Uttarakhand – The New Epicenter of Wellness Tourism

Ten years back, a longtime family friend of ours – Chandan Singh Koranga, a native Kumaoni from Almora in Uttrakhand had predicted about the emergence of Uttarakhand as the next big thing in India’s burgeoning tourism industry, to which I paid no attention; only to realise now how true his prediction was.

Last month I was on a visit to Uttarakhand; this time to attend the marriage ceremony of Chandan’s sister. With Kolkata experiencing extreme heat wave, an escape to Kumaon Himalayas was just what the doctored ordered. And nothing compares to the joy of being immersed in a traditional “Pahadi Wedding” – the ancient rituals, cuisine and the reverberations of joyful vibes that only the Himalayas can offer.

Abode of Gods

 Let me inform you, Uttarakhand is India’s “Devbhumi” or the abode of Gods and is fast gaining popularity as the new global Wellness epicentre of India. Offers of bewildering array of wellness products like Yoga, Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Siddha and spiritual practices has catapulted Uttarakhand into a big league of holistic destinations.

Apart from Haridwar and Rishikesh, which is referred to as the Yoga Capital of the world, if you move upwards towards the Himalayas, quaint hill stations like Mussorie, Kausani, Almora, Ranikhet, Lansdowne, Chopta etc. are beautifully evolving as ideal destinations for concepts like Slow Tourism, Carbon Neutral Tourism and Experiential Tourism.

Dalai Lama’s Tibetan Connect

Wait a moment! Not many are aware that His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who now resides in Dharmshala in the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh from where he monitors the Tibetan Govt. in Exile; he had in fact chosen Mussorie, renowned for its mesmerizing Himalayan panorama as his first residence in India, as he escaped that infamous Chinese Red Army’s persecution way back in 1959.

Thus, from a purely Tibetan Buddhist perspective and Dalai Lama’s worldwide acceptability as one of the world’s greatest living spiritual ambassadors, the Uttarakhand connection is every bit inspiring; and his love affair with the state’s peace-loving Himalayan folks continues unabated even today.

In Uttarakhand’s charming hill station of Mussorie, there is an exclusive Tibetan zone, popularly referred to as Happy Valley, where the great spiritual messiah The Dalai Lama lived for a year, before relocating to Dharamshala.

Countless visitors from across the world come to visit this hill station and walk on the footsteps of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and bask in the spiritual glory of this great soul. In fact, Mussorie finds a mention in his autobiography, Freedom in Exile, in which he described the first year in exile as a time of immense struggle and uncertainty.

Visionary Tourism Policy

What is the power behind this phenomenal evolution of Uttarakhand in the competitive global tourism arena? As a travel writer and a diehard Himalayan afficionado, I for one believe that it is the Uttarakhand government’s futuristic vision, smart tourism-friendly policies and integration of India’s rich ancient spiritual foundations that has been the catalyst of this paradigm shift in the fortunes of Uttarakhand’s tourism industry.

In the post COVID era, the demand for eco-friendly surroundings and destinations that prioritize environmental protection are hugely preferred by today’s new age travellers and the tourism industry in Uttarakhand under the stewardship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami have aligned their resources with the basic tenets of Wellness Tourism.

Consider for instance, a sleepy Himalayan hamlet of Dhamas near Almora. I stayed in a rustic Woods Villa cottage for 3 days and each day was like having a “Date with Divinity”,

Out here at an elevation of 1424m/4672feet, an eerie silence pervades the Villa landscape. All the windows and balconies offered 360-degree uninterrupted views of the stunning snow-covered Himalayan peaks. In the cozy confines of the Wood Villas, the good old times resonate gracefully.

Himalayan Serenity is the USP

As the red molten ball dips across the Himalayan vistas, it is time to huddle together besides the crackling fireplace, strumming your Guitar, and indulge in your favourite tipple. The all-pervading peace inside and the snowfalls outside is nature’s invitation to you, reminding you yet again those immortal words of Roger Ebert – “The very fact of snow is such an amazement”.

 Uttarakhand’s natural beauty and serene environment make it a perfect place for meditation and mindfulness practices. No wonder that global hospitality giants like The Marriott, Hyatt, The Taj, Six Sense have all invested aggressively, and more investments are in the pipeline.

 The best part of Uttarakhand’s growth story is that the leading hospitality chains are crafting outstanding immersive journeys by involving local communities, thereby creating culturally authentic and inclusive Himalayan experiences.

The local mountain folks are more often than not are the repositories of deep knowledge of the region’s socio-cultural contours. Involving them in the overall tourism phenomenon ensures access to hitherto exclusive locales that are off the beaten path.

Fusion of ancient wisdom with modern amenities

 I for one was absolutely taken aback by the Six Senses Retreat at Dehradun. My love for things Tibetan, especially their ancient traditional system of medicine, which I was familiar with since my childhood days in India’s North East, meant that I couldn’t resist the temptation of visiting this retreat in Dehradun, renowned for their wide array of Tibetan natural healing therapies.

From the moment you step inside this vast “Sanctuary of Peace” on the foothills of the Himalayas, you know you are in a fortunate place.

Apart from Ayurveda, Yoga and Natural Healing Therapies, I was impressed by

Sowa Rigpa school of Tibetan holistic science. This is perhaps the only retreat in India where guests have access to the Sowa Rigpa school of Tibetan Medicines.

Indigenous and Immersive Experience

Another facet of Uttarakhand’s Luxury Wellness landscape I found very inspiring was their focus on things Indigenous.

Embarking on Indigenous Tribal Tours in Uttarakhand Himalayas could be life changing and transformative. Out here, travel is slow. The essence is on immersion and engagement with the local folks. The roads are intimidating, yet, the natural vistas, flora and fauna are just fabulous. Sometimes, you keep hiking for hours together with not a soul to be seen!

No wonder, the Kumaon Himalayas (Almora & surroundings) blessed as it is with the majestic Himalayan peaks, is also the melting pot of tribal/indigenous people – Tharus, Bhutiyas, Jaunsaris, Buksas and Rajis, whose fascinating lifestyle, belief systems, cuisine, jewellery design and folklore have all endeared themselves within the minds of today’s discerning travellers.

The new breed of ecologically conscious real estate chalet & wood villa developers are the real game changers for Uttarakhand’s long term tourism prosperity. They are combining time honoured craftsmanship with contemporary innovations and thereby delivering properties that are not just robust but stunning to look at from outside. You literally experience this déjà-vu feeling – “India has arrived on the world stage”!

 A Far-sighted Chief Minister

Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami’s trip to UK to attract investors was an outright hit and MOUs worth Rs.12,500 crores were signed. The resurgence of India at the competitive global business landscape is very palpable and has a lot to do with the sustained campaigns like Atmanirbhar Bharat, Transforming India, Make in India etc. by dint of which smaller states like Uttarakhand too are able to carve a niche for themselves and create positive imprints on the minds of global investors.

The gung-ho mood of Chief Minister Dhami finds reflection in his press conference –   “There are almost no incidents of labour dissatisfaction in the industries operating in the state of Uttarakhand. The loss of human labour in industries due to labour dissatisfaction is the lowest in India. This is the reason why the tagline of the Global Investors Summit has been made Peace to Prosperity”. He further stated that along with “Ease-of-doing business”, there is also “Peace-of-doing business” in Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand’s topography is challenging, with the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh to the Northwest, Tibet to the Northeast, Nepal in the Southeast and the state of Uttar Pradesh in the South. Both the Greater Himalayas and the Lesser Himalayan zones fall in Uttarakhand. It isn’t surprising that some of India’s highest peaks like Nanda Devi (7817m) and Badrinath (7138 m) too are located in Uttarakhand.

The Austrian Alpine Touch

The stupendous progress that Uttarakhand’s Mountain Tourism is witnessing, reminds me of Austria’s Tourism industry.

With time, Austria’s rugged and exclusive Alpine environment has marvellously evolved with the quintessential agenda of harnessing the local vernacular architectural grandeur of Old Austria with that of the New. Many of the hüttens in Austria employ local carpenters to create outstanding mountain huts that has become the cynosure of mountain aficionados worldwide.

Drawing inspiration from Austria’s Alpine Tourism, Uttarakhand today is on the radar of hoteliers and hospitality brands; and with a pro-active government offering incentives to investors, there has never been a better time for investments in the state’s burgeoning hospitality landscape.