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.
This story is from the November - December 2023 edition of VOGUE India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November - December 2023 edition of VOGUE India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Breathe In, Breathe Out
A powerful tool to help you master your nervous system or another biohacking buzzword? SIMONE DHONDY explores the inhalations and exhalations of breathwork
Red Pill, Blue Pill
India's nutraceutical industry is booming thanks to advanced technology, distrust of the medical system and rising vanity. With multivitamins becoming purer and more effective, NIDHI GUPTA finds out if supplements have become the new serum
Sign of the times
No longer do you need to have an answer to, \"What is the significance of this?\" when people point to your new tattoo. ARMAN KHAN discovers that everything is on the table when you get inked temporarily
Return to form
Watching the world's most elite athletes deliver the best performances of their careers rekindled SONAKSHI SHARMA's own love for sports
Dimple, All Day
YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone
Let it grow
When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.
Beauty and the feast
The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.
Sweet serendipity
From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.
