If you search for ‘Panchkarma treatment in Bengaluru’, the top 5 results returned by Google includes Shatayu Ayurvedic Clinic. Shatayu has several clinics spread all over Bengaluru but there are no facilities for night stay at these clinics. That is possible only at the Ayurvedic Retreat located near the Bengaluru airport, off Nandi Hills road, in Devanahalli and advertised as a luxury ayurvedic retreat.
Before zeroing on Shatayu, I also checked out Soukya in Bengaluru and Kalari Kovilokom in Kerala. Soukya looked every inch a 5 star but also charged more than 5 star rates! Kalari Kovilokom Resort, rated to be among the top Ayurvedic centres in India, had a waiting period.
The location is impressive
Shatayu Ayurvedic Retreat is located adjacent to Avathi lake and surrounded by few rocky hills and agricultural fields. Quite enticing at first glance. There are a number of trees and plants inside the Resort, attracting a variety of birds but I was especially pleased to see the presence of many sparrows. While I accompanied someone undergoing the Panchkarma treatment that required a minimum stay of 14 days, I had initially planned to stay for 4-5 days only. But then, three things made me change my mind…..the yoga teacher, simple but nutritious vegetarian food and the opportunity to climb the rocky hillock located right opposite the Retreat. So I too ended up staying for 14 days and managed to climb the hillock on 4 separate occasions!
The Retreat appears to be quite popular for Panchkarma treatment. I met several people, young and middle aged, from other parts of India who had come for this treatment. There were few NRIs and foreigners as well. For some of them, it was their second or third visit.
The weather, in the second half of November, was quite chill, especially in the evenings. Days were very pleasant.
Activities
Yoga and meditation
Guided Yoga is conducted in the morning, around 7am, for an hour while guided meditation is in the evening at 6.30pm, for half an hour. The yoga master tended to teach asanas depending on the profile of the practitioners. On few days, I was lucky as I was the only one and I could correct few of my existing postures and also learn new ones. The yoga master made me stretch a lot more than I was used to, and it felt wonderful. My yoga routine has again undergone a change. Its strange how every teacher has something or the other to offer that sounds good to adopt. Until the next teacher!
Swimming pool
The outdoor pool is rather small, just a few strokes and I would reach the other end. So I started swimming diagonally and that was good enough for a decent workout. The water was cold no doubt in the month of November and I used to swim around noon time.
Hillock climbing
I enjoyed this the most. There was a clear trail leading to the top of the hillock that would take just about 20-25 minutes or so. The views from the top were fantastic with Nandi Hills also clearly visible. I loved sitting quietly on one of the numerous boulders and simply soaking in the panorama.
Reading
Under few of the trees, benches have been set up – perfect place for rediscovering the lost art of reading a book. The benches are not very comfortable but the ambience is great for a leisurely reading session. I did not find it comfortable to sit beyond an hour.
Other evening activities included a cooking demo class, health talk, walking to the lake(the access was a bit away though the Resort is located next to the lake) and to a temple which appeared to be quite famous, judging by the parking facility being created. The walking track inside the Resort was not that convenient, with uneven stone slabs, but adequate.
What does it cost?
The cost of treatments is included in the cost of the rooms. It is more economical if treatments are taken on a double occupancy basis. There are 3 types of rooms, standard, deluxe and luxury and I chose luxury room that came with a balcony. Quite decent with daily housekeeping. The room was air-conditioned and there was also a TV with satellite channels.
The published tariff for a luxury room on a single occupancy for 14 nights is INR 3.08 lakhs but I was given ~10% off as the number of therapies required was lower than 3 that were free with the room type. As an accompanying person, I only had to pay INR 1k per night that included accommodation, food and activities. For the massages, I paid as per the rate list that were about the same charged elsewhere.
The cost for standard and deluxe rooms is lower and includes only 2 therapies. On an average, a luxury room costs ~INR20k per night, with all meals, activities and 3 therapies on a single occupancy basis.
The Retreat has its own generator(power cuts can be frequent) and a Sewage Treatment Plant.
Shatayu is not very expensive but not luxury either
Shatayu is reasonably priced if one can utilize all the therapies on offer(or seek a discount) and has a good reputation for treatments, especially Panchkarma. But just for treatments, there are more affordable options available (e.g. Arogyadhama to give just one example).
Naturopathy vs Ayurveda food
Last year, I spent a week at Jindal Nature Institute where the focus was on Naturopathy. Shatayu focuses on Ayurveda. While both emphasize on proper food as a medium for holistic healing, there are subtle differences. Since I was not under any treatment, I had a normal diet and the following are the key differences I noted.
Naturopathy
- Only two meals a day. Limited measured quantity served, typically comprising carbs, protein and vegetables in equal proportions.
- No tea/coffee with milk. At night however, diluted milk was one of the beverages served with turmeric.
- Buttermilk was served with every meal but not plain curd.
- Juices and beverages(herbal/karela/green tea etc) every couple of hours.
- Very little oil used in cooking.
- Ghee and white sugar were not used in any form.
- Raw food(fruits, salad) and cooked food not served together.
- Natural sweeteners such as raisins, dates etc. were generally used in dessert which anyway was not served everyday. Honey or Jaggery was also used at times.
Ayurvedic
At Shatayu, 3 meals were served (breakfast, lunch and dinner) plus a snack in the afternoon with tea/coffee. No restrictions like those stated above though white sugar was not generally used but brown sugar, jaggery and honey was. Dessert was served everyday for lunch. Only those under treatment had special diet or restricted quantity.
A combination works best at home
The food served at both Jindal and Shatayu were healthy in its own way, and it is hard to strictly choose between the two. If one does not have any medical condition, there may not be a need to pick and choose. At home, a combination works best and I personally do not avoid anything. But there is no doubt that at Jindal, I felt a lot more energetic through out the day though I also lost weight. At Shatayu, a bit of lethargy crept in but it could just be because meal portions were entirely under my control!
What stood out at both the places was the variety of soups served. So much so that I started looking forward to having a soup!
Massages and other treatments subject to availability for non-patients
Those under treatment (and paying the full room rent) get priority in scheduling massages and other treatments. For the first 3-4 days, I did not get any slot. I eventually managed two massages over my 14 day stay. Must say the massages were ok but not that great, a sentiment echoed by many others. There was no separate steam room as such but each massage room had a wooden steam cabinet for single use. I don’t think there was any sauna and I would have certainly welcomed opportunities just for steam bath on payment basis but that was not to be.
Is Shatayu good for short break?
This question is only relevant for those who are not going for any specific treatment. Good thing is Shatayu does not restrict non-patients, one can simply move in for a detox or rejuvenation. Given its location, it is certainly nice to spend a few days enjoying the tranquility and the nourishing food while getting one’s health back in shape. The facilities are limited, but that need not be any deterrence as what is needed is available.
