26 August,2011 10:46 AM IST | | Priyanjali Ghose and Amrita Bose
Aimed at giving you a holistic treatment, Orrah, the new spa, offers a relaxing experience despite shortage of staff and not-so impressive ambience
Famous American actress Eva Longoria had once said, "When I want to reward myself I get a relaxing massage." Inspired by her words, after a hectic week, my colleague and I thought a little pampering will not harm and visited Orrah, the two-month old spa in Koramangala on a cloudy afternoon. Deriving its name from aura or the invisible radiation, the dimly lit Orrah's ambience is nothing to write home about. The beige sofas and dark curtains don'tu00a0 help much in soothing the nerves. However, if you can ignore the surrounding, then your experience at the spa will be worthwhile.
Pics/ Ramesh HS
The Full Body Trip to Heaven
We were told that the spa specializes in body massages, foot reflexology and facials and their products areu00a0 sourced from Thailand and Indonesia. Also, Orrah offers spa treatments for babies that are customised and can be arranged. But we were informed that most of the materials had not arrived and so certain spa and facial services on the rate card were not available yet. The body massages range from R 1500 onwards while the back and facial cost R 500 on an average. I settled for the Traditional Balinese Massage while my colleague wanted to experience a Deep Cleanse Clean and Deep Tissue Massage.u00a0
u00a0I was taken into a cool dark room where one of the staff helped me get ready for the massage and instructed me to lie on my stomach on the bed. I was informed that due to lack of staff, I would be treated by a masseur but assured a complete professional treatment. The aromatic oil massage came with pressure at the right places and soon the initial awkwardness went away with the healing expert touch. As with the traditional Balinese massage, my treatment combined acupressure, reflexology and stretching. Aimed to ease muscular and joint pain, the massage eased me and soon my body was relaxed. After the massage, a female staff directed me for a steam bath claiming that it would relax the body further. And she was right.u00a0u00a0
u00a0u00a0
Massage the Deep Tissue Way
Shedding clothes for a full body massage is the business of the brave. I am not brave by my own admission. What's the next best compromise? Get a back massage and a face clean up instead.u00a0 The masseuse asked me to change into a gown and then helped me settle down on the massage table. She then put my hair away from my face and started by cleaning out my face with a cleanser. Next came a session where she massaged the contours of my face, shoulders and neck with a citrus-based essential oil. The masseuse kneaded the muscles in my face and shoulders. This was followed by a face scrub and a mask which I had to keep on till it dried while I turned around for my back massage.u00a0u00a0
While the areas behind the ears, the back of the neck and soles of the feet are considered common pleasure zones, who knew the back had so much more potential? As soon as the masseuse started massaging my back under the Deep Tissue treatment, my back reacted to her hands like magic.
She gently kneaded my back muscles with citrusy pure oil. The Deep Tissue massage, according to the staff, is ideal for those suffering from back and hip pain and is good for de- stressing. This kind of massage focuses on the muscles that lie just beneath the top muscles of the body. The masseuse slowly undid the knots on my back muscles with firm and circular movements. She then reached down, massaged the calves of my leg and the ball of my feet. The 45-minute-massage made me relaxed and is a good option for those who are not really comfortable shedding clothes for a full body
massage.u00a0
Where Orrah, Opposite Raheja Residency, Koramangala
Call 9035190354
Foru00a0 Rs 1000 onwards for body massage and R 500 onwards for other services
