Amritsar, the sacred city of the Sikhs, famous for its innumerable dealer shops, restaurants and hotels of the Wagah border, the poignant Jalianwala Bagh and the mesmerizing Golden temple, the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh religion. Here in Amritsar, a few minutes from the railway station, just off Mall road, a narrow lane leads to Ranjit’s Svaasa, a heritage spa resort set up by one of the city’s oldest families with three generations of experience in the hotel industry. This is where I enjoyed a gala time in Amritsar, savoring the many delightful experiences that this singular spa resort provides.
As you enter, you notice the beautiful colonial style architecture and the sprawling garden around the old bungalow adds to the charm. It’s not often that one comes across a place like this.As soon as you open the doors to the reception you are greeted by a peaceful atmosphere, cool air and the wonderful smell of lemongrass.I stayed in the Svaasa room which was humongous.In keeping with its holistic spa approach, the accommodation has been designed with full reference to ‘vaastu’ for the right direction and flow of energy. The well-lit airy room is unique in colour and character and had a balcony overlooking the gardens.The room had an Electric Kettle, an electronic safe for personal belongings, a hair dryer and pure herbs bath & shower amenities along with an eco-friendly SVAASA slipper for the bathroom; there is a mini-fridge for your use, added bathroom amenities and a Welcome Basket of Organic/Healthy goodies.They have free wi-fi access too.The Television with Cable and DVD facility is in the Herb’s Cafe & Lounge.
At Svaasa, the Silver Art dining room serves a variety of delectable cuisines to choose from that includes Indian, Chinese, Lebanese, Italian, Thai and the local spicy Punjabi delicacies.However, only organic vegetarian produce is carefully procured to ensure a healthy and hygienic diet.I can recommend the vegetable kathi rolls, veg biryani, veg pizza, tea and cake and the grilled sandwiches! and the dinner of sesame-honey chicken with rice on the front verandah overlooking the palms, mango and jamun trees.Its verandah cafe with multi-coloured flooring, green palms, cane furniture and fragrance of lemon grass is an ideal place to spend a spiritual and sensual evening while sipping on their excellent herbal tea.The place even has a pretty good library upstairs that has an immense collection of an entire assortment of titles.For the musically inclined, there are also a Tabla, Harmonium, Dholak and Piano available in the Empire lounge. And if you want you can shop at the Shop lounge sells a collection of natural, organic, eco-friendly, health conscious mind and body products from creams to health foods.
But what makes the place truly luxurious is the spa services it offers. Walking through the cruchy floor of the spa pavilion, one can inhale the aroma scents used for massages and other therapies.
There is the whole gamut of Kerala treatments from Abhyangam, a full body massage with herbal oils to Siroseka to vitalize the mind and senses, the soothing full body Pizichil, Kativastio for back pains the rhythmic Udavartanam, and more. There is much to choose from the universal treatments as well: the anti-ageing Lavender Sea Glow, the Earth Massage with Dead Sea mud rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium, Balenotherapy for joint pains, hydrotherapy including Cleopatra’s Milk Bath and the Vichy shower…besides facial, hair, hand and foot therapies, of course.The therpaists and masseurs are all from Kerala – a place that knows what ayurveda really is. The ayurvedic treatments come attached with shower and steam cabins.And then there are yoga sessions and medication hours.I myself got a Lepanam – an ancient herbal body scrub that detoxifies the skin, removes dead cell, and stimulates circulation and cell growth. Then I got smeared with the papaya. It really left me feeling fresh and radiant.
What makes one fall in love with the place is the pervading tranquility, a pleasant quiet hush that itself is healing in today’s world of mind-less, never ending noise.Svaasa is veritably a little island of quietude.
