Spa Happy Feet first fish spa in town

We stopped by at the first fish spa in town and stepped out after a pleasant 20 minute tickle, squeaky clean feet and the usual massage. Here's going beyond all the hype

We stopped by at the first fish spa in town and stepped out after a pleasant 20 minute tickle, squeaky clean feet and the usual massage. Here's going beyond all the hype

Nothing can get better than a drizzly, breezy idle afternoon spent out in the open with a friend and err... 700 fish. Yeah, that's the number of Garra rufas, or 'doctor fish', that inhabit the four-seater open fish tank with a foot fetish. Remember the last scene in the Iranian film Children of Heaven, where the loving little brother dips

his blistered feet into the fishpond for some respite? The scene had remedial significance, and has now been brought off screen by a youngster in the city. Happy Feet, tucked in a little corner of the open sidewalk on the first floor of a plush South Delhi mall, is a therapy centre that's more like a laidback lakeside. We soaked up some fun.

The owner is a 26-year-old MBA student, Shikha Chandra, who got inspired by such spas in the Middle East. "I can't help but laugh like mad when the little brats stick close, so for me, it's serves as laughter therapy, too," she said as the little dermatologists got to work on our feet. At first, it's squirmy, but once the rhythm sets in, you can enjoy the skylines of Saket as much as the fish enjoy their feast. And no, they don't have teeth, so there's nothing to be scared of.

Does it really work? Yes. Your feet feel refreshed and squeaky clean, though a pamper-some pedicure, complete with cuticle-moistening and nail painting, isn't their thing. The after-massage is average, but you canu00a0 insist on a longer one if no one's in queue (there are two soft-spoken attendants at the kiosk).

Is it hygienic? Yes. Each foot is sanitised before it is immersed, the water filters are at work 24 X 7, and around 800 litres of water are circulated in a day. The fish, too, are replaced with a new lot bred in their home country, Turkey, every six months, though they have a lifespan of six years. This is done since full-growns may cause discomfort at seven to 10 centimetres.

Can men get kissed, too? Of course, as long as your lady has no problems with it! It is a unisex service, and can be a great way to unwind together. Next on the cards is an aqua hand spa by the nibblers. They suck, and how!

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