SLIPPING INTO SERENITY

Kairali - The Ayurvedic Healing Village in Kerala is a one-of-its-kind retreat where holistic living flourishes, thanks to a conscious diet, traditional therapies, yoga, and meditation.

- BAYAR JAIN

“THERE’S A LOT OF TRAFFIC on the way to the centre,” says Sunil Dasan, our yoga instructor, when people don’t make it in time for the 6:30 pm meditation session. One would think a massive 16-acre, lush green wellness retreat set in Palakkad, Kerala would keep these city hassles at bay. I, too, walk to the refurbished yoga hall at a snail’s pace—but honking cars aren’t to blame here. I stop on multiple occasions to listen to the calls of crickets and croaking frogs, to literally smell the bright red flowers and the countless medicinal plants that call Kairali — The Ayurvedic Healing Village home. For the next three days, I’m a small part of this community.

My days start early—unusual for a late riser like me. Unusual still is being woken up by squawking peacocks. As I groggily make my way to the centre for morning yoga, I meet a young lady from the Czech Republic. “I’ve come to India just for an Ayurvedic detox,” she reveals while helping me navigate through the winding paths. “I visited seven years ago, and I loved this green oasis.” At the yoga centre, guests from the United States are already waiting. As I twist and turn during the surya namaskar (sun salutation), I notice guests from the United Kingdom trying to keep up with the asanas. Further ahead, a sari-clad local is breezing through the postures with ease, while Dasan calmly orchestrates the poses against the backdrop of cooing birds.