Marieke's Art of Living

Recommended Retreats in India

Marieke’s growing fascination and engagement with India has led her to explore many tenets of this country’s culture, especially yoga and Ayurved. Spending time in India each year, aside from the tours has enabled her to experience a number of retreats that offer a combination of authentic treatments, rejuvenation programs offered in salubrious surrounds.

The following are personally recommended:

Ananda in the Himalayas. Located just North of Rishikesh and best reached from Delhi on a 4-hour comfortable early morning train ride, this is suggested for at least a 3-day package, though being winter in January and being in the Himalayan foothills expect cool weather.

Soukya Holistic Health Centre. Located one hour out of Bangalore in South India, this is suggested for a minimum of 5-days and preferably a week if someone wishes to undertake a panchakarma and obtain profound benefits.

Amanbagh. Not actually a spa or treatment centre but Aman’s first property in Rajasthan, in a remote location of the Alwar district, one and a half hours from Jaipur along scenic country roads. This is an exceptionally gorgeous and very tranquil luxury property with excellent spa therapists and yoga teachers. If added to the end of a trip, please note it is a 5-hour drive back to Delhi airport and 2 hours back to Jaipur airport.

ANANDA SPA in the HIMALAYAS at RISHIKESH

If complete rejuvenation of body, mind and soul is your idea of heaven, then this holistic, luxurious spa is without peer. In the lush grounds of an old Maharaja's palace owned by the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal surrounded by the Himalayan foothills, sits this purpose built sanctuary in which Ayurvedic, yoga and Western Spa treatments are integrated. Highly recommended from personal experience after three visits, this blissful, peaceful paradise offers a serene sense of wellness, with lovely balconied rooms overlooking the Ganges River and plains, a heated swimming pool with mountain views, solicitous staff and the fascinating holy city of Rishikesh that can be visited 20 kms below your lofty perch. Reached by express train, four hours from Delhi, a 3 night/4 day package is suggested as the way to savour this restorative experience.
The 21,000 square foot spa offers an extensive menu of over 79 body and beauty treatments, integrating the traditional Indian systems of Ayurveda with the more contemporary Western spa approach. The spa experience strives to achieve the ultimate harmony between the physical and the mental realms of the individual.

SOUKYA HOLISITIC HEALTH RESORT at BANGALORE

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

An exceptional and unique Health resort established by Dr. Isaac Mathai M.D.(Hom), M.R.C.H.(Lond) and his wife, Suja Issac M.Sc.,M.Phil.(Foods & Nutrition).
Set on 30 acres outside the city of Bangalore, this establishment has a rare purity of purpose in offering treatments that are both rejuvenating and/or therapeutic: combining ancient Ayurvedic therapies of the very highest order, naturopathy, homeopathy and diet.

Exceptional personalized consultation, very well qualified practitioners in different Systems of Medicine such as Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy and a wide range of Complementary Therapies such as Western Allopathic , Yoga, Acupuncture, Reflexology, Acupressure , solicitous staff, organic vegetarian cuisine, all combine to create an astounding restorative and or therapeutic program. Fruit and vegetables are organically grown on the property. Capacious tranquil rooms come with a private enclosed garden courtyard. Purpose-built treatment rooms with outstanding housekeeping. Allow at least 5 extra days to obtain maximum benefits at this residential integrative medical centre that treats the person with a holistic approach.

AMANBAGH Alwar Region reachable from Jaipur

After four visits, I highly recommend this sumptuous spoil for the end of your trip. One of the loveliest and newest Aman resorts it bespeaks elegance, tranquility, serenity and sits quite “isolated” in a beautiful region of Rajasthan. Be at rest or avail yourself of any of the many interesting excursions available on and off the property through very attractive countryside.

The spa services and yoga lessons are terrific.

Preferred suites are the Terrace Haveli rooms which are capacious, understated and elegantly appointed, affording great privacy.

A plethora of outdoor activities are within the immediate vicinity of Amanbagh, including cycling and trekking, horseback, donkey and camelback rides, as well as sunset elephant rides to the nearby Madar Baba Ki Chattri for spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding area. Rowing or sailing on Ajabgarh Lake during the months of August until February can also be arranged. Of particular interest are tours to traditional Meena villages. Unique to the region, the Meena are a minority race who have settled over the centuries in the nearby hidden valleys. Renowned for their colourful dress, jewellery and crafts, the Meena have retained their traditional lifestyle that embraces few hints of modernity. Visit: Ajabgarh Fort, The Bhangarh of great archaeological importance, Satimata Dham a collection of temples whose name is derived from the Sanskrit word, Dham, meaning “Meditation Palace for Sages and the Holy.” As the most sacred pilgrimage site for the people from Alwar, its sanctity is matched only by Pushkar and Mount Abu, Mansarover Lake a birdwatcher's paradise from October to February and Sariska Nature and Game Sanctuary.

Travel+Leisure magazine's Second Annual Design Awards has named Amanbagh the "Best Resort".

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS not yet personally vetted.

CGHEarth is an innovative company owned by the Dominic family, based in Cochin, who for four generations have been engaged in the hospitality industry with innovative hotels and policies committed to sustainable architecture and infrastructure, organic gardens that supply the hotel kitchens, alliances with local villages and tribes, and overall to leaving light footprints on the earth at the same time as creating destination experiences at their various properties.

Recently they have inaugurated two new resorts, Kalari Kovilakom and SwaSwara, dedicated to well being.

Kalari Kovilakom is a place where opposites meet. Here, if you can imagine it, is a historic palace, restored and recreated into an ayurveda-based place of healing. Located north of Cochin, Kalari combines 19th century luxury with monastic austerity to create an experience nonpareil. Kalari Kovilakom is the Palace for Ayurveda, perhaps the first and only one of its kind. Originally built by the scions of the Princes Dharmavarman, it has recently been restored and recreated into a unique experience in wellness. Combining the healing experience of India's ancient medicinal system, Ayurveda, with the sumptuousness of palace living, it provides therapeutic stays of at least 2 weeks.

The intent and purpose of Kalari Kovilakom is to give you a chance to start your life all over again. Ayurveda, if correctly followed, promises not only a new body and mind, but a deep connection with the spirit.

To stay true to the old conventions of the Palace, no meat, leather footwear or alcohol are allowed at Kalari.

You will see echoes of Ashram-like austerity. Yet, enjoy a rare level of amenities and service, part 21st century comfort, part 19th century romance.

The air-conditioning, the luxury bath fittings and the four - poster beds will certainly lull you, but they shouldn't mislead you. For Kalari offers unvarnished ayurveda, administered in its purest form, in accordance with millennia-old texts and traditions.
Getting There
Kalari Kovilakom Palace is located in the old princely capital town of Kollengode (Vengunad) in the foothills of the Annamalai range, Kerala, India.
The nearest International Airport is Cochin, 105 km, or about two-and-a-half hours drive away.Coimbatore Airport. is 75 km away.

SwaSwara recently opened is south of Goa on the coast where 27 villa style accommodations inspired by the traditional family estates that dot the Konkan coast, combine air-conditioned modern fittings with authentic natural materials, most of them sourced locally from the artisans of the area.

The centerpiece of SwaSwara is the blue meditation dome, at the head of the swimming pool. Its circular form and blue tiles form a mandala (or cosmic sphere) of harmony, echoing the temple architecture of nearby Gokarna.

At SwaSwara, you can expect personalized attention from Yoga experts belonging to several major schools.

If you're new to Yoga, you can just sample a bit of it all, practising as the mood takes you.

For more serious Yoga lovers, as also for people with specific ailments, SwaSwara offers a whole range of options. If you like, we'll create a therapy program just for you, complete with Yoga postures and Pranayama (breath exercises), meditations, diet and Ayurvedic massage.

The food at SwaSwara is in keeping with the natural spirit that inspires everything else here. The accent is on the fruits of the land and the sea. And the focus is on freshness, pure and simple. Meat is avoided. The cuisine concentrates on the fresh catch of local shellfish and seafish.

Fresh produce from the farms surrounding SwaSwara provides the accompaniment. Hard liquor is avoided. Instead, we serve up a selection of fine wines, both imported and local (we highly recommend you try a few of the latter, specially the reds).

Shreyas Retreat. Shreyas is a boutique retreat situated about 35 km from the center of Bangalore spread over 25 acres of landscaped gardens. Just 14 rooms spread across 25 acres of coconut plantation, gardens and paddy fields. A maximum of 25 people are unobtrusively tended to by carefully trained staff as they go about their daily agendas in complete privacy and quiet. The architecture and interiors are a seamless confluence of traditional and the modern - tiled roofs, antique doorways and stone pillars give way to contemporary interiors and state of the art facilities. Shreyas is an environmentally friendly retreat and care has been taken to retain the original landscape and natural beauty of the place. Every effort has been made to preserve the precious natural resources with initiatives such as rain water harvesting, solar heating, ayurvedic and medicinal herb plantations, organic farming and organic waste disposal. All meals served at Shreyas are made from organically grown ingredients freshly hand-picked from its 20 acres of fields.

A day dawns with guests waking to the gentle rustling of the coconut trees, the chirping of birds and the crisp cool air. Stepping out of your luxury garden cottages with tented canopies or your poolside cottages, the curving pathways lead to the open-air yoga hall where hatha, ashtanga and vinyasa yoga lessons take place, as well as deep relaxation, meditation and breathing exercises.

There is a winding 3-kilometre pathway, a temperature controlled 25 meter lap pool, a library, cricket pitch, massage centre with trained therapists.

Shreyas is designed as a place where you can come in touch with the rich and vibrant Indian spiritual tradition that encourages us to search for meaning and purpose of our existence by looking into the depths of our souls. Numerous processes derived from the tradition of Yoga and a range of self discovery modules allows guests to truly recharge their body and mind energies and set about resetting their priorities and goals.

This is all provided in a private, serene and spiritual environment which is greatly enhanced by guests refraining from consuming alcohol during their stay.

A NOTE ON AYURVED

Ayurved is not merely a kind of antiquated folk medicine. It is a science in its own right. Yet it is a science based upon the observation of living being and their actual reaction to their environment. In this way, it classifies not only individuals but also foods, herbs, emotions, climates, and lifestyles in an energetic language that reflects the entire living world around us.

Ayurved possesses perhaps the longest clinical experience of any system of medicine, with a history of Ayurvedic hospitals and colleges going back for over three thousand years. It has a science of anatomy and physiology that follows a ritualistic model based upon the biological humors. It has an extensive herbal and mineral industry, including what is probably the greatest variety of herbal and pharmaceutical preparation in the world. These include herbal wines, jellies, confections, resins, balsams, pills, and an extensive system of mineral preparation. It has special clinical methods, including the use of steam therapy, oil massage, and Pancha Karma purification and rejuvenation. Perhaps most importantly, it also has a whole science of self-care, including an entire methodology of right living for optimum health and the promotion of greater awareness and creativity. All of this follows a constitutional model that considers the unique nature of the individual of the primary factor in health, not disease as an entity in itself.

While western medicine has focused upon pathogens and how to control disease from the outside, Ayurved concentrates on the individual and how to control disease through balancing the life-force within the individual, As the limitation of antibiotics are becoming evident, such regimes for strengthening our own internal or immune system may be crucial for our health as a species through the coming century.