The Healing Touch

Fortunately, India has begun to offer many options and happily, many of them are affordable. There are nature cure hospitals like the Jindal8217;s Institute of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences Bangalore and Oorlikanchan near Pune. I8217;ve spent a lot at Jindals8217;, filming for Health Today and was really impressed by its curative and healing residential programmes.

Kerala is full of Ayurvedic centres as well. Kairali, in Palakkad district, offers kayakalpa chikitsa, panchakarma and more. Spas like the one at Rajvilas in Jaipur offer five star facilities and I have enjoyed a fabulous Shirodhaara massage there. I am yet to visit Ananda in the Himalayas, the luxury spa set up by Parmeshwar Godrej.

Since I like to save up and go for spa holidays, I8217;ve been to plenty: From the stunningly beautiful Grand Quellenhof Badragaz, Switzerland and, a few months ago, the Victoria Jungfrau Interlaken, Switzerland, to Chiva Som near Bangkok, Thailand. Should any of you need details of these, please write to me and I8217;ll be happy to share them with you.

But right now I am experiencing Spa Vyana in Fisherman8217;s Cove and enjoying choosing from its vast 8216;menu of massages8217;, which includes a hot stone massage, a holistic back massage, a detox spa tonic and even a 8216;Flight Reviver8217; and a 8216;Golfer8217;s Tonic. Set up by Vinita Jain of Biotique just a fortnight ago, this spa is worth a check-out.

I got back a recipe of a delicious raw mango salad from Chef Fabian Ravi. You can add cooked crab meat to it, if you want to make it non-vegetarian.

RAW MANGO SALAD
1 tbsp tamarind juice
2 shredded cucumbers
200 gm shredded raw mango
50 gm shredded mint leaves
50 gm coriander leaves
20 gm jaggery
Combine tamarind juice, jaggery, shredded raw mango, fresh mint leaves, coriander and cucumbers. Place the salad on a serving plate. If you like, add 400 gm cooked crab meat and toss into the salad.