Travel: SwaSwara 2.0 in Gokarna

The jewel in Gokarna`s crown

SwaSwara in Gokarna, is a wonderful way to run away from the pandemic for a while.

It`s been an open secret for ages now: SwaSwara, the CGHEarth property in Karnataka`s coastal town of Gokarna, is quite the gold standard for Ayurvedic resorts.

Now, the wildly popular resort has revamped itself in these pestilential times. Since Ayurvedic treatments are off the table due to Covid fears, SwaSwara is open to visitors looking to spend a weekend or a few days away from, well, you-know-what.

The stately banyan awaits its daily complement of yoga practitioners beneath it, trees arch serenely over the water body that winds its way through the spine of the place, even the birdsong seems to have upped its game. The books in the airy library have been dusted off, and the cool tiles of the Meditation Hall as well as the Meditation Hill which overlooks the sea, beckon those who would spend time getting in touch with prakriti, as well as their inner selves.

There are mouth-watering fragrances wafting down from the Cocum restaurant on the first floor of the resort. The SwaSwara kitchens continue to serve food sourced from the in-house organic farm and cooked with no oil, sugar or flour, the minimum of spices and salt. This kind of food usually means bland, barely edible stuff elsewhere; here, though, you look forward to tasting dishes on the daily differing menu because they really put a great spin on satvik fare.

Swaswara, in its pre-Covid avatar, was a neat meld of luxe detox and serious Ayurveda treatments, the treatments drawn up after the Ayurvedic doctors met guests and probed into their health backstories. Ailments ranging from arthritis, back pain, sinus- related problems, sciatica, skin disorders, were all deftly treated at Swaswara, and will again be, once the Ayurveda clinics are given permission to open.

Currently, guests get to avail of `The Spirit of Life` programme which comprises a relaxed bouquet of activities: attending cooking, yoga, meditation, pottery and art classes, chilling out by the pool, though swimming is still not permitted. For the more restless individuals, there are nature walks, and bird-watching expeditions. Also on offer are special `stay for X nights, get X nights free` plans.

I totally recommend doing the town walk. Gokarna, six kms away from SwaSwara, is a temple town with a distinct character. You walk down narrow lanes, past snake shrines, Vedic institutes, stop to gaze at the ancient Kotitheerth tank and the famous Mahableshwar temple with its sunken atmalinga (entering may not be a good idea in these virus-ridden times), go to the promenade at the main Town Beach and watch the sun descend into the waters most dramatically.

However, chilling out is the greatest attraction. Nothing quite beats sitting on Om beach to stare at the sea, observe fishing vessels that chug past, try to take a clear snap of the white-bellied sea eagle that usually perches itself atop the casuarina trees. To take snapshot after atmospheric snapshot for all your media platforms.

And after your blissful R & R stint at SwaSwara, you are ready to head back home, masks firmly in place, mentally and emotionally recharged to do battle with the virus once again.