Travel World News- INDIA - Peace of Mind and Body

INDIA - PEACE OF MIND AND BODY

December 2006

India’s sages of yore, her ancient rishis, bestowed an extraordinary spiritual legacy on civilization some 5,000 years ago. Their wisdom was transmitted through oral teachings that, over millennia, were passed from teacher (guru) to disciple (sisya). Once finally codified, the legacy came to reside in four distinct volumes. These are the Vedas. They form the backbone of Hinduism.

Ayurveda and Yoga are two highly-developed “sister” systems that derive from this legacy. Their goal is to guide the individual to rediscover the essential spirit within through balancing the vital energies that comprise all life forces. World-renowned Yoga Teacher (Yogacharya)

B. K. S. Iyengar states:

"It is through the body that you reach the realization of your being a spark of divinity. How can you neglect the body which is the temple of the spirit?”

Today, these two systems thrive around the world. They underpin what the travel industry terms “wellness tourism.”

AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is considered the world’s oldest and most comprehensive healthcare system. In Sanskrit “ayus” translates as “life” and “ved” as “knowledge”. A rare combination of philosophy and science, ayurveda is a brilliant tapestry that defines life in equilibrium. Its warp and weft focus on spiritual health. Its texture upholds the fundamentals necessary to sustain mental and physical health.

The Atharva Veda, one of the four Vedas, is specifically about ayurveda. It contains references to anatomy, physiology, surgery, herbs, diseases and cures. The Rig Veda is concerned with the real nature of health and disease, and includes herbal treatments and natural remedies. It defines the use of specific spices, their medicinal and therapeutic values, and is the genesis for Indian cuisine’s spiciness.

In Ayurveda, the five great elements of creation - fire, water, earth, air, space – comprise the macro-cosm. Their Sanskrit name is the “pancha-mahabhutas” or five great elements. These very same elements co-exist in the micro-cosm that is each human body. They comprise its cellular and physiological structure.

Three other elements (called “tri- doshas”) reflect these same elements of creation. They govern an individual’s state of being. They are “pitta”, the fire element; “kapha”, the water and earth element; and “vata”, the air and space element. Tri-Doshas are influenced by three qualities or states of matter (called “gunas”). The three gunas are “rajas”, the excitable, fiery, and spicy state; “tamas”, the sluggish, inert, and moribund state; and “sattva”, the enlightened, placid, and balanced state.

Ayurveda is a balance between the pancha-mahabhutas and the doshas. For example, each individual’s constitution is a specific dominant dosha. Life’s experiences and emotions erode that constitution. This creates imbalances as the doshas shift into excess and shortage. At the same time, an individual is governed by being charged and intense (“rajasic”), or by being in the doldrums and sluggish (“tamasic”), or by being fully balanced and contented (“sattvic”). These gunas shift into excess and shortage as well, and impose more imbalances.

The challenge for ayurvedic doctors, then, is to determine the specific nature of these many overlays, and to prescribe a specific natural healing modality. It is through massage, exercise, oils, cleansing, and nutrition that an individual can return to the balanced, sattvic state.

YOGA

Yoga is at once a philosophy, an art, a system for complete health in all its aspects, and a lifestyle. It is a brilliant spiritual system predicated on finding liberation from the mind’s trickery. Most succinctly, yoga is defined as stilling the mind’s chatter. Its holistic blueprint quiets the mind’s acrobatics and diffuses its ever-aggravating tricks. With a tranquil mind, one’s innate self-knowledge can become apparent. Spiritual growth and freedom can be attained.

The sage Patanjali codified the Vedic knowledge (after several iterations through the centuries) into his eponymous and classical text, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. He provided the framework for yoga -as an eight-limbed system - as we know it today.

What has so enthralled adherents in the West about yoga is its third limb: asana. This practice of physical postures brings balance, strength and flexibility. Each asana has an underlying therapeutic benefit. Patanjali’s fourth limb is breath awareness, or pranayama. It is compelling with its calibrating effect on personal tranquility. Adapted as a physical exercise regime, yoga has grown to epic proportions. Some 19 million practitioners in the U.S. alone - according to a 2005 survey undertaken by Yoga Journal magazine.

But yoga is light years beyond mere physical exercise. The American Vedic scholar Dr. David Frawley tells us "Yoga is the practical side of the Vedic teachings while ayurveda is the healing side."

FROM PHILOSOPHY TO FACTS

-According to the 2004 Spa Industry Study of the International Spa Association (ISPA), there are 12,100 spas in the U.S., and 2,100 in Canada.

-The spa industry is the fourth largest U.S. leisure industry. The ISPA’s 2700 members in 75 countries reflect a substantial global network of spa professionals, service providers and product manufacturers.

-The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) – part of U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration - recorded 28.8 million U.S. travelers who went abroad in 2005. This number reflects a 5% increase over out-bound travelers in 2004.

-India experienced a 33% growth in U.S. visitation between 2004 and 2005, also based on OTTI records.

-The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) noted a 13.5% increase in international in-bound visitor arrivals to India from January - August 2004 (2,454,352 arrivals), to January – August 2005, (2,785,328 arrivals).

-From the “2007 Fourth Annual Spa Trends Report”, (from Spa Finders Inc.) “ayurveda” was listed as a “Spa Buzz Word.” It states, “Spa guests are … welcoming education about local cultures and healing traditions and looking for holistic commitment…”. It also states, “Medical wellness and cosmetic med spas are doing booming business by filling certain critical gaps in the traditional health care system. In 2007 more people will travel to another city, state or country for medical spa experiences creating a new trend: medical tourism.”

WELLNESS TOURISM IN INDIA

Abundant facilities and reasonable fares await in India. Her offerings range from tasteful boutique urban properties to princely residences atop mountain-peaks; from therapeutic centers to hideaways framed by the Ganges; and coastal retreats lapped by the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.

For Travel World News, this writer covered two North Indian spas: Ananda in the Himalayas, in Uttaranchal state in March ’06, (named ‘2005 Best Destination Spa’ by Conde Nast Traveler); and The Oberoi Wildflower Hall perched at 8200 feet in the lofty Himalayas, in Himachal Pradesh state in April ’06, (received ‘2005 London World Travel Mart Award’). The following two North Indian retreats are very worthy of note, as are the two in Southern India. All are diverse, as is India herself.

THE PUNJAB

In the northwestern state of Punjab, not far from the stellar Sikh Golden Temple is WH Ranjit’s Svaasa, an intimate luxury boutique spa. Svaasa means both ‘inspiration’ and ‘breath of life.’ This inviting gem truly reflects its name. It is located on Amritsar’s prestigious Mall Road.

Part of the WelcomHeritage Collection Group of palaces, forts, ancestral homes and resorts that reflect the architectural heritage of India, Svaasa is located in a haveli, Rai Bahadur Rattan Chand’s ancestral mansion. It dates back seven generations. Amritsar and this noted family are intertwined, and today, family trusts support a school for the blind, a cow-shed (with more than 200 cows), a temple and a charitable clinic. WH Ranjit’s Svaasa is the elegant “home away from home” choice of diplomats, elites, and international travelers.

But Ranjit’s focus extends beyond the inherent responsibilities of a recognized family. She is committed to Svaasa’s nurturing, non-smoking and organic environment. In the Svaasa Spa Pavillion, 15 ayurvedic therapies are offered, a large menu for a small facility. Solar panels heat water, and water-based, odorless paint covers walls. Fresh milk from the cow-shed arrives daily and complements her organic fare.

Each of the 17 rooms features unique colors with patios or balconies, oriented to capture the essential energies of Indian ‘energy flow practice’ known as “vaastu.”. WH Ranjit’s Svaasa is an oasis of quiet amidst the city’s roar. It is a small place with a big soul.

ALONG THE GANGES RIVER

Snuggled below the Devprayag Road and banked by the revered Ganges River, the Himalayan Hideaway resides quietly. Its lush countryside embraces a handful of stone buildings that gently cascade across the property. They house the resort’s public areas and eight of its nine private rooms. Mine is the ninth, nestled in its own stone cottage closer to the Ganges.

All is peaceful here. Nature’s acoustics resound: ‘gurgles’ from the Ganges, insect conversations at night, high-pitched alarm of an Asian barking deer. (Their antlers and stature are smaller than North American deer.) In Outlook Traveler Survey 2005, Himalayan Hideaway is noted on its “List of Worthies”, in the “Small Hotel” category.

I follow a stone path that leads to an open-pit fire. It blazes now for winter warmth. Conversation, climate and laughter turn strangers into friends. More paths lead to the region’s first “eco-garden” - a green collection of flora and fauna unique to the north-west Himalayas- while another turns towards the Chakra Abode, a two-story cottage where simple ayurvedic massages reign. Therapists are called from town. No rush, they arrive. All is in order. Rural so refreshes. Urban often depresses.

Himalayan Hideaway’s motto, “Take nothing but Photos. Leave nothing but Footprints” reminds us of our roots. A few days and I am ready to live here. But I do borrow a Ganges river rock until I return.

Should I need to do anything else, kayaking, rafting, walking, climbing, bird watching, angling, rappelling, and hiking are also available. And down the Ganges a bit is the Hideaways’ sister camp, the legendary Himalayan River Runners, India’s first rafting company. I can partake of any of these activities, but I don’t. I opt for this lovely quiet. Himalayan Hideaway is an organic abode of tranquility. Just what appeals right now – simply being, not moving, and enjoying the silence.

FROM HI-TECH TO HOLISTIC, OUTSIDE BANGALORE

Soukya is a residential holistic health and integrative medical center situated on a 30-acre organic farm in the tranquil, unpolluted countryside. It is sufficiently outside the urban high-tech mecca into which the pretty city of Bangalore has evolved (some 13 miles away). Its name means “wellness”. That is exactly what Soukya offers. In October this year Soukya was rated “Best Place for Natural Cure” by India Today, the Time magazine of India.

The Chairman, Medical and Managing Director is Dr. Isaac Mathai, a renowned holistic physician and health consultant. Dr. Mathai studied Chinese Pulse Diagnosis and Acupuncture at the W.H.O. Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Nanking, China, and received training at Harvard Medical School’s Mind-Body Medicine Program. His experience derives from 20 years of holistic medical practice, and a 10,000+ patient network from 40 countries. Dr Mathai specializes in integrating medical systems and complementary therapies. Mrs. Suja Issac is Soukya’s nutritionist, (M.Sc., M.Phil in Foods and Nutrition), Executive Director, and Dr. Mathai’s wife.

With its focus on health promotion and early intervention, Soukya offers highly-individualised treatments. The roster of medical and healing-related services - 7 Integrated Medicine specialties; 21Complementary Therapies; 9 Medical Programs and Full Wellness Regimes - is extensive. Its full range of ayurvedic treatments is the “real deal.” So no wonder that the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and Reverend Desmond Tutu have experienced this center.

Situated on lush grounds, organic farming reigns: orchards and vegetable gardens furnish the restaurant, organic fodder for cows and ducks produce milk and eggs. South Indian inner courtyards, thatched roofs, use of local granite, handcrafted tiles and decorative Gujarati mirror craft are framed by traditional Indian architecture. Sixteen very spacious guest rooms - 12 deluxe and 4 suites - have open air showers and private gardens. Eco-friendly structures (solar panels, rain water harvesting, drip irrigation) underpin the infrastructure.

The Soukya Foundation runs two charity homeopathic clinics. Above all, Dr. Mathai and Mrs. Isaac foster a great love for their guests through their commitment to better health. In addition, Dr. Deepak Chopra’s endorsement speaks volumes: “Dr. Mathai is one of the most competent and brilliant holistic doctors in the world today.”

GOA IN PORTUGUESE INDIA

The Ayurvedic Natural Health Centre in Saligao, Caligute, Goa, operates two resort facilities as well as its fully-equipped ayurvedic hospital center, The Ayur Centre. Headed by Dr. Sunita, the Ayurvedic Natural Health Centre boasts a knowledgeable staff.

Two of its goals truly reflect the caring approach that has brought acclaim to this facility: to make every individual understand the laws of nature and introduce the laws of nature in oneself to maintain perfect health, and to make the treatment accessible to every individual at the most reasonable price.

Prainha Beach Resort overlooks the Zuari River, and in the distance, the Arabian Sea. It started as a small white cottage by the sea in 1963, situated over a private, secluded beach. Encircled by enormous palm trees and lush coastal vegetation, today, Prainha Beach Resort boasts appointed rooms, framed in indigenous wood cottages, four of which are situated some 30 feet off the beach. These are the Madeira Cottages. The facility is a tranquil retreat where antique wooden furniture recalls the Portuguese cultural imprint in this part of India.