Who Needs Men?

Some women find pleasure elsewhere.

- Sonali Acharjee

When she feels lonely, Saniya Mishra no longer feels the need to turn to a man for comfort or gratification. Instead the 29-year-old Delhi University graduate simply books an appointment at her neighbourhood spa. Located above a grocery store near Sushant Lok Phase II, Gurgaon, the two-floor spa has become the go-to destination for many single women in the area. The treatments on offer here are relaxing, indulgent and, above all, discreet. “Relationships are overrated. Spending time with the same man over and over again is boring and mentally exhausting. Even meeting new men isn’t always fun—who has the time for endless small talk? If I ever feel the need for a bit of pampering, I skip all the complications of a date and head straight to the Salt Room,” says Mishra.

The Salt Room is the site of the spa’s most popular treatment. It involves massaging a special blend of ‘sex salts’ (pheromone infused bath salts) into the skin using both hands and feet. Customers can opt for a male or female therapist. “I was initially put-off at the thought of being massaged by someone else’s feet. But it isn’t what it sounds like. The feet are only used to rub the salts onto the lower back. The feeling is incomparable—pure ecstasy,” says Mishra. Sitting in a blue Turkish towel at the spa’s granite-tiled reception, she has decided to opt for something different today. “Sometimes I like to experiment,” she says and heads off with a male and female therapist for a Fruit Sandwich treatment. “They stroke and rub you with a fruit of your choice. I’ve decided to go for papaya and mango… and a full body massage.”