The Vana Malsi Estate is situated in Dehradun in the Doon Valley. The 82-room hilltop retreat is filled with luxury and is set admist an organic kitchen and herb gardens in a sal-tree reserve. The yoga capital Rishikesh is only a two-hour drive south so guests can join the pilgrims and sadhus on the banks of the river Ganges and experience a puja (offering).
The treatments are prescribed according to the guest’s objectives, medical conditions and his or her dosha (Ayurveda body type). Spa connoisseurs offer hatha yoga, acupuncture, reflexology, meditation, alongside sessions that are exotic in their Tibetan or Chinese names and in their methods. Ku nye, pronounced as ‘coo-nyee’ is an ancient massage with herbal poultices and chanting which helps release tension. The raag therapy, pronounced ‘raga’ is healing via time spent with a flautist. The hor gyi metsa is another treatment that works on white channels and nerve pathways.
Vana offers Sowa Rigpa, the Tibet’s traditional system of medicine which finds it roots in Ayurveda, Chinese medicine and Buddhism. Governed by the Men-Tsee-Khang, the Institute of Tibetan Medicine and Astrology of the Tibetan government in-exile in Dharamsala, the doctors and therapists are all alumni of the Men-Tsee-Khang, from where all the preparations are also procured.
The cuisine at Vana connects many aspects of Vana’s philosophy. The philosophy believes that what one puts into the stomach will definitely act to nourish, heal or harm. Vana tries to awaken traditional values and cultural nuances from India and its menus include vegetarian and vegan choices as well as thoughtfully sourced meat, fish and poultry. The cuisine team produces everything from bread and butter to wasabi and ice creams in the kitchens. The team has successfully prepared traditional Indian bhojans at the Siddhartha Festival and Vidyaloke and based on principles of Ayurveda, Sowa Rigpa, contemporary western nutrition and naturopathy, Vana’s apothecary creates infusions, decoctions, topical applications and herb mixtures.
Tour operators can offer Vana to their clients as it is one of the few places in the world where Sowa Rigpa is formally offered in its complete avatar. There are frequent flights from Delhi International Airport to Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. The Vana Malsi Estate is then a one hour and 15 minutes drive from the airport.