A Three-Day Reset at a Wellness Retreat Near Bengaluru
After a particularly hectic stretch in Delhi, I was ready for a change of pace. So when I arrived at Kshemavana in Nelamangala, outside Bengaluru, for a three-day, two-night stay, I was looking forward to a few days away from my usual routine and, more than anything else, some quiet.
Spread across a large, green property, Kshemavana brings together naturopathy, yoga, nutrition, meditation and traditional therapies in a setting designed to work with nature rather than compete with it. The name combines Kshema, meaning well-being, and Vana, meaning forest — an apt name for a retreat where the surroundings are very much part of the experience.
From the outset, my stay was shaped around my assessment and individual requirements. My days moved between consultations, treatments, yoga, meditation, meals and time to simply rest. It was a very different rhythm from the one I had left behind in Delhi.
Day One: Finding a Different Rhythm
Staying at Pushpa Nest
I stayed in the Pushpa Nest, which had a lovely rustic character without compromising on comfort. Harshita from the marcomm team showed me around when I arrived, and I immediately liked the sense of space.
There was a comfortable living room, a balcony that became my favourite place for quiet mornings, a bedroom to retreat to at the end of the day, and a private treatment room.It was the kind of accommodation where you could spend time in your room without feeling that you were missing out on the property. After the pace of Delhi, that was welcome.
The architecture across Kshemavana follows a similar philosophy. Designed by architect Ar. Maahesh Diophode, the property draws on Vaastu principles and forms inspired by nature and Indian mythology. Kurma, inspired by the turtle, houses spaces for yoga and meditation as well as a temperature-controlled swimming pool, while the Nandi block includes the dining areas and more than 25 therapy units.The overall design follows a biophilic approach, bringing together natural elements, greenery, contemporary aesthetics, silence and simplicity. Despite the scale of the property, there is a feeling of space and privacy.
My first day was about settling in and understanding the programme.Kshemavana follows a personalised approach to naturopathy and wellness rather than putting every guest through the same schedule. Depending on individual requirements, a programme can include yoga, naturopathy therapies, massages, meditation, sound therapy, hydrotherapy, aqua yoga, swimming, health talks, diet consultations and other activities.The retreat works around five broad pillars of well-being: mind-body medicine, sleep medicine, nutritional medicine, energy medicine and gut medicine. The idea is to look at different aspects of well-being together rather than treating them separately.
My own programme was planned after my consultation, and I liked that there was no sense of being placed into a pre-decided package. The treatments and diet were chosen according to what I needed.
The Food Was a Change of Routine
Food was probably the biggest adjustment for me.
I am Punjabi, and wheat is very much part of our everyday food culture. For many Punjabis, breakfast can quite easily mean a paratha, so arriving at a retreat where grains were completely excluded was certainly a departure from my normal routine.I am also accustomed to having tea or coffee twice during the day, particularly when I am working. At Kshemavana, there was no dairy, no wheat and no usual grain-based breakfast.
Day Two: Dr. Vandana’s Assessment
The second day began with my check-up with Dr. Vandana.
My blood pressure was fine. My weight was fine. My stress level, however, was quite high.
It wasn’t exactly a surprise. I had arrived from Delhi with a fairly hectic routine, but seeing it reflected in the assessment made me stop and take notice. My diet was planned by Dr. Vandana after my initial check-up. Much of it centred around coconut water, fresh natural juices, fruits and a no-grain diet.
The food was unlike anything I normally eat. There was poha, khichri, dosa and other familiar-sounding preparations, but none tasted quite like the versions I know. With grains excluded, they were prepared differently, using other ingredients to create the meals.
Coming from a Punjabi household where wheat is such a familiar part of everyday food, it was certainly a change. But I found the variety quite interesting.And despite my initial doubts, I did not feel hungry.The portions were quite sufficient. It wasn’t about being given very little food; it was about changing what went onto the plate. After a couple of meals, I stopped thinking about what I would normally eat and began noticing how light I felt after eating.
That, for me, was one of the more interesting aspects of the programme… therapies, yoga and rest, felt less like a conventional diet and more like a reset of my usual routine.Dr. Vandana planned the next part of my programme accordingly. Acupuncture, ballistic massage, yoga, meditation and sound therapy became part of the day.The ballistic massage made me particularly aware of how much physical tension I had been carrying without really noticing it. Meditation and sound therapy brought a completely different quality to the day.There was no pressure to rush from one thing to another. The treatments were spaced out, with enough time to rest in between.
That was one of the biggest differences between this stay and an ordinary short break. At a hotel, even a relaxing one, there is usually somewhere to go, something to see or a meal to plan around. Here, the treatment itself was the reason for being there.
The Kshemavana Approach
Kshemavana’s approach is rooted in naturopathy and yoga, supported by nutrition, meditation, breathing techniques, physical rehabilitation and relaxation therapies.
The idea is not simply to offer a few treatments during a stay, but to encourage a different approach to everyday living. The retreat describes this philosophy as LOHAS — Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability.There is also a strong emphasis on understanding each guest’s individual requirements. Wellness programmes can be designed for a short weekend or extended over two weeks, depending on what the guest is looking for.Having experienced the programme myself, I understood the value of that personalised approach. Not everyone arrives with the same concerns, and therefore not everyone needs the same programme.
Day Three: Settling Into the Rhythm
By the third morning, I had settled into the rhythm. Yoga and meditation had become part of the morning rather than something I was simply ticking off a schedule.
Then came Shirodhara.
The traditional treatment involves a steady flow of warm oil over the forehead. I had been experiencing some headache and dizziness, and by the time the treatment was over, I felt that both had eased considerably.
There was something about the warmth and the steady rhythm that made it very easy to switch off. Afterwards, all I wanted to do was sleep.
It was not the exhaustion of a busy day. I simply felt deeply relaxed, in a way that made sleep seem like the most natural thing to do.
A reflexology session followed, bringing my treatments to a gentle close.
The Final Check-Up
Before leaving, I had one more check-up.This time, my stress levels were quite low.That was probably the most satisfying part of the stay. Three days is not a long time, but I could feel a difference in myself, and the final assessment reflected it.Looking back, I think at least five days would have been ideal. Three days and two nights were enough to slow me down and step away from my usual routine, but another couple of days would have allowed the treatments, diet, yoga and meditation to become an even more natural part of the stay.
I left Kshemavana feeling fresh and considerably more relaxed than when I arrived.The experience was not about eating very little or filling every hour with treatments. It was about eating differently, moving, breathing, resting and giving the body some time away from the usual routine.
For someone coming from the pace of Delhi, that quiet became one of the most valuable parts of the stay.
