Wow, the world around has not collapsed. “Everything looks just the same even after I went incommunicado for eight hours. Life goes on, even if I don’t check my phone’s instant notifications,” I exclaimed to Vishal Sukhatankar, Spa Manager at Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli. “That’s exactly what we want to tell those who are digital slaves. See, you did it,” he said, with a pat on my back. Almost like a candy for exemplary behaviour, he handed over my mobile phone, signaling that my ‘Digital Detox’ session just ended.
“The Digital Detox programme is a gentle and practical way to wean you away from the digital world for a few hours and help you experience the real world. Most techies and busy corporates believe that they need to be tied to the phone to be on top of the game. But we believe that unplugging once in a while is akin to spending time sharpening your axe. So we devised a half-day package without a check-in for the techies around,” informed Vishal, who joined the hotel a month ago. A life coach, he is hands-on in this therapy, wellness and pampering session.
As someone who is online for professional and personal reasons, going for a session like this seemed apt. After duly informing my colleagues at work that ‘I am off’ the entire day and letting the entire world know through my social media post, I handed over my mobile phone to Vishal who received me at the hotel at 6.30 am. I was given a health form to fill and as I ran my eye through the ailments section – from thrombosis to thyroid and varicose veins to wounds – I let out a silent prayer that I did not have to tick a mark on any of these. I slipped into a comfortable pair of linen pants and cotton T-shirt for the one-hour yoga session planned for me.
Vishnu, my yoga guru for the day, put me at ease as we settled down on yoga mats. The Yoga pavilion, an elevated cement platform overlooking the natural rocks and greenery around, instantly relaxed me. We started with Hatha yoga and after 15 asanas including Suryanamaskar and some helpful tips from Vishnu, I headed for a hearty breakfast. Chef Sankha D Mahapatra, Chef De-cuisine, had been informed that I was on a detox session and he fed me appropriately. At Collage, the coffee shop, he quickly shifted me to the outdoors as I would be far away from any screens (TV) or devices. He advised me to opt for healthy, natural and low-cal food. So it was watermelon juice without sugar, coriander idli with tomato chutney and green lentil dosa for me. “No screens yet,” Vishal reminded me when I almost reached out for my phone to post an Instagram story about my #HealthyBreakkie.
The next one hour, I could read, nap or use the pool and sauna, steam rooms. I managed to do all of it. The spa’s relaxation room with a zen vibe knocked me out. After I woke up at 10 am, Madhukar at the salon gave me an impressive and effective 45-minute Express Pedicure. Next came the ‘life talk’ counselling session. Vishal, the life coach with a stint at Ananda Life Foundation, Mumbai, convinces guests who have opted for the detox session to have a chat about issues that have been bothering them. After eliciting a promise that I would spend the first three hours after I wake up without my phone every day from now, he booked me for a Tibetan Kunye Massage with wellness therapist Enokhi. While there were a host of massages to choose from (Hyatt Fusion, their signature one), Enokhi recommended the Tibetan one as she felt it works well for those like me in jobs that demand concentration and multitasking.
She used hot stones, horme compress and the magic in her fingers made me snore, for a few minutes. After the hot shower, I met Chef Sankha who had lined up ‘spa cuisine’ for me. “Healthy, yet tasty,” he promised. He sent across buckwheat soup, tofu with quinoa and vegetable followed by soya pannacotta. Light and a bit bland, but tasty nevertheless. The dessert with cranberry pulp was outstanding. It’s was already 3.30 pm. “If you can have a no-screen time for a few hours today, you can do it every day. Try it,” the spa manager told me. I decided to start with a one-hour digital detox session in the mornings every day.
Digital Detox packages start Rs 10,000 onwards
Photos: Vinay Madapu