Ananda
Swirled in the sacred mists of time, nestled in the Himalayas is Ananda, a world class Destination Spa. Once the residence of Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal, it is dedicated to today’s traveller, who is looking for innovative ways to restore and rejuvenate his energies. Grounded in Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta combined with contemporary international therapies which enhance and augment the original, Ananda Spa is the ultimate escape from the mundane to the spiritual, where every corner spells harmony and every colour soothes the senses.
Ananda is the spiritual pathway to the ultimate, discovered through the union of body, mind and soul. It is not just a retreat that will leave you breathless with the enchantment of its surroundings, but assists in redefining lifestyles to include the well-known traditional Indian wellness regimes of Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta combined with best of International Wellness Experiences to bring about the union of mind, body and soul.
When living is but part of the echo of nature then style and elegance blend discreetly to enhance each nuance of serenity. The Guest Rooms, Suites and Villas at Ananda in the Himalayas make a statement with colours that echo nature, and views that leave one gazing into the enchantment of god’s own country.
ROOMS
Palace & Valley View Rooms
With palace and valley views, these deluxe rooms are understated yet luxurious. 70 in all, they feature walk-in closets and perfectly appointed bathrooms with windows overlooking panoramic views of the valley or of the Palace. Each room opens onto large balconies with picture-perfect views, ideal for a private meal.
Garden Suites
The 3 deluxe Suites face either the Valley or the Maharaja’s palace. These 2-bay suites feature tastefully appointed bedrooms with attached sitting rooms and large bathrooms with tranquil garden views. Secluded private gardens situated to overlook the valley, add to the charm and privacy of these suites.
Ananda Suites
Housed on the ground floor and overlooking the valley, the 3-bay Ananda Suite spells luxury and enchantment. With luxuriously fitted bathrooms overlooking the view and its own private sitting and dining areas, the suite also has a large private garden, which is perfect for intimate dinners and leisurely breakfasts.
Vice Regal Suite
In the precincts of the Maharaja’s Palace, The Viceregal suite is a perfect retreat for the connoisseur. It comprises of a spacious sitting and dining area and a plush bedroom featuring a period four-poster bed. The attached dressing room and bathroom are beautifully appointed with antique fittings and furniture. With its own private terrace and a roof top Jacuzzi overlooking the sloping landscaped gardens and the distant Ganga Valley, staying at the Viceregal suite takes you back into India’s regal past.
Villas
Named after the great mountain ranges Himalay and Shivalik and the river Ganga that sustains the people of the Valley, these beautiful villas are a dreamer’s escape.
Two 2-bedroom villas and one 1-bedroom villa, each elegantly appointed with a living room, a pantry for the butler, a dressing room and a huge bathroom featuring a private sauna with an unhampered view of the swimming pool.
The 40 Sq Metres private pools are surrounded with a deck area equipped with comfortable lounge beds. Ideal for a quiet retreat into a tranquil environment.
In room facilities
Kurta Pyjamas: Fresh cotton Kurta Pyjamas are provided in your room for your convenience on a daily basis and can be worn on the premises or for traveling to Rishikesh for the Ganga Aarati.
Aromatic Baths: An exotic selection of aromatic baths are offered in the ensuite bathrooms. Call housekeeping and enjoy a stress relieving soak in the private luxury of your room, listen to music while you bathe, enjoy a cooling drink or simply allow your eyes to drink in panoramic views while you luxuriate in your bath-tub.
Ginger Lemon Tea: Our special elixir eliminates toxins, clears the palate, soothes the stomach and activates the endocrine system. Just select your preference on the card before you retire for the night.
Pillow Comfort: We offer you a wide choice ranging from the Classic Pillow to the Exclusive Neck Support Pillow. Call housekeeping for the one you want.
WiFi: WiFi connectivity is complimentary at Ananda and is available in rooms and select public areas.
SPA
The 24,000 square foot spa offers an extensive menu of over 79 body and beauty treatments, integrating the traditional Indian systems of Ayurveda with the more contemporary Western spa approach. The spa experience strives to achieve the ultimate harmony between the physical and the mental realms of the individual.
With unique focus on the traditional Indian sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda; Ananda Spa creates the skillful synthesis between age-old therapies and modern spa technology. The personalized therapy and activities programme are designed to meet individual needs and health goals – de-stress, detoxification and cleansing, deep relaxation, anti-ageing, weight & inch loss, while also offering guidance in the areas of nutrition and exercise.
24 treatment rooms with specialized areas for Ayurveda, Oriental and European systems of holistic health, a team of qualified nutritionists, Western & Ayurvedic physicians, spa therapists with knowledge of ancient Indian sciences and modern western treatments – all gently guide you towards a better lifestyle.
Ananda Spa also offers a temperature controlled outdoor lap pool and a state of the art 16-station life-cycle gymnasium.
Ayurvedic Experiences
At Ananda, Ayurveda forms an intrinsic part of the wellness regime for the guests. From massages and specialized diet program to fulfill personal goals to the more rigorous transformations in lifestyle, the Ayurveda experience has been designed keeping in mind the individual’s desire to heal, cleanse, relax and revitalize.
The ancient Hindus were known to be a highly intellectual and sensuous people. One of their cardinal principles was that there is no dividing line in human personality between the mind and the body. The mind is body and the body is mind. Also, that if beautifying the mind is to beautify the body, the converse is equally true. Beautifying the body is to beautify the soul.
With qualified Ayurveda doctors and therapists to administer treatments ranging from therapeutic massages to more rigorous modes of toxic elimination, the Ayurvedic therapies at Ananda are strongly rooted in ancient traditions, while keeping in mind contemporary preferences and comforts.
The authenticity and our commitment to this ancient life system are evident in the use of age-old powders; oils, vessels, wooden beds, treatment rituals and qualified therapists trained in traditional Ayurvedic schools. Be it a carefully monitored Ayurveda meal or a traditional massage, your body and spirit undergo a holistic metamorphosis, in the most pristine Himalayan environment, traditionally believed to be the fountainhead of Ayurveda.
Yoga
Yoga at Ananda is completely pure and traditional in form, stemming from the roots of Hatha yoga and adapting it to suit individual needs. It is a disciplined science encompassing all aspects of life in different ways and levels to balance the mind, body and spirit. This helps us to restore perfect health and leads us from consciousness to super consciousness, resulting ultimately in eternal bliss or Sat-Chitt – Ananda which is the aim of Yoga.
Our experienced Yoga teachers are trained to understand your personal objectives and goals during your stay at Ananda and beyond. They will then design a specific yoga and meditation program for you to assist you through your journey of life, balancing your being and assisting you to achieve health and well being.
International Experiences
No spa programme is complete without the fascinating global combine of complete wellness offered by blending the best-known therapies garnered from every corner of the world.
Going back in time, researching ancient texts, the knowledge gleaned from the secrets of Egyptian princesses, the practices of ancient Rome, the rituals of the pagan Greeks, the origins of the first Spas from the practices of Europe, the spiritual teachings from the Masters of Japan, have all been brought together in new ways in the form of revitalizing treatments such as the sensuous Aromatherapy, the deeply relaxing Swedish massage, the gentle healing touch of Reiki, the pressure points and tension release work through Reflexology. These are but a few of the experiences that help to revitalize and rejuvenate.
There is no better way to impart wellness in its purest forms, so that the ultimate aim of these therapies is achieved; to alleviate discomfort and disease in order to help people live a better, healthier and complete life.
Healing Experiences
Energy imbalance can be triggered by poor diet, erratic lifestyle, pollution, as well as emotional upsets. When this energy is rebalanced, one invariably feels more alive, energized, relaxed and able to cope better with life’s pressures.
ACTIVITIES
Vedanta Classes
Vedanta literally means the culmination of knowledge. It is a scientific presentation of the Eternal Principles of life and living, enabling one to attain the rare combination of material prosperity and mental peace. The knowledge helps achieve physical dynamism, mental equilibrium and intellectual clarity and directs one to the goal of ultimate liberation – Spiritual Enlightenment. Complimentary lectures are conducted twice daily by senior disciples of Swami Parthasarthy, internationally acclaimed exponent of Vedanta.
Yoga
The Yoga practices followed at Ananda are completely pure and traditional in form, stemming from the roots of Hatha Yoga. A disciplined science encompassing all aspects of life in different ways and levels, Yoga assists in balancing mind, body and spirit, restoring perfect health in the most natural and effective manner. Join our complimentary yoga sessions held twice daily and rediscover the balance in your life
Billiards
The billiard room housed in the vice regal palace is a enthusiast’s dream. Housing a 100 year old pool table, used by the erstwhile maharaja, and decorated with artifacts that echo the past, this room is the perfect hideaway for a rainy afternoon, or a quiet evening.
Golf
An idyllic but challenging six-hole golf course set in scenic surroundings. Practice your swing with a private coach, or just saunter along and enjoy the privacy of a course designed to suit every mood.
Cooking Classes
The chef at Ananda shares his secrets to good health and great cuisine. Join these entertaining and value added sessions in our show kitchen held once every week and cook your way to better health.
Cultural Programmes
Weekends evenings at the amphitheater are a visual delight of sound and color, where talented young performers from the nearby children’s home come to entertain and enchant. Share these evenings, which are devoted not just to culture, but also to promoting children who need a future.
Kunjapuri Temple Trek
14km north of Ananda-In the Himalayas, Kunjapuri soars 1645 metres high to commemorate Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva idols. Awaken one’s spirituality with snowcapped Himalayan Mountains, vistas and sacred surroundings at sunrise or sunset.
Trek to Laxman Jhula
Distance: 9 Kms
Time: 3 hrs (down hill only)
This is a downhill trek passing through verdant Sal forests. If the guests wish, they can spend the evening in the town of Rishikesh and watch the evening Aarti performed every evening on the banks of the river Ganga.The return to Ananda is by car.
Nature Walk
Contemplate and receive nurturing. The morning starts with a fresh juice served in the Spa lounge. This is followed by stroll along the trail with a guide enjoying the beauty and tranquility of nature. At a certain point guests have the opportunity to be guided to a deep meditative experience. The walk ends with a ginger/lemon tea and a relaxed soak in the pool, spa or sauna.
White river rafting
Of all the rivers of the Indian subcontinent, the Ganga is perhaps the most beautiful. It originates from Gaumukh in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas and is a superb river for inflatable rafts. Rafting on its waters is an unusual experience and one to cherish. To ride these rapids and to come to terms with their strength and wildness is to grow in spirit and to nurture the very stuff that dreams are made of.
Ganga Aarti
The Ganga Aarati at Rishikesh is an unforgettably spiritual experience. Performed each evening at sundown at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram, on the banks of the holy river Ganga, it is an event to gladden the heart, feed the soul and create harmony with the elements. Fire, Water, Earth, Air combine in perfect synergy during this ritual and leave you with a feeling of having witnessed perfection.
Safari
Go off on an exhilarating safari in the Rajaji National Park, which was formed by consolidating three sanctuaries namely Chilla, Motichur and Rajaji and covers an area of 820 sq. km. The area lies towards the east of the Dehradun-Roorkee highway. There are approximately 21 tigers in this extensive area and a bigger population of leopard in the upper regions of the park. It is generally easier to sight the elusive leopard in certain areas like Chilla.
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