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Retail therapy — check. Scrumptious meal — check. Good movie — check. Now, all I needed to complete my 'me time' was a luxurious experience at a spa. Svastii spa and salon, at Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai, was an oasis of sorts. Nestled comfortably amidst the neo-classical architectural structures, Svastii was warm and inviting. The well-appointed interiors of the spa were spacious and the staff welcoming. The minute I stepped in, I knew I was going to have a great time.

After filing up the mandatory form, the salon manager, Sonali Kadam, enquired about my needs. I was desperately seeking a comforting massage but wanted to try out something new too.

Sonali very cleverly combined my two needs — I was given an aromatherapy massage followed by the Javanese lulur. According to her, the Javanese lulur, a body scrub, is a Balinese ritual that is a must-have for royal brides in Indonesia. Having braved Mumbai's monsoons, I felt I deserved this royal pampering. Sonali was delighted when I opted for the Javanese lulur and immediately introduced me to one of their finest therapists.

Each room at Svastii spa is designed according to a theme. The therapist ushered me into the green-hued room named Grandiose, which was replete with a therapy bed, an armchair, a utility table and a shower cubicle. The treatment started with the therapist washing my feet in lukewarm water. Soon, the lights were put out and the aromatherapy massage started in the glow of candlelight. Thankfully, there was no music (a personal choice!). At first, she stretched my limbs in the Thai tradition. She then expertly unknotted my back muscles, relieving them from all the accumulated stress. The ritual back massage was a holistic one and involved appropriate kneading of key points with blossom aromatherapy oil. Suddenly, I felt all the tension leave my body. I rolled over to my back for the final stretch of the therapy that comprised my legs and arms. A head rub followed, which left me feeling truly rejuvenated. She let me soak in the goodness of the aroma oil for a few minutes, while she prepared the scrub for the Javanese lulur. The scrub was made up of exotic Oriental herbs such as galangal, cinnamon and pandanus leaves.

After applying it on one section of the body, say the calves, the therapist would scrub that area vigorously. This enabled the scrub to work wonders on the skin as well as induce better blood circulation. She followed a pattern while applying the scrub. True to its name, (lulur means a coating on the skin in Javanese), my whole body, except the face, was covered with a thin layer of the mildly fragrant scrub.

It was time for a shower. The thoughtful therapist let me have the rest of the scrub to use as per my personal requirement. A warm shower later, I emerged with skin that looked fabulous and was smooth to touch. My belongings were nicely laid on the bed, along with a hair brush and ear-buds that added an extra touch of pampering to the whole experience.

I was then taken to the salon area at Svastii spa. After a consultation with Virginia D’Costa, Creative Director Salon, I got ready for a Matrix Biolage Oilthérapie procedure. An aesthetician from the Svastii salon team applied the Matrix Biolage Oilthérapie Root Nourishing Oil from root to the tip of my hair. After a light head massage, he washed off the oil with the Matrix Biolage Oilthérapie shampoo, followed by a deep conditioning hair masque. A steam machine was placed over my head, allowing my tresses to soak in the conditioner. Another rinse and a blow-dry later, my hair cascaded down my back in beautiful, soft layers. Feeling good and looking even better, I thanked everyone at the Svastii spa for making my ‘me time’ a wonderful and memorable one.

Add: AG-3, Ground Floor, Delphi Building, Orchard Avenue,
Hiranandani Business Park, Powai, Mumbai 400076
Landline: 022-42155377-80
Email: powai@svastii.com
Website: www.svastii.com/spa