The Holy Mountain

What is it about looking at nature's striking panorama straight in the eye that puts the world into perspective for even the most stolid among us? Elevated above the clouds at Sitara Himalaya, MEGHA KAPOOR finds the answer

- MEGHA KAPOOR

 

IN THE SPIRITUAL cradle of the Himalayas, some 8,500 feet above sea level, I came to, soaked in tears. A gentle woman by the name of Ms Naveen Chauhan (healer, wellness practitioner, wizard) had just guided me through a sequence of stretching, marma therapy and reiki. She looked down at me with a knowing smile and handed me some tissues and cool water in a silver cup.

Sitting up in Sitara Himalaya’s elegant Paro Svasthi spa, with its tonal accents in pale blue and unfettered 360-degree views of the mountains, I felt like the bridle around my head and heart had been released. I was floating. I could see clearly. I felt love.

Anita Lal is not a hotelier and you cannot find Sitara on Instagram. Quite frankly, there’s a chance you may not even get into the exquisite 10-room property. This is not a place for brash group events or unruly children. If you want big-screen TVs or a stale margherita pizza at 2am, in the politest possible way, you are not welcome.

At Sitara, Lal is welcoming you into her home. This land is one she has been coming to for decades; her residence, where she designs the Good Earth pieces we’ll be coveting in due course, is a stone’s throw away. Sitara isn’t simply an extension of her creative vision but, in my opinion, her love for India itself.