A visit to the world-renowned Himalayan spa yields healthy recipes and tips based on India's ancient holistic healing system

By Sarah Belk King


Two days after landing in New Delhi, I found myself barefoot and shivering in a cold February rain at 5 a.m. on the crowded banks of the Ganges. I was with my yoga group, participating in a sacred Hindu ceremony known as Arati. Profound? Absolutely. But I was excruciatingly jet-lagged and, um, perhaps not quite prepared for all the color and chaos. In addition to enlightenment, I needed a manicure. I needed exfoliation. I needed Ananda.

So, I went AWOL. I made a phone call to the famous resort, recipient of numerous awards, including Best Destination Spa (three years in a row) from Condé Nast Traveler and Top Spa in India 2007 by Spa Finder. In less than an hour, a shiny white SUV arrived to whisk me up the mountains to Ananda, known for its Ayurvedic wellness treatments. Ayur-WHAT? The word comes from the Sanskrit "Ayus," meaning "life," and "Ved," meaning knowledge. Although it involves both body and soul, to many of its devotees, India's revered 5,000-year-old holistic healing system is more science than religion, since it focuses on making good lifestyle choices for better physical and emotional health.

Sitar and tabla musicians welcomed me to Ananda's 100-acre spread, filled with peacocks and very tidy (very English) gardens. A 108-bead mala prayer necklace (important in both Hindu and Buddhist faith) was hung around my neck by a member of the hotel staff with all the reverence of an Olympic medal, then I was invited into the comfy sitting room for ginger-lemon tea. I was being coddled in an incredibly sacred location: the foothills of the Himalayas, the birthplace of Ayurveda.

Overlooking the Valley of Rishikesh, the spa is built around a vice-regal palace that is a striking architectural blend of Moorish and Italian Renaissance styles. Decor in the public areas—particularly the billiards room and rare-books library—is an obvious nod to the British Colonial era. The sleek, modern guest rooms (with sunken bathtubs and terraces with views of the Himalayas) are a quarter-mile away, the perfect distance for meandering, power-walking, or monkey-gazing.

Ananda offers a perfect combination of creature comforts and Indian culture: There are yoga and meditation classes as well as a six-hole, par-three golf course. Want to visit the Ashram in Rishikesh made famous by The Beatles' visit in the '60s? No problem. Or perhaps you'd prefer a heart-pounding white-water-rafting trip? There are also safaris for catching a glimpse of crocodiles, tigers, and other animals. And if you happen to be traveling with a companion who could care less about yoga, send him or her off on a fishing expedition to land a masheer (carp). The record catch? Forty pounds!

But since I'd prayed at the Ganges all morning—and I can go rafting and fishing back home—it was easy planning my Ananda activities. I was there for Ayurvedic-inspired body work, pampering, and meals created specifically for my dosha (body-mind type). Although the resort focuses on ancient traditions, the spa facilities are state-of-the-art. Twenty-one luxe treatment rooms offer six kinds of massage, four versions of hydrotherapy, plus all manner of wraps, scrubs, and rubs, such as Njavarakizhi, a 45-minute massage using linen bags filled with cooked rice, designed to induce perspiration and alleviate stress. Another treatment, Abhyanga, is a whole-body massage performed by two therapists (four hands!) that is—I've been told by those who've experienced it—beyond ethereal.

I exchanged my travel clothes for the regulation lightweight cotton Indian pajamas (which are not required garb, but are very comfortable) and headed to the spa for orientation. I signed up for the mani and pedi I so desperately craved while seekers from all over the world—Mumbai, Switzerland, Las Vegas, and London—organized their respective schedules to be scrubbed, rubbed, and waxed. Later that afternoon, my inner princess was finally satisfied and I was ready to participate in something meaningful. After yoga and meditation, I attended an inspiring hour-long lecture given by A. Parthasarathy, a noted Vedanta scholar. Vedanta—which means culmination of knowledge—is a way of discovering one's true (i.e., divine) nature. It may sound heady, but Parthasarathy spoke about Vedanta in a way that the group of about eight who attended the lecture (mostly Westerners) could understand, including quoting from Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, and he encouraged interaction and discussion from the attendees.

So much enlightenment! By seven, I was starving. I joined fellow yoginis and spa junkies in the dining room for a tasty finale to a day that began with quite a jolt. It doesn't take much effort to be in the present moment (as yoga has taught me). Right now I'm a food-lover; and the food is incredible.

Food, eating, and digestion are important parts of the Ayurvedic philosophy of well-being, with its belief that physical diseases are due in part to improper lifestyle such as overindulgence and stress. Therefore, the right kind of food—prepared and consumed in a specific way—is believed to bring balance and health to the body. Much of the food served in the dining room is from the spa's organic gardens, and everything is ultrafresh: Ayurvedic docs don't believe in eating leftovers—they maintain that old food can cause a buildup of "ama," or toxins.

Unlike other regimes, Ayurveda's dietary guidelines aren't about counting calories and carbs. What (or what not) to eat is based on body type, the weather, seasons, time of day, age, and geography, among other criteria. My specially designed dosha meal began with a snappy tomato and cilantro broth, and ended with panna cotta with wild berry gratin. I LIKE this Ayurvedic thing: An eating plan that allows panna cotta? Count me in!

Each ingredient and course served a purpose for my dosha (body type)—I am a mix of pitta and vata (see the Ayurveda Eating Tips tab for more about doshas). Ayurvedic discipline recommends cooling foods, such as cucumbers, green beans, and plantains, for people like me. However, during certain times of the year, including when I was visiting India, tomatoes (which are described as astringent) are advised because they relieve thirst and aid circulation and digestive disorders. And milk—the sweet/cold basis of that delicious panna cotta—balances the excessive heat of pitta/vatas. Sweet berries and vanilla are also considered "cooling." Whatever the premise, the food was fabulous and I felt terrific.

After 48 hours of living the Ayurvedic life, I went back down the mountain and joined my hardy yoga group. They admired my shiny digits and glowing complexion. For me, Ananda was the ideal place to begin a trip to the subcontinent: a gentle introduction to all the color, the beauty—and, yes, the chaos—that is India. I returned from the spa relaxed, nurtured, and rested, and ready for anything, including the following day's 4:30 a.m. wake-up call for sun salutations overlooking the Ganges.

The Ayurvedic way of life is said to awaken the body's inner intelligence, allowing one to live in harmony with nature, which then promotes healing from within. The Ayurvedic belief is that by eating certain foods, sleeping certain hours, and exercising in a specific manner, perfect health and harmony is not only possible, it is our birthright.

Food is key: Practitioners believe that our dosha (body-mind type) dictates what we should ingest. The idea is that certain foods can increase or decrease the characteristics of our dosha. The goal is to create balance, so we should eat foods that pacify—or diminish—our primary dosha.

There are three major doshas: pitta, kapha, and vata. Most people are a combination of two, and some people have all three doshas in equal amounts. What's your dosha? The surest way to find out is probably to have a session with an Ayurvedic doctor, but the quiz on http://www.whatsyourdosha.com is fairly reliable. In addition, most books about Ayurveda have charts and lists about the doshas (see the "Resources" tab for more info). In her cookbook Heaven's Banquet: Vegetarian Cooking for Lifelong Health the Ayurveda Way, Miriam Kasin Hospodar provides an extensive list of characteristics. For example, vata types tend to have a lighter, thinner build; perform activities quickly; have a tendency to worry; and have "irregular hunger and digestion." Pitta characteristics include a moderate build; aversion to hot weather; preference for cold food and drinks; and "sharp hunger and digestion." Kapha types have a solid, heavier build; strength and endurance; tranquil personalities; and "slow digestion" and "mild hunger."

Ayurveda categorizes foods by taste, and each is believed to increase or decrease certain doshas. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent or spicy, and astringent. Hospodar advises that one maintain balance by "emphasizing the tastes that pacify your doshas." Generally speaking, if you are primarily vata, choose sweet, sour, and salty foods; if you are primarily pitta, choose sweet, bitter, and astringent foods; if you are primarily kapha, choose pungent, bitter, and astringent foods.

But there are plenty of Ayurvedic eating tips that apply to everyone, regardless of dosha:

Listen to Your Body
The saying "One man's meat is another man's poison" certainly applies to the Ayurvedic way of life. Each individual requires a different diet. Notice if certain foods make you feel better or worse, and modify your diet accordingly.

Choose Fresh Foods
Ayurveda teaches us to avoid preserved, fermented, canned, and frozen foods, as well as leftovers, all of which are said to create ama (toxins) in the body.

Consider the Seasons
In addition to suggesting certain foods for each dosha, Ayurveda dictates that seasons and weather be taken into account when choosing and preparing food. For example, some raw foods might be permitted in summer, but in winter, an Ayurvedic practitioner might advise only cooked foods. Eating hot soup in winter and cool ices in summer is common sense, but more than that, Ayurvedic practitioners believe that not honoring seasonal eating can create ama.

Relax and Slow Down for Better Digestion
Digestion is a major component of the Ayurvedic lifestyle, and according to Ayurveda, your mother was right: You shouldn't talk while chewing. Other ways to aid digestion and overall well-being include dining in a calm place; sitting down for meals; eating only when hungry; consuming food at a moderate pace; and waiting until one meal is digested before starting on the next one.

Be Grateful
Express gratitude for the food you prepare and receive. A positive attitude is good for digestion and overall health.