Six Senses Fort Barwara: Dosha in the desert

How a 14th century fort in Rajasthan could well hold the key to your wellness

Deft hands rhythmically work on my back. A forearm pressing down the length of my spine. Thumbs seeking the knots in my middle back. Usually, I would be in heaven. But this time, I’m belching like a Mahanagar Gas faucet. I keep apologising, tears streaming down my face. The masseuse attempts to calm me down; hands me warm water to sip.

I do know this is good for me, even though it may not feel so. You see Dr Jitendra Varshney, or Dr J as he’s known at the Six Senses Fort Barwara, India’s newest wellness destination, had just diagnosed my dosha. That’s the term Ayurvedic practitioners use to denote an individual’s physical and mental make-up. Mine being a mix of fire (pitta) and air (vata), he had recommended a deep tissue massage along with a diet plan to help balance the forces at war within. “The air can either fan the fire or douse it,” he said to me. Right now, the air was on fire and I just had to abort the massage I had so been looking forward to. “You need to figure out how to use the air to keep the fire strong,” he’d added. Meaning: eating and drinking food that’s good for you and in the right proportions, which in turn helps balance one’s dosha.