When time stood still during a spa therapy

Mumbai, Health, Spa therapies, Palladium Hotel, Peace Of Mind Oil, relax

Visiting a spa means different things to different people. For most it's a way of relaxation to escape from the hustle-bustle of the city and get some precious me time, while for others, it's a luxurious experience, a privilege that they treat themselves to after a gruelling week at work. However, for me, a first-timer, it was a method of finding out whether the experience was worth the hype.

On a hot Monday afternoon, I set out to experience the spa at the Palladium Hotel. It boasts of an extensive menu and internationally-trained spa consultants who customise the treatment based on your needs, and even claim to help eliminate stress and achieve inner calm. I chose the Aromatic Nodal Massage, a 90-minute full-body penetrating massage particularly suited to facilitate lymphatic drainage and muscular detox.

My therapist, Mawitei Khongsai, directed me to a dimly lit chamber with wood interiors. Each corner looked like it was well planned. With soothing instrumental music playing in the background, I changed into a bathing robe. She asked me to dip my feet in warm water infused with bath salt (comprising Himalayan salt crystals and organic Juniper berries) which helped remove the excess oil from my feet and this five-minute ritual was just a precursor to the actual massage.

Since, this was my first time, I felt shy but then reminded myself that the first rule while opting for a spa treatment was that one should leave his/her inhibitions at home. I reluctantly got rid of the robe and lied down comfortably under an orange blanket. The fragrance of the body oil (Khongsai used the ‘Peace Of Mind Oil' which comprised lime, neroli and rose germanium) in addition to the dim lighting, comforted my senses.

Though I was tensed, thinking about the prospect of what lay ahead of me, I pushed this niggling thought away and decided to concentrate on the experience. Khongsai started off by gently massaging my feet for about 10 minutes, moving up to my legs. I felt my muscles relax but was left with a dull pain.

She informed me that my tensed muscles, thanks to sitting for long hours hunched over the computer, were easing up. She gradually worked her way up to my hands, back and shoulders. Her kneading hand movements eased the knots in these body parts, making me realise how tired I actually was.

As I snuggled into the warm blanket, the therapist worked the magic of her fingers around my neck, gently massaging the pressure points to help blood circulation. I could actually feel the tension in my neck ease and felt light and happy. She followed it with a head massage that was soothing and helped increase the blood circulation to my hair roots.

Ninety minutes had never felt shorter. Much to my discontentment, the therapist informed me that the treatment concluded with the head massage and I had to move to the steam chamber.

Sitting in the steam chamber, thinking about the treatment, a smile appeared on my face. The massage had lived up to its claim, making me feel light and stress free. I knew I'd return for round two.