Sri Lanka brings tourists from all over the world for the surf, tea gardens, blue whales and the hospitality. What’s no-so-well-known is that Sri Lankans practise Ayurveda for longevity, prevention and disease cure. I arrived in Colombo after a red-eye flight from Delhi, and at the airport, met an affable young man with an island vibe. He drove me to the 50-year-old Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort, 90 minutes away, where I was greeted with herbal tea and a lotus. The property is large with ocean vistas and a reef (for snorkelling).
Located only a few steps from the beach, most rooms at the property are air-cooled, but some guests have the option of air conditioning. The Ayurvedic practitioners don’t recommend it when you are getting treatments though. I grabbed a seat overlooking the beach at breakfast and helped myself to Kurakkan roti (finger-millet flour roti), a bowl of red lentils, a fruit platter and herbal tea.
Next up was my consultation with the Ayurvedic doctor at the clinic, located in a building that houses consultation rooms, steam areas, herbal gardens, a dispensary and treatment rooms. She checked my pulse, skin, tongue, and after a few questions, determined that I’m a vata-pitta but my pitta was aggravated.
The three doshas: vata (air and space), pitta (fire and water) and kapha (earth and water) must be balanced for good health. If they aren’t, your body will throw up symptoms and there will be internal inflammation. She addressed my concerns one by one and devised a treatment plan with daily abhyanga (oil) massages, herbal packs and poultice, acupuncture, herbal baths and medicines.
On day 1, I was tired with a lot of sleep debt, but there’s nothing a full night’s sleep can’t fix, and by day 2, I was able to take all the treatments, the medicines seem strangely palatable, my appetite was back and I enjoyed listening to the guests’ experiences of their stay at Barberyn. Unlike a number of ‘health resorts’ worldwide that serve red meat and alcohol, Barberyn expects its guests to follow the Ayurvedic way of life. The focus here is not on treating the symptoms but on addressing the body as a ‘whole’.
The food was wholesome and substantial, with healthy desserts, several kinds of gluten-free breads and grilled fish. I didn’t feel deprived of anything, though I missed my morning coffee. But when I didn’t drink it for 3 days, I stopped craving it. There were plenty of herbal formulations of Ayurvedic teas to choose from at meal times and tea time, that also aid digestion. The best part was that the doctors were present at mealtimes to assist you with the best foods to suit your dosha type.
A spotty signal and bad connectivity drastically cut down my time on social media, and that was probably the biggest blessing of all. I spent more time watching the sunset, playing fetch with the dogs (who began to wait for me on the beach), and walking barefoot on the sand, skilfully dodging the crabs. I spoke to the guests around and spent a lot of time with the doctors, trying to ascertain the different causes behind my insomnia and frequent allergies.
Life in a metropolis like Delhi leaves me impatient, with frayed nerves and no time for myself, but Barberyn taught me to be kinder to myself, to learn when to switch off, and to slow down, when necessary. Our bodies, albeit incredible, also need time to refuel and rest. Listening carefully to the body and acting intuitively facilitate healing, I learnt.
A number of guests who come here stay for at least 21 days to reap the benefits of this ancient science, but I was thrilled with the 6 days I had here. Barberyn taught me to go back to the basics, to look for the answer within, but most of all, that wellness doesn’t have to mean deprivation and it doesn’t have to cost the earth. Instead, it’s all about the little rituals in your everyday routine that ward off illness, fight inflammation and beat premature ageing.
The writer was at the Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort on invitation
