Sacred Plate: At Ananda In The Himalayas Food Is A Healing Hero

When the Beatles came to Rishikesh, on the bank of the great Ganges river, in 1968 to find spiritual emancipation and ended up writing much of the White Album, they were just the latest pilgrims in a long human line looking for something more. Twenty-five years ago, that same spirit drew Ashok Khanna – whose grandfather had founded the mighty Oberoi brand – and his family to create Ananda. One of the first destination wellness retreats of its kind anywhere in the world, it is set high above the sacred river in the former palace estate of Narendra Nagar. The pillars were clear from the start: Ayurveda, yoga, spirituality and food.

Before even arriving, you’re asked to share what state (shape, colour, smell) your poo is in, which gives you some indication as to the detail into which Ananda goes. My issues? Fatigue, being hungry all the time, being really annoyed with myself as I’d got very fit last summer but had just as quickly sabotaged it – and piled on the hard-lost kilos. Perimenopause, an always-in-a-rush mode and sleep issues mean I’m constantly reaching for the reset button. But rather than starve myself at an Austrian bootcamp and nibble on stale rolls, I wanted to work with food, not against it.

‘Food is neither good nor bad,’ confirms Dr Naresh on my first day in this blissful sanctuary, as I blame my frenzied state on everything from Cadbury’s chocolate to salted pistachio nuts. It feels a radical thing to hear in our confused food times. We are so used to health shaming entire food groups: fats, carbs, sugar. Yet at Ananda, the approach is pragmatic – and all about balance, which in Ayurveda depends on your dosha. This is determined by the questionnaire but also a feel of the pulse, a look at the tongue and body shape, among other indicators. I’m told that I’m a classic pitta, with a vata imbalance.

There are many things in the Ayurvedic toolbox to help, and food is just one element. Pitta is associated with fire and when it’s out of whack, we can become prone to anger and irritability. Moi? I couldn’t possibly comment. Food, then, needs to act as a calming balm – avoiding too much spice and foods that ‘heat’ (bye bye, coffee). It is not about less; it is about when and what, and being consistent – everything that passes my lips is nourishing, fresh, beautifully presented and feels like eating goodness.

Food, of course, supports the body, but Ananda has been conceived to support the mind, heart and head too. Yoga is one of the practices it is most famous for (a private session with Malati Mehrish is worth travelling for alone). However, it is also the emotional healing (where you just get to talk, cry and get some incredibly sage reflections back), the Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Vedanta (one of the world’s most ancient spiritual philosophies) talks that wrap their holistic arms around you, while at the same time cracking open crevices both emotionally and physically. These fissures are then filled with knowledge that ensures you come away with a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all parts of yourself – and with a new cookbook to boot. Twenty-five years of Ayurvedic recipes poured into The Healing Plate means you can find that balance at home too. Don’t leave without it.

BOOK IT: Seven-night programmes from £6,043. anandaspa.com

Lucy’s return flights from Heathrow to Delhi had a carbon footprint of 2,815.3kg of CO2e (ecollectivecarbon.com).