If there’s one word that comes to mind when I think of my stay at Amanbagh, it is ‘peace’. Rightly so, as the name Amanbagh is derived from the Sanskrit word Aman for peace and the Hindi word bagh for the garden. From the gardens and architecture to all of the facilities provided, it truly is an oasis of peace and relaxation.
When I’m on vacation (or even otherwise), I always make it a point to make use of the spa services and check out the spa at Amanbagh I did indeed! My spa journey started out with a brief consultation with their in-house Ayurvedic doctor who recommended I go in for the Maharani (Queen) massage. The Maharani massage is their signature massage and is a unique combination of Swedish and deep tissue massage techniques that unravels tension and calms the entire nervous system. I was ready to put this to the test.
I checked in at my appointed time of 4 pm and was ushered into a very minimalist but cozy waiting area. Painted the same pale pink color as the rest of the property, it featured a round table in the center and some comfortable sofas to relax in. What caught my attention were a few items that were up for sale like the Rudraksha prayer chains and a few tee-shirts. I found myself making a mental note to buy some after my spa treatment. Rita, my therapist (who is also a yoga instructor) welcomed me with a chilled watermelon drink and had me fill up a client health history form. After which, I was taken to my spa treatment room. The time to surrender my body to complete relaxation had finally come.
My spa treatment room was, in fact, a courtyard Haveli suite that was converted to a treatment room for couples. Much alike the other suites in the resort, the modern-Mughal style room had the same layout, except in place of a king bed, it had two couple massage beds, and of course, the environment was more befitting of a spa. Soft music playing the background and dim lighting created the perfect ambiance for relaxation. Since it was only me who opted for a massage, I had the entire room to myself. Lucky me!
Rita started off by having me place my feet in a bowl filled with water infused with salt, oils and marigold flowers. After a gentle exfoliation to clean and soften my feet, I was asked to lay down and ready myself for my Maharani ritual. She then chanted a soft prayer (I was later told that there is healing in prayer and healing starts even before the hand touches a body). Wow! Now that’s some food for thought!
She next applied a mix of warm herbal oils on my back and her hands began to work their magic. A combination of long, gliding strokes on my back helped me relax and kneading of my shoulders helped break away stress knots. Rita kept checking with me on the pressure and I opted for deeper work to break all other known and unknown stress knots. I could tell she was a professional when she focused her attention and kneaded away a particular stress knot that had been bothering me for a long time now.
The Maharani massage is definitely a must do if you’re looking for some relaxation. My massage felt so good I found myself slipping in and out of consciousness and by the end of it all, I woke up feeling so relaxed and calm. I rounded up my session with a glass of hot herbal tea.
Besides Ayurvedic and Western massages, the Spa at Amanbagh provides a complete wellness experience with Yoga, Qigong, and meditation for all levels of experience. You can choose from a range of treatments, as well as facials, massages, scrubs and traditional henna art. Also offered are tailor-made wellness programs based on Ayurveda that stretch anywhere from four to 21 days. Daily yoga classes are complimentary, and if you like, you can ask for a special early-morning class by the temples of the nearby ruins of Bhangarh.
The Maharaja (King) or Maharani (Queen) massage is a 60 or 90 min massage and costs INR 5500/INR 7000 plus taxes.
Where: Amanbagh
District Alwar, Ajabgarh
Rajasthan 301027
Phone: 01465 223 333
Note– The critic was invited by Amanbagh. But all the opinions expressed herewith are her own.
