Another highlight of my trip to Kerala was the coconut scrub and gentle oil massage at the Jiva Spa. I thought the therapist wasn’t Indian and I first thought she was Filippino. She spoke in a wonderfully thick accent that sounded Nepalese. Her voice alone has a beautifully soothing, reassuring quality, which you would need when you are almost stark naked! The therapist was very professional and discretely covered you with a towel at all times. She also left you in privacy to change and you have a kimono like cotton robe to wear so that you have covered before the session begins. She also now and then asks if the pressure is ok and I had to ask her to lighten it as I am quite unused to the deep pressure when it comes to massages. Just when you are about to fall asleep the massage is over and you are left longing for another hour of bliss.
Later my sister told me that the therapists are East Indian, because she had a chat with her therapist. They look more Chinese than Indian, and when they speak they have a beautiful lilting quality to their voice. The diversity in India just amazes me and reminds me of how big the continent is. The diversity, especially the religious diversity is sadly also the cause of divisions and segmentalisation in India, which is often touched upon by Indian writers like Salman Rushdie.
photo by bookjunkie
photo by bookjunkie
photo by bookjunkie
photo by bookjunkie
