Located in the tranquil Himalayan foothills, close to the mythological cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, surrounded by graceful Sal forests, overlooking the peaceful Ganga as it meanders into the distance. 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 traditionaln wellness regimes of Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta combined with best of International Wellness Experiences. By Ashok Khanna
Ananda, Founder And Managing Director
Born into an eminent family of hoteliers, hotels were in my blood. My formative years were spent with the Oberoi Group of hotels where I learned about classic luxury and an unyielding commitment to detail. As then economy opened up to the world and competition started to grow across all industries, stress levels began to rise dramatically and people started to lose sight of life’s balance. I envisioned that in the years to come people would need a different kind of hotel, not just one which could proudly uphold’s heritage of luxury and service, but one which could also provide an escape from life in order to assist people on a journey to personal health, wellness and rejuvenation. That is when, in the year 1989, the seed for Ananda was planted.
I traveled the length and breadth of searching for the location that would embody the soul of Ananda, a location that would bring Ananda to life. I finally found this in the foothills of the Himalayas, the birthplace of Yoga, where people have visited for centuries to be healed and to find rest and rejuvenation. There was a lot of work to be done before Ananda would come into being. In a “spa†meant different things to different people. However, I wanted Ananda to mean one thing, and one thing only- holistic wellness for the mind body and soul.
I stuck to ancientn virtues, where holistic living was a way of life: back when people understood the balance of nature, the ways of the universe and how the elements affected not just physical health, but also mental wellbeing. It was always clear to me, that if people achieved harmony within, they would be at peace. This is the very philosophy which brought Ananda – In the Himalayas into being, believing that each individual is unique. Many elements would need to come together seamlessly to make this a success. Together with my wife Neelam, we began to study the wealth of ancient sciences and health practices in to piece together the pillars of Ananda which are – Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedanta (a philosophy of life). Another vital aspect is the cuisine – Our ancesters believed that the way and what we eat largely contributes to a healthy life, and is an important part of wellness. We adapted the concept of traditional ayurvedic food (food for your body type) so that the same could be accomplished with International cuisines as well. All this, combined with the wellness traditions of other parts of Asia and the west, is our recipe for Ananda’s holistic wellness.
The last and most important element essential to Ananda’s being are its people. Each and every member of the staff needed to understand, imbibe and live by the Ananda philosophy and we were lucky to find them. They are the single most important reason for Ananda’s success.
Ananda opened its doors in 2001 and has since received numerous awards and worldwide recognition. It remains at the forefront of innovation in health and wellness and strives to constantly improve. Ananda has accomplished exactly as Neelam and I had envisioned by changing lifestyles and assisting guests on a path to personal wellbeing. It has done so for both of us and it will continue do the same for anyone who walks through its doors.
http://www.anandaspa.com/ananda-packages/wellness-packages/ananda-ayurvedic-rejuvenation.html