Vana is not different, but it is not the same anymore. A first-of-its-kind wellness retreat located almost an hour away from the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, Vana, founder Veer Singh’s creation, beckons wellness seekers. The stunning 21-acre property was designed by the sought-after Balearic design studio Esteva I Esteva Arquitectura within the verdurous Sal forests, which also inspired its establishment in 2014. Ten years later, Six Senses Vana stands firm amidst an endless sea of green, offering peace and tranquillity in more ways than one—more alternative, immersive, high-tech ways.
As you meander through the Sadarahalli granite pathways, a deafening silence thickens. There is no music but that of nature. It eventually leads to the Forest Suite—one of the 66 rooms and 16 suites Six Senses Vana houses—with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the dense Sal landscape. The beige and off-white neutral colour palette creates a snugness that can’t be underestimated, which is further heightened by the compassionate use of wood. The self-imposed Vanavāsa at the resort really begins with an all-white kurta pyjama, an outfit that symbolises democratic well-being.
When one is not busy planning their OOTD, you start your day with a consultation. An in-depth session that assembles treatments based on Ayurvedic doshas: Vata (space and air), Pitta (fire and water), and Kapha (earth and water). This wellness screening defines your stay at Vana—and I was an easy Vata, bound by anxiety, dry skin, neuroticism, and sleeplessness. Well, mostly true. It’s these personal experiences that have garnered Vana scads of loyalists over the years. I met people who’ve been regular Vanavāsis since its inception. After the session, I was handed a list of health checks, such as consuming two litres of water daily, no screen time before bed, no coffee post 2:00 pm and switching to herbal teas instead, no exercising in the evenings, building a proactive morning routine, and so on. Essentially, all the things I should do to keep my nerves calm and reduce stress.
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Additionally, it is an intrinsic part of the meals you consume. Vana’s two restaurants—Salana and Ańayu—prepare and serve as per doshas, and both are seasonal and dependent on indigenous varieties. While Salana’s á la carte options are great indulgences, Ańayu (Sanskrit for food and life) cooks Indian recipes derived from Ayurvedic principles. Design builds a slow prelude to Ańayu with seed germination on the entrance walls and an overshadowing Banyan tree with spiritual threads and golden leaves. At Vana, nourishment begins and ends with the precious gut, a friend we should learn to treat better every day.
From the gut we come to the mind and body. There's enough to keep you occupied for an extended period of time owing to the umpteen number of amenities at Vana, and there's more to it than simply Shavasana, a truly great start to the day. Vana offers ancient Ayurveda such as Kai Uzhichil, Tibetan Medicine treatments such as Ku Nye, Hot and Cold Stone therapy, Five Elements Acupuncture, private yoga sessions, Watsu, and more. Biohacks (theragun therapy and compression boots) Alchemy Bar, Cinema Paradiso, and Earth Lab, a sustainability tour within the retreat, are prefixed to the bargain. Dr. Jitendra Varshney, wellness director at Vana, tells me, “We haven't changed Six Senses Vana; we have only enhanced it with engaging and high-tech treatments.”
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As the geometrically symmetrical structure of Vana cuts through its lush surroundings with pensive lustre, it delivers an all-consuming harmony. The wholesome feeling is sensed at Kila, the main entrance, which also features an oval-shaped water body at the centre. Here, the bamboo ceiling serves the main character energy, along with an ash-veneered panelling that separates the library. Expansive windows connect the interiors to the outdoors as they submerge Vana in a mesmerising play of shadow and light. Inside, hidden in nooks and rooms, like elusive thoughts, lighting by the Thailand-based British light designer Angus Hutcheson catches the eye. It comes to life via innovative natural materials such as silkworm cocoon, rattan, mulberry tree bark, and sea kelp. A similar playfulness is spotted in the use of ceramic tableware. The architecture of Vana's big, open spaces is dotted with over 500 artworks by Siraj Saxena. Using diverse creative materials — metal mesh, bamboo, ceramics, acrylics and oil on canvas and paper — Saxena's fluid art “creates a void for chaos”.
In all forms, shapes, and sizes, through design, architecture, treatments, nature, and nosh, Vana's generosity lingers long after the stay. It's an attempt—an effort to change one's lifestyle without making overly righteous promises.
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