Even the treatments are confrontational. I was given a langoti (a hybrid of a loincloth and a G-string), which I put on and came out from behind the curtain. Her chest is bare and she is hyper-aware of her soft layers. My team of therapists, Devi, Reshma and Sruthi, recite prayers while I sit in the chair. Devi applied an herbal paste that smelled like insect repellent to my forehead to soothe my sinus infection, and I climbed onto the wooden Ayurvedic massage table known as a droni. Massage-like pijichiru, a seductive pleasure at a spa, here becomes an unpleasant gymnastics. He slips into one of her five positions – sitting, back, front and side, and every centimeter of her skin is coated with oil. Breasts, buttocks, nostrils, ears, eyelids, almost everything is off limits.
Soothing in the tranquil lakes of Kalari Raisana, Kerala, India
In contrast, yoga is a gentle pleasure. The practices of the Bihari school are precise and pure. Everyone begins with private lessons before joining group classes. It is the opposite of power yoga. I’m fascinated by a different joint every day. There is as much emphasis on pranayama and meditation as there is asana, and you can feel your nadis (energy channels) being purified and your chakras starting to glow.
There is no other decision to make than which bench to sit on to view the lake. Every day, a freshly washed white cotton kurta-style pajama uniform appears. Your blood pressure will drop and your mind will stop being chaotic. Although bland, the food is served in small portions (spices are kept to a minimum so as not to aggravate the intestines).
Water lily pond in Kalari Raisana, Kerala, IndiaSudis Xavier
