The Story of Tough Love And Steam

In all my travels in all these years, I&rsquom yet to experience &lsquoGod&rsquos own country&rsquo. Somehow over the years, no matter the number of times I&rsquove planned, a trip to Kerala just hasn&rsquot materialised. It was always my intention that when there, I would undergo a traditional Ayurdevic massage--a massage that was soothing to the soul and mind, a massage that would cleanse toxics from the body and rejuvenate the weary traveller.

However, it was only recently that in the heart of south Delhi, did I get my first doze of Ayurveda. But not just any old treatment, it was a massage that rigorously attacked the stubborn cellulite all over the body. I found myself at Pachouli Wellness in the heart of south Delhi, Malviya Nagar to be exact, recently and after much deliberation, considered their anti-cellulite Ayurvedic massage. I was told it purified the body and helped one relax.

Soon I found myself going their Ayurvedic treatment room where I changed and laid down on a traditional wooden surface. Now, in my mind, I expected the massage to be smooth and the pressure of the hands to lull me to sleep. It was exactly the opposite. The onslaught began on my legs. The tough love left no window for soothing movements. The masseuse put pressure on points where the cellulite is firmly placed on the body. She then used her skilled hands to nudge the stubborn cellulite to bend to her will. I don&rsquot know if she succeeded but I sure kept my eyes wide open, the hint of sleep all but gone.

The pain made me grimace as her hands pressed down on my thighs and calves, her deft movements ensuring she massaged away the cellulite or so I thought. By the time she reached my back, the pain had given away to a soothing massage. Her experienced hands found the node on my right shoulder blade that bothers me time and again and put pressure to release the tension. The process takes time but at least, for those brief moments, it was joy of sorts.

Though my body felt it had gone through a rough trek post the massage, I was told to go into the steam room which I gladly did. It&rsquos the steam that does the trick. As I sat in the heat and steam swirled around me, my body felt relaxed. It felt like a treat at the end of tough journey.

By the time I reached home, I was ready to collapse. Drowsiness had overtaken my senses, sleep beckoned and my body had never felt so relaxed. The combination of tough love and gentle steam does wonders. I know my body&rsquos cellulite is stubborn but I would be willing to go back for Round 2, just so I could experience the relaxed state of mind I hadn&rsquot felt in ages. And sleep like a baby, of course.

The Pachouli Wellness Clinic is located in Shivalik, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi. The treatment I underwent is priced at Rs 3,000.