Anju Munshi, Trans World Features

In olden times, living in thatched houses with hardly any labour-saving device, body fat and cellulite were easy to tackle; the summer sweat itself served as a natural steam and sauna for the bodies. Things have changed in modern times. Centuries-old traditions like practising asanas in ashrams on a hard surface and traditional ayurvedic remedies like turmeric and sandalwood paste have now given way to aromatic rubs and wraps, and power yoga. Battery rechargers have arrived with a new avatar, Spa. Spa therapy is the new mantra for urbanites in need of de-stressing and energising an aching body.

So energise your tired feet, soak them while you listen to Beethoven, pamper yourself with an aromatherapy scrub followed by hair treatment and last but not the least, let your face rejuvenate under a thick layer of dead sea weeds and crystal mud with your choice of lavender, ginseng, rose or jasmine. Today, beauty and fitness lessons are not complete without a spa experience. Fitness spa helps in improving blood circulation and flushing out toxins from the body, according to Niti Chauhan, spa manager at beauty salon Honeycomb in Bangalore. `Spa massage is a really delightful experience that acts as a re-energiser of body and mind,` she claims.

`Spas are a divine intervention for us,` exults Shilu Mathur, a homemaker from Greater Kailash, Delhi. `Women who give themselves time are basically helping themselves to radiate their strength within the family,` she believes.

Corporate executives, businessmen and women do find solace in these holistic modes of rejuvenation and company honchos discover that the employees appreciate perks like `spa time` and `spa allowance` which perhaps add to productivity.

However, some think of it as old wine in a new bottle. Swami Badrinath Chenappa who works in World Yoga Centre, Pune , finds that spas mean `going back to the basics. It was a custom for the women, men and children of the house to have regular body and scalp massage The concept of recharging one`s body and mind goes back to India`s ayurvedic history when yoga, mud and oil therapies were the order of the day.` The Panchakarma is one the oldest ayurvedic and spa therapies with a 5000 year-old tradition, he points out. This health programme focuses on purifying the body by eliminating all doshas, i.e. internal impurities from the body.

Chenappa has a point. For, the spa experience is a traditional practice in India alone. If Indians have ayurveda, the Thais have Shaitsua and the Chinese, acupuncture. For thousands of years, people have been practising the art of needle therapy, pressure point therapy, yoga and water therapy. It is no coincidence then that the majority of spa therapists in Asia are Indians, Japanese, Chinese or Thai. The wheel has come a full circle. With the technological revolution and most of the materialistic aspirations fulfilled, one wants peace in terms of body and mind, spiritual renewal and a stress-free retreat, emphasises Krutika Vohra, a dermatologist and a beauty therapist from Mumbai.

No wonder then that today one even talks in terms of spa vacation and spa tourism in different destinations. Going away from home to get recharged in a new place and to bring out that feeling of well being is in. The growing demand for spa and well-being holidays nationally and internationally is so big that hotels find this a new USP.

India is a new player in this field but it already has several popular spa resorts promoting spa tourism. The Ananda spa resort in the Himalayas is a popular destination and is known for its therapeutic treatment based on traditional ayurveda and yoga along with the latest European and Thai treatments.

The Spice Village in Periyar, Kerala, Rajvilas Spa hotel in Jaipur, Vedic village in Kolkata, Mayfair spa resort in Gangtok are some tourist destinations that offer a wide range of spa and therapeutic treatment. In Kerala, some spas use medicinal oils in the form of massage developed from kalarippayat, one of the oldest martial art forms in Asia. It improves circulation and can alleviate headaches, back pain and arthritis. However, medical experts caution that one should be careful because some oils can react and some pressure points need not be disturbed. The credibility of a spa is essential, say the doctors.

Five star hotels have their own spa treatment facilities. The Taj group of hotels in Kerala is known for its spas.

Along with the wellness factor, the glamour quotient is also strong. Shilpa Shetty recently launched her chain of Medispas all over Mumbai. Golden Palms Hotel and Spa, located in North Bangalore owned by erstwhile Bollywood actor cum producer Sanjay Khan is well known for its Turkish hamams.

Spa indulgence is not easy on the pockets though. The services come at a hefty price. Roughly, the price tag for a spa treatment ranges from Rs 2500 to Rs 7000. The hair spa at hair parlours ranges between Rs 1000 to Rs 3000. Prana- the spa at the Hyatt, Kolkata, offers varieties of western therapy, Swedish massage, Deep Tissue massage and Aroma therapy, Body wraps, Pressure point massage along with stretching and Shiatsu, says Saroj Narang, spa manager. The pocket pinch for an hour of relaxing is Rs 3000 plus 10.3 % tax. A massage for ninety minutes costs Rs 5000 plus taxes. The Swedish treatment for one hour costs Rs. 2500, taxes extra.

Good things in life, even the so-called tranquility advantage emanating from spa treatment, come at a price. The choice is yours.