Naturoville Vedic Retreat assists its guests in realigning themselves with nourishments of all forms
Naturoville Vedic Retreat is an ideal abode for seclusion and relaxation. Set in an unexplored virgin paradise that is a 20 minutes’ drive from the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, the property is tranquil and romantic.
It is cradled by lush greenery and pristine environs that rejuvenate your senses and sooth away the tensions of the day. Shortly after I checked in, I walked my way to the treatment centre and introduced myself to the team of doctors. After a regular examination and noting down the measurements of my body, weighing me and going through my medical report, I was introduced to “Purnima,” and “Laxmi” my therapists for the duration of my two weeks stay at the property.
“Abhyanga, the ayurvedic massage is traditionally performed in the morning, before your shower to facilitate the release of toxins that may have accumulated during the previous night. It is an integral part of the daily routine recommended by this healing system for overall health and wellbeing. We therefore begin the first day treatment session with this massage which is a four hand herbal oil massage done over a duration of 30 minutes and then left on for 25 minutes for it to nourish the body, reinstate the balance of dosha’s and improve one’s well-being and longevity. It is considered an important treatment modality for balancing the dosha’s, pointed out Dr Shweta Kushwaha, the panchakarma specialist.”
After this treatment as I walked around the property and I met many likeminded people who kind of become an extended family over the duration of my stay there. We would work out together and eat our meals together at least twice a day. Having lunch together was unpredictable as some of us had early treatment sessions whilst the others had them later.
After the treatments were done with, the charming and vibrant General manager Sonal Mittal would check on us, and on our wellbeing. “In an era of ‘digital amnesia,’ where our brains are fast losing their ability to remember as we become increasingly reliant on technology to retain data. At Naturoville Vedic Retreat, we recommend that the guests use their smart phones sparingly as the best and natural way to treat memory loss and to destress is by following of our ancestors who gifted us with Ayurveda, the mother of all healing sciences. Yoga stretches done regularly with meditation and Ayurveda treatments helps in improving the power of concentration and aids in self-realization, paving way for mental wellness mainly due to the positive changes created in the brain wave pattern” she explained to us, requesting us to use our mobile phones for just an hour a day.
The early morning and evening sessions of yoga would begin with our instructor Rahul Gupta, who’s mantra is “stretching in the morning totally is a great kick-start for the rest of your day. This will ease stiffness, soreness, and can help diminish chronic aches and pains in the body. Take time for yourself in the morning with the yoga poses and exercises, so you can be sure to enjoy the rest of the day.”
He would rigorously get us to stretch out and simultaneously concentrate on our breathing over a duration of an hour, twice a day. After this we would walk around a bit before walking our way to the restaurant on the premises.
Here, the food served to us was based on our aches and pains, ailments and of course our dosha’s. Breakfast often compromised of Vegetable Poha, Ragi Chila with mint chutney, Vegetable Upma, Nachni Idli with coconut chutney and Moong dal Sambhar and Oatmeal chila that were complimented with a fresh fruit or vegetable juice.
The portion sizes were very liberal to begin with and gradually came down to half a ragi chila or oatmeal chila for a few days. A couple of hours later and again shortly after eating lunch, a plate of fresh fruit cling wrapped would come to our room with our room numbers written on it, for us to eat and digest before we left for our treatment.
Lunch often comprised of a glass of chaas, and a ‘ragi’ or ‘barley phulka’ or ‘missi roti’ with either sautéed lady fingers, sauteed carrots and beans, boiled kidney beans, a pumpkin vegetables to begin with.
As the days went past, grilled exotic vegetables, vegetable sheekh kebabs and a vegetable sizzler without rice and potatoes made it to my table at dinner time to enhance my taste buds and gear up my body for departure back to the civilised world.
The ambience at dinner time would be relaxed with a team of two individuals playing a tabla and an electronic sitar and playing some old time hindi film songs or ghazals, that would momentarily transport you to that era.
At the treatment centre, Dr Thomas Varghese, Vice President Operations and Naturopathy and Ayurveda consultant conveyed to me that “Ayurveda is known to be one of the oldest medicinal traditions in India. Potli massage therapy finds its roots in this science.
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Potli’s contain a selection of Ayurvedic herbs, both fresh and dried, that are carefully chosen based on your Ayurvedic constitution and the issue that you’re being treated for. They are then packed into a muslin cloth and dipped in warm herbal oil and then massaged onto specific pressure points that help in healing the body. This also help stimulate blood circulation which promotes faster recovery and healthy skin as well. When a heated potli is massaged on the body, it opens the pores and relaxes the muscles, allowing the carefully selected herbs to work on the body and mind, the latter being the reason why it is thought of as being very relaxing. It works particularly well for hypertensive people, for people who enrol in the weight loss program and for diabetics. We embrace the philosophy of ‘release and rebirth’ and the therapies are designed to focus on the seven energy centres.”
In between the treatments and yoga sessions, there are other activities like Ayurveda cooking classes, Ayurveda lectures, swimming, using the gymnasium and a wide collection of novels to pick and choose from to read. The Ayurveda cooking classes help you to learn on how to cook the food that they serve you to help you retain your wellbeing, after you leave the property.
In what seemed like a fortress for the duration of our stay, with no restaurant accessible within a walking distance beyond the property, I came down by 4 kgs and a 3” loss overall bringing me down by one size whilst a friend of mine lost almost 6 kgs over 12 days, on her second visit to Naturoville. Refuge in nature helped us meet our target.
“Food is considered just as powerful as medicine. According to Ayurveda, our human physiology is a reflection of the laws of the universe and the more in tune our lives are with nature, the healthier we are likely to be. At Naturoville Vedic Retreat, we recommend eating moderate quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables not only for their nutritional value, but also because they are good natural internal cleansers. Being hydrated throughout the day helps flush out the toxins and transports nutrients to where they are needed,” informed Dr. Thomas Varghese, with three decades of expertise to his credit.
In this world of busy schedules, numerous demands and less than nourishing food and entertainment options, Naturoville assists its guests in realigning themselves with nourishments of all forms. As I left the property, I felt light and radiant recommitting myself to healthy practices that had fallen out of my schedule and finding new ways of living as the best version of myself by choosing to revitalize my senses through the different Ayurveda treatments.