COVID changed our lives once and for all. Of the many lessons learned the hard way, one goes like — Our lives can be upended in the blink of an eye and nothing compares to taking good care of your body and mind. Personal growth, mindfulness, and self-love are more than just buzzwords now. While the mountains were once an escape from our modern life-induced stress, people are looking for more — a transformative experience that stays with them beyond the vacation itinerary.

Wellness tourism is the answer to these calls for nourishing the mind, body, and soul. A recent stay at Swastik Luxury Wellbeing Sanctuary helped us understand why travel trends suggest that people are seeking more than an excellent spa at their next hotel.

Credit: Swastik Luxury Wellness Retreat

In the heart of the Peacock Valley, just a couple of minutes from Pune, and 2.5 hours from Mumbai, is a quaint escape into a world of fantasy and wellness — two words unheard of in the same sentence. The mud house-esque boarding, labelled ‘guhas’, canopied by bees, butterflies and lilac blooms on creepers that engulf the curvaceous villas, is nothing short of a fantasyland. And for wellness, one simply has to immerse fully into this sanctuary & gain from the expert-guided therapies & artistic Satvik plates that put an omnivore like me in a state of awe & submission.

The experience goes beyond yoga classes and meditation sessions. It is rooted in our very existence, from how the sanctuary is designed to become an extension of nature as well as fuse into it with constructions that are defined by soft curves sans any edges.

“The design is thoughtfully conceived to foster humanised spaces through an organic approach. The architecture is intentionally crafted to blend harmoniously with the Peacock Valley, which TAO Architecture embraces as an extension of nature itself, addressing diverse functional requirements across its cascading topography,” shares Mr. Manish Banker, Head Architect at Swastik.

Credit: Swastik Luxury Wellness Retreat

He continues, “Inspired by the natural world, the architect has employed curvilinear forms, complemented by muted earthy tones and textured materials. This approach enriches the sensory experience, offering subtle yet profound connections with the surroundings.”

Their approach to well-being is based on the five dimensions of life such as health, wealth, love, bliss, and spirituality. Irrespective of the program chosen, a seeker ( as guests are called at Swastik) gets to experience each of these five dimensions in varying proportions. The day starts with agnihotraprayers and yoga sessions. Your dincharya is curated after consultations with doctors who customise your wellness routine and include enriching sessions, such as sound therapy in a one-of-a-kind space, salt therapy that’s meant to detox your lungs, satsangs, cow-petting, and of course, a cosy sleep in your cocoon.

“Is it attractive to the youth?” I ask Dr. Rajesh Srinivas, General Manager at Swastik.

“Specially, after the recent pandemic the youth are extremely cued into wellness. This can be seen as a general increase in the consumption of wellness, fitness, food, and travel apps. A wellness stay addresses the need to optimise health in all its aspects such as physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social. Wellness centres enable this with their carefully curated offerings that are experiential, rather than being preachy. That is precisely the attraction — a way of life that can give lasting results and continuously enhances the quality of life,” says Dr. Srinivas.

One of our biggest contributions to this stay for us was helping us break away from the misconception surrounding Swastik food. Each of the meals that they served, in carefully restrained proportions with thoughtful combinations, invoked collective awe. “How is this so freaking tasty?”

Credit: Author’s own

Credit: Author’s own

Credit: Author’s own

We’d turn to the chef to break it down for us and quickly register in our notes. We’ve even tried recreating those back home. In case you’re wondering, even their dessert preparations could put much-hyped patisseries to shame. Chef Arvind Joshi is living by the idea that wholesome food contributes to a positive mood, happiness, and self-control.

“Our approach is straightforward and aimed at fostering optimal gut health and overall well-being. At Swastik, we firmly believe that food is medicine, divinely provided to support the overall health of the human body, encompassing physical, emotional, and mental well-being. However, the cooking process plays a critical role in preserving nutritional value. Therefore, we carefully control both ingredient sourcing and preparation methods to ensure that nutrients remain intact and beneficial for the body’s holistic health,” he shares.

The idea here, we realised during our stay, is not only to extend wellness programmes towards the seekers but to make them completely immersed in this way of life. That is reflected in the greetings practiced here that go beyond ‘namaste’. It is an acknowledgment of the other soul – atma naman.