadn’t had anything to eat other than a cup of tea.
I reached into my backpack and retrieved a stash of nuts which I always carry while travelling. As I was about to indulge, the security guard interjected, saying, 'Sorry, Ma'am, you can't take those with you.
‘Why not? These are just nuts.'
'No food is allowed inside the institution. You have to throw them in the bin.' He insisted.
Initially, I was tempted to ignore him and carry the nuts with me, but it didn't feel right. After all, we willingly enrolled in the institution for detoxification and better health. Disregarding the first instruction seemed wrong. So, I opted for the next best option – I put a handful of nuts in my mouth and handed him the rest.
The security guard summoned an electric buggy to transport our luggage and us to the administrative building. The center is spread across 120 acres, half of which is a lake. In the administration building, all the receptionists were clad in sarees of the same color with printed borders and matching blouses. Very professional! I was impressed.
One of them inquired, 'Ma'am, would you like to start the check-in process, or would you prefer lunch, which is available for the next half an hour only?'
'Lunch, please. I am starving.'
She directed the buggy driver to take us to the Diet Centre. Despite the peak lunch hour, the dining hall was nearly empty. The bain-maries held a bit of khichari, steamed vegetables, and bajra roti. My hunger disappeared at the sight of them. We had some vegetables and a roti each before returning to the administrative building.
A receptionist guided us into a glass room and collected our details. She then rattled off a long list of 'dos' and 'don'ts' without taking a breath. We were then ushered into a doctor's room, who, with minimal explanation, handed us a comprehensive list of therapies to be completed throughout the day, starting with an enema.
Without even glimpsing the room that would be our home for the next seven days, we headed to the gender-specific Therapy Centers (I to the Female Therapy Center, and my husband to the Male Therapy Center). There, I was instructed to strip from the waist down. An attendant inserted a tube into my anus end, and warm Neem water began to flow into my body. Within minutes, I found myself on the throne, emptying my bowels along with a liter of solution I had consumed from the wrong end.
This was just the beginning. For two consecutive nights, I had to ingest herbal laxative powder, followed by an enema during the day. On the third day, I underwent Colon Therapy – a procedure involving the insertion of a dual tube into my anus to cleanse my large intestine for 45 minutes. It was the most uncomfortable procedure I've ever gone through. No surprise my husband opted out of it.
If that was not enough, my husband, who has a very sensitive stomach, ingested unboiled water and started vomiting. We rushed to the night duty doctor who arranged bottled water for him and gave him electrolytes. We were not allowed any tea. Being heavy tea drinkers, we developed dull but constant headaches due to a lack of caffeine. Thankfully the symptoms disappeared and we started feeling better in a couple of days.
Our mornings followed a structured routine, beginning with a 5:00 AM wake-up call for a 45-minute walk. By 5:45, we were expected at the Kriya Centre to perform the 'kriyas' prescribed by our yoga teacher. These included having warm ghee poured into our nostrils, gargling with hot salty water, and blinking our eyes 20 times in water with an herbal eye tonic.
Following this, we gathered in an open-air auditorium for a 10-minute guided meditation, followed by a 20-minute laughter yoga session and then 45 minutes of general yoga, concluding with 15 minutes of pranayama (breathing exercises).
Surprisingly, this morning routine became my favorite part of the day, despite the earlier wake-up time and the sacrifice of my usual morning writing routine. Laughter yoga, especially with nearly 500 people laughing at silly prompts, added a cheerful start to our day. However, the most beneficial aspects were the yoga and pranayama exercises. In just seven days, I corrected my asanas and felt a noticeable improvement in my posture and lung capacity.
We were encouraged to walk at least twice every day as the center boasts a 2.8 km-long walking track. However, in the initial three days, we lacked both the time, due to various therapies, and the energy, particularly due to laxatives, enema, and numerous bouts of nausea in my husband’s case. On the fourth day, feeling better, we began exploring the surroundings. Our room, conveniently located next to the lake, prompted us to explore that side first.
As we strolled along the lake's edge, we discovered a magnificent home with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, overlooking the lake. It was referred to as Vishram, meaning rest, and we learned it belonged to the owner. Adjacent to it was a small island, adorned with inviting tree stumps serving as seats to enjoy the birds or witness the sunset.
Surrounding the home was an orchard teeming with oranges, pomegranates, mangoes, apples, bananas, figs, limes, and dragon fruit.
Venturing deeper into the property, we found ourselves in a vegetable-lined area shaded by coconut trees. We stumbled upon a platform where gardeners were gathering the morning's produce destined for the Diet Centre.
Our exploration then led us to the meticulously manicured Sawan Bagh garden, boasting lush green grass, vibrant flowers, flowing fountains, ponds, and remarkable statues depicting Surya Namaskar and meditation mudras.
Naturopathy employs three main elements for healing: food, therapies, and yoga. Therapies encompass various massages, packs, and baths tailored to address specific ailments and discomforts.
This approach combines modern treatment with traditional methods, emphasizing the body's innate ability to heal itself. Alternative, natural therapies are employed to assist the body in its self-healing process. One such therapy is massage, which I experienced daily during my stay.
On the first day, I received a partial leg massage, followed by a full-body oil massage on the second day. On the third day, the doctor prescribed a Kairali massage for me. With no idea of what it entailed, I arrived at the Therapy Centre.
‘Ma’am, take off all your clothes and wear these panties and gown,’ instructed one attendant.
I complied.
‘Come this way,’ she said, leading me to a massage room with another attendant in tow.
‘Two people? What are you going to do to me?’
‘Nothing, Ma’am, just massage.’ They laughed. ‘Remove your gown and lie down on the table, Ma’am.’
I had to overcome my embarrassment and comply with their instructions. It was two against one. I closed my eyes and surrendered. They poured warm oil on me and began a synchronized long-stroke massage with four hands working in rhythm.
‘Relax, Ma’am. Leave your body loose.’
But it was not easy to relax. Unlike other massages where I was always half-covered with towels, lying in my birth suit under the gaze of two strangers was too embarrassing. Yet, their expert hands managed to relax me enough that I drifted off to sleep. Half an hour later, they asked me to turn on my stomach.
Afterward, I was led to the steam room, where other women like me sweated under herbal-perfumed steam. Ten minutes were sufficient to remove all the oil. I had a hot shower and returned to my room feeling rejuvenated.
The next day, I experienced the Herbal Massage. Once again, two masseuses worked on me, sprinkling about a kilo of herbal powder (feeling like fine sand) on my body and rubbing it in long-stroke movements, resulting in a complete exfoliation.
On the fifth day, I underwent the Shirodhara massage. An attendant provided a head massage with oil and then poured warm oil on my forehead for half an hour. The experience was so soothing that I drifted off to sleep.
According to Naturopathy, food forms the foundation of all remedies and cures. Eating right and eating less are believed to combat various diseases. In fact, Naturopathy posits that the fundamental cause of all diseases is not bacteria or viruses but toxins. Eliminate toxins, and you eliminate diseases.
This philosophy translated into our meals, where we were served organic vegetables, soups, sprouts, millets, fruits, and condiments for both lunch and dinner. Everyone received only two meals a day and four beverages, which included juices, smoothies, coconut milk with chia seeds, or ginger jaggery water. The first two days were challenging, but we gradually adapted to the quantity and taste of the food. Often, we couldn't finish what was served to us.
After one week, I had lost 1.6 kilos, while my husband lost 3 kg.
Overall, it was a remarkable experience. We interacted with people from India and overseas, many of whom had visited more than once. According to a doctor from the United States and a diamond merchant from Bangkok, (both seasoned attendees of wellness retreats in India and abroad), this center was the best among all they had encountered.
Today’s Lesson And Writing Prompt - How To Show And Not Tell In Travel Writing
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