Rest and reboot with long-stay wellness holidays

Stressed Indians are lining up at health retreats for week-long programmes

- Shrenik Avlani

Kunal Mehta, 47, was visiting his parents in Mumbai from the USA. After a week of constantly meeting extended family and friends over food, drinks and more food, he desperately needed a break. He checked into Atmantan, a wellness retreat in Mulshi, near Pune. "All that eating and drinking was pushing my weight up and I was also feeling lethargic and low on energy. I needed to focus on my health," he recalls.

A direct outcome of the increased awareness about health and fitness in India is that wellness retreats have greatly grown in popularity. "Wellness retreats are becoming increasingly popular due to the fast-paced, high-stress lifestyles many people lead today. They provide an opportunity to disconnect from daily pressures and focus on mental, emotional, and physical well-being in a serene environment," explains Dr Manisha Arora, director for internal medicine, CK Birla Hospital, New Delhi.