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Swedish Massage
After
being made to change into virtually nothing, I was led into a
meditation room at the Amatra Spa in Delhi's Ashoka Hotel and
asked to concentrate for five minutes in order to calm the mind
and then led into the massage room. The sole piece of clothing
was shed and yours truly, extremely embarrassed at the prospects
of having to face humiliation for all the accumulated fat, quietly
followed every instruction. The masseuse poured a mixture of warm
olive oil and orange aroma oil on my back. Paying special attention
to all the pressure points, the masseuse, after massaging my entire
body, poured warm oil on my head and gently massaged my scalp.
Then, cotton towels soaked in warm water were wrapped around my
neck and feet. I don't particularly know why she did that, but
it instantly drained out all the remaining stiffness from my body.
Just when I had begun to enjoy the royal treatment, and thought
I could take a nap, she declared that the massage was over and
led me into the steam bath chamber where I was made to sit for
five minutes. Soon after, I was asked to bathe and get ready for
a warm cup of herbal tea with a dash of fresh honey.
TIME TAKEN: 1 HOUR
RATING: 8/10
-Shivangi Misra
 Stone
Massage
The masseuse
made me wash my feet in lukewarm rose water and proceeded to heat
the stones, which resembled "Motorola Pebl phones" (her
joke!) in a steam chamber. These stones are imported from Europe
and come from volcanic eruptions. She made me lie on my stomach,
gently placing the warm stones on my spine. The idea of this therapy
is to massage oil on to the body with the aid of these stones,
transferring the benefits of natural elements that help rejuvenate
the body. The warm stones really do feel nice and tingle given
their velvety finish. I grabbed my hot herbal tea this time again,
added two spoonfuls of honey. The verdict: Very relaxing.
TIME TAKEN: 1 HOUR
RATING: 7/10
-SM
Thai Massage
 This
one, too, started with a five-minute meditation; the difference:
I was made to change into a set of cotton kurta-pajama. Little
did I know that I was up for something that I was just not prepared
for. Thai massage is dry and involves various stretching exercises
that a person is made to do with the help of an attendant. I had
been instructed by the spa consultant not to eat anything at least
one hour prior to my scheduled appointment. Now, since I had an
afternoon appointment, and since I take my job rather seriously,
I decided to go hungry for the entire day. For those who are not
in the habit of doing regular physical work, this massage can
mean trouble but by the end of it, the body feels relaxed and
free of fatigue. However, if I were to choose between the two,
I would recommend the Swedish one. It's more elaborate and has
a higher pamper quotient!
TIME TAKEN: 45 MINUTES
RATING: 6/10
-SM
 Kerala
Ayurvedic Massage
 Let
me admit at the outset that I am not a big fan of the Kerala Ayurvedic
Massage. It makes generous use of oil (often, more than one kind)
that cakes your skin as you groggily try to recover from your
stupor. Having made that admission, I must also accept that I
form a part of the minority. More discerning customers are now
opting for the synchronised form of Kerala Massage, where two
masseurs work on your body simultaneously, feet upwards. A well-trained
Kerala masseur will always sit you down and wash your feet first.
A brief prelude to the massage is provided by gently rubbing the
toes. At the end of a full body massage, a 'shirodhara' is recommended.
If only I didn't sleep for 11 hours straight that night, I'd have
rubbished the Kerala technique completely.
TIME TAKEN: 90 MINUTES
RATING: 7/10
-Jamal Shaikh
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