Find Your Sound at Naad
Deep dive into the transcendental space of eternal peace with a sound body and mind
June Mukherjee, Naad Wellness, June 5, 2022
On every World Environment Day, The Asian Footprints will handpick a particular destination or resort which reflects principles of being environmentally conscious and sustainable. These picks will be based on first-hand experiences and chosen through careful consideration. Our pick for 2022 is the Naad Wellness Resort - offering a uniquely holistic wellness experience, based upon a strict model of sustainable and responsible tourism.
After a gruelling week of travel-business related networking in New Delhi, I set out for my trip to Naad, an hour’s drive from the national capital, located in Kundli, Sonipat, Haryana. The drive was not particularly memorable, but this was to change the moment the gates of Naad Wellness were opened before me.
‘Shabda brahman’ or ‘nada brahman’ is outlined in the Vedic scriptures to be a transcendental sound. In Sanskrit, ‘shabda’ means a sound or word, and ‘brahman’ means ‘supreme self’ or ‘absolute of the universe’. ‘Naad’ means ‘the essence of all sound’; it is a particular vibration, a fundamental frequency that comes from one common source or sound current. Ancient scriptures centring on yogic philosophies state that sound and God are the same, and that every substance is made up of vibrations. Sound which can be considered as music is called ‘naad’.
Here is my story from Naad, where I found my sound!
The first thing of note is that during my stay at Naad, I never had to open my suitcase and it remained untouched the entire time (with a Naad tag) and left with me. The story will unfold shortly. Once inside the reception area, I received a warm welcome as is the ritual for all guests at Naad, and received a healthy cooling drink during pre-checking. The wellness experience had already begun, it seems. Everywhere I looked, my eyes only met with greenery and bright sunlight - yes, even inside the airconditioned lobby!
The pre-planned health check-up, including BMI (body mass index) test and doctor’s consultation, set the itinerary for the next couple of days with a lifestyle routine that was best suited for my wellness experience. A set of bright white kurta pajama (loose, full sleeve shirt and pants) with a rosary (rudraksha japamala) provided an instantaneous makeover that instilled an instant sense of calm. For the next few days, I went on to follow their guidelines like a disciplined resident and became increasingly thankful for being provided with this experience.
The concept of healing at Naad Wellness is derived through a combination of Ayurveda and Naturopathy. Manoj Khetan, the Co-founder of Naad Wellness came to meet and greet, and we had a chat on the major issues of their core objective, sustainability and empowerment.
“We started doing our research and we found that there are Ayurveda centres and Naturopathy centres separately but there is no place where there exists a combination of both. So, we brought both of them together as the concept was to do something unique, in the sense that it has to be luxurious, and at the same time the guest should have no choice but to follow the rules here. Because when you get choices to do things, either you take it or you leave it and then you are never satisfied with anything. Hence, our idea was that that we will build something strict, where there is not much room for choices, which is minimalistic, and does not require guests to worry about anything”, Mr Khetan said.
When you embark upon a mission like this, it is very important to inculcate the same vision in those you hire as otherwise they will not be able to extend services accordingly to guests. “Firstly, we are empowering them and secondly, we don’t believe in language, height, built etc. We only see that you should have a purpose to serve the people because you are dealing in the field of healing. If they don’t have that intent, whatever the management’s ideology is, end of the day it will not be met because the team is the mediator. Hence, we make sure our employees have strict working hours, have proper meals and rest and maintain a good quality of life,” Mr Khetan added.
It was amusing to witness myself in the third person - a Bengali having lived most of her life on non-vegetarian food cleaning up every meal they served, which was not only vegetarian but also had extremely low levels of sugar, salt, and oil. I was a little surprised at myself for how much I seemed to enjoy the food, as I have a reputation for being a picky eater. I earnestly awaited the tea, which came in a different colour every time – my favourite was perhaps was the ‘butterfly tea’. In a nutshell, the food was modern, well-served and in sync with the prescription provided by their in-house doctor. And yes, you will only get extra portions if you are allowed to and water during eating only upon request. There is no salt, pepper, sauce etc. on the table for you to add on!
It is for your own good that you should attend the scheduled yoga or meditation sessions where a personal trainer will be waiting, and to the scheduled therapy session to further enrichen your stay. The same applies for any walks on the ‘Reflexology’ track made of stones that they may have scheduled for you. There is no television in any room, and it is best to utilise your time at the resort by limiting the use of electronic gadgets like laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.
As for the unpacked suitcase mentioned earlier, I soon came to realise that I didn’t need anything from it (except my medicines which remained in my handbag) as everything was being provided, to build upon an experience of simple living with zero waste.
Commenting on this Mr Khetan said, “We are a hardcore wellness centre. Before the guests come, we always make them understand that this is not a place where you have choices. This is a no caffeine, no alcohol, non-vegetarian zone. Children below 14 are not allowed. We have seen especially women coming to Naad at a very critical juncture of their lives for their ‘me time’ as they are the ones who are running the show 24x7 at home mostly! Doctors here make sure that whatever is your purpose, the healing is holistic.”
Preaching big words about saving the world environment, climate change, global warming and sustainability is one thing but becoming a responsible traveller is something else. Do we care about our carbon footprints? How much do we actually contribute when it comes to lowering waste? I was very keen to understand the sustainability practices not only maintained by Naad Wellness and its staff, but also how much the guests become a part of that process. Mr Khetan said, “To spread an overall sustainable practice among our guests, we try to educate them from the beginning. We do not allow them the option to waste. The rooms are designed in such a way that the abundance of natural light ceases the visitors to even think of using the electricity for illumination during the day. We provide only one set of clothes for each day; the second set is chargeable. If there is one guest in the room, we give one towel so that the chance of waste is not there. In the kitchen also, we make sure that we make the food at the right time. Whatever leftovers are there, they go for composting regularly. In our gardens, we regularly cut our grasses and the cut grasses go to the local cow shelters. Adjacent to our resort, we have our farm from where we get fresh produces for our kitchen. We only use cow dung and no chemicals for making the soil fertile. We have an arrangement with the local villagers for recycling of our own products as well as taking care of our people. The floor tiles are also handmade, produced by local labourers from recycled materials, and have a natural cooling effect. Even during the pandemic, owing to being a medical entity, we had the license to keep ourselves open, and we maintained the property exactly as it is and kept all our staff in practice as if any day any moment guests will start coming in. We never asked them to compromise on anything they were practising. They were maintaining the property as if it was 100 per cent occupied and tomorrow tourists will come again, and they needed to be ready.”
Memories of years of documenting travel experiences encompassing innumerable destinations, iconic places, breathtaking spots, and luxurious resorts all seem to fade away when I am faced with a fundamental question: “Am I enjoying everything?” The answer from my hurried, jet-setting heart lands as a “definitely… maybe…!”
Perhaps the true essence of enjoyment lies in the moment wherein you halt and soak in the moment to take a look at yourself as you exist on the earth, as the tiniest spot - and hear the sound of only yourself amidst the cacophony of this noisy world. I was looking for an opportunity to take a pause and surrender myself to the people who will calm down a fast-pacing mind that is always bubbling and does not know how to stop.
I was at peace during my stay, not only from following my own routine but also from observing the people who work there. By maintaining a sustainable way of life and taking care of the place in such a manner, they have truly transformed it into a green paradise. Perhaps the only thing I missed was my family. I would lie if I said I didn’t also miss my work, but the immense positivity I felt from the staff made me feel that everything was being done to allow me to return to a recharged work-life with much more happiness and vigour! My encounter with the wellness as well as maintenance staff left a lasting impression on my mind. I wish they also find the unique sound of happiness in their life.