Holistic high

Yoga in the Himalayan air, meditation on the banks of a mountain river... refreshes the soul as much as the body

As I make my way towards the cluster of walnut trees, a gentle drizzle makes dewdrops on the grass. Our yoga session has been moved indoors to the gymnasium - a circular building surrounded by glass windows on all sides.

The crisp mountain breeze is laced with the scent of wet earth. We begin. I breathe in and close my eyes. The deep resonant voice of the instructor nudges us into another realm. The next one hour is magical as she leads us from one posture to the next, her effortless twists inspiring us to flow into the gentle rhythms of yoga. A million beats away from the more energetic aerobics that I normally espouse.

Folklore designates Kullu as the 'Valley of the Gods' - rather apt, for this valley is indeed the abode of many a 'godsmen'. Religion, spiritualism, meditation and nature draw a steady stream of visitors, mostly from overseas, to ashrams dotting the Kullu Valley. I came to this valley of apple orchards and the gurgling Bees for an ashram experience with a difference.

A Holistic Retreat at Span Resorts and the one day I have spent since my arrival has already slackened my pace from hectic towards peacefulness.

We arrived at the resort in the dead of night, a bit exhausted by the charming but long drive from Delhi. A cobbled pathway lit by tiny lamps on either side took us to our cottage. A private patio led to manicured lawns and a hammock hung invitingly on the tree outside our cottage over which heavy blossoms cast a shadow. The river gurgled in the distance.

The morning is crystal clear, the perfect weather to laze in the hammock with a good book! I venture out for a midday morning stroll taking in the sweeping view of the mountains. A flock of exotic birds with colourful tails flit around among the walnut trees.

Past a bunch of cottages lies the swimming pool overlooking the river on one side. On the other side, the lawns roll gently to give way to a lawn tennis court and mini-golf course.

The other side of the resort houses the children's park, the block with conference facilities and the gym, and a lovely preserve of tall walnut trees. The main building houses the reception, coffee shop, library lounge, bar, billiards room and other facilities.

Back in my cottage I join my husband for a Sunday brunch. Here, you don't need to do things in a hurry to make it in time for anything at all. Not even to look for tranquillity - you are right in the middle of it.

The day progresses towards dusk, and a feeling of well-being. The sky darkness and the calls of birds gives way to the chirps of grasshoppers and a slight chill descends.... The evening slips by as we enjoy our drinks by the riverside, followed by a hearty dinner at the restaurant. Unless you visit Span in peak season, or place your order well in advance, be warned the service is slow. Nevertheless, the congenial attitude of the staff makes up for it.

Next morning, we wake up early, soak our feet in the stream, choose the smoothest of riverbed pebbles for our aquarium, and enjoy a meditation session by the riverbank. This is followed by a freewheeling session with Dr. Rachna Khanna, a leading homoeopath, attached to Delhi's best-known heart hospital. Young, attractive and cheerful, Rachna wears the doctor's tag lightly so that the session does not become too dull and instead focuses on specific lifestyle solutions where homoeopathy can prove useful.

Rested, rejuvenated and relaxed, we reflect. The 'to do' options are diverse: we could spend some time meditating by the river, like the group of ardent devotees of a guru with a ashram in Kullu we saw, or indulge in the exhilaration of heli-skiing using the resort as a base - foreigners coming for heli-skiing take over half the resort when they helicopter to Manali's virgin snow slopes and ski their way down.

We opt for an excursion to Manali. After breakfast, we leave the resort for the 20-minute drive to Manali. A visit to the Hadimba Devi temple and a late lunch of some delightful smoked trout at the lovely Johnson's Cafe after, makes it a perfect day at Manali. I spent the evening in the spacious library lounge reading a romantic Daphne Du Maurier, playing carrom and slurping hot chicken soup followed by a tandoori platter of kebabs.

Our last morning is busy. We have to pack our bags and head home. Since we are leaving a day earlier we miss out on the last session with Galina Atrey, an expert in the field of naturopathy who makes use of various healing methods ranging from therapies based on natural forces like water, sun, mud and air to others like Regression Therapy, Reiki and Yoga to help balance the equilibrium between the body, mind and soul. As we enjoy the hot pot of coffee on the patio outside, while our bags are being loaded into the car, I chat with Galina and get a glimpse of what I shall miss of her session.

All the 'holistic' sessions at Span are focused on providing simple but highly effective tools to help unwind even after your return to hassle and haste. So while the yoga instructor, Madhavi, equipped us with the knowledge of basic relaxation techniques and yoga postures that you can practise at home, Galina takes it further by explaining the basic principles of naturopathy to address your specific issues.

In my brief chat with her for instance, I learn how we can effectively sunbathe to solve many common ailments. For example, if you wrap red cellophane around the body part that suffers from arthritis, and sunbathe for about 20 minutes within three hours of sunrise, it will provide immense relief. Making use of a green leaf in a specific manner on a certain body part and sunbathing can cure a long-standing skin problem!

Nothing seems insurmountable. The mountains inspire you to think and plan positive. A complete lifestyle change when you get back home seems an easy reality! I could have done with a few days more soaking in the tranquillity but I am rejuvenated. And nothing is insurmountable.

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