Healing Holiday

Moksha Himalaya Spa Resort located in the Shivalik Ranges in Himachal Pradesh offers adventure and serenity in equal measure. On an impromptu trip to the mountains, BAYAR JAIN checks in to sample a bit of both.

- BAYAR JAIN

THE WAY AHEAD is unclear. Clouds and mist have cloaked my vision, and the deep gorge below is unsettling, to say the least. It has been all of two minutes since I sat inside the cable car. To calm my nerves, I gaze at the trees dancing in the mountain breeze and the quiet river meandering through the valley. Not long after, the clouds part ways to reveal a glimmering hilltop. The 10-minute journey on the 1.8-kilometre-long ropeway to Moksha Himalaya Spa Resort, located in Himachal Pradesh’s Parwanoo, is eventful in its own way. Little do I know that it is just a precursor to the many delightful experiences to unfold.

Located roughly 60 minutes away from the Chandigarh airport, this resort is tucked 1,524 metres above sea level in the Shivalik Range. My room, the Moksha Suite, makes the most of this elevation. The French windows across the kingsized bed and private balcony give a peek of the towering deodar and pine trees surrounding the resort. I eye the mountain-view bathtub in the expansive bathroom and promise myself a soak later in the day, before venturing outdoors for my main mission: rejuvenation.

The biggest draw of Moksha Himalaya Spa Resort is its 6,500 square metre wellness area. I ditch the golf cart to follow Vedic chants and bird calls and find my way to the building on foot. I begin with an Ayurvedic consultation to chalk out the day’s plan and therapies.