Established in 2000 by Ashok Khanna on the historic 100-acre palace grounds of the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal, Ananda in the Himalayas was India’s first true destination spa retreat. Positioned in Narendra Nagar at an elevation overlooking the spiritual town of Rishikesh and the emerald curve of the Ganges, the estate grounds carry a layered history—having hosted dignitaries ranging from Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Mountbatten to Ma Anandamayi across the 20th century.

The core of the estate’s public life centers around the Viceregal Palace, built between 1910 and 1911 by Maharaja Sir Kirti Shah specifically for a visiting British Viceroy. Rather than imposing a heavy contemporary structure over these grounds, the accommodation blocks and the 25,000-square-foot wellness complex were integrated unobtrusively into the surrounding Sal forest. Guest rooms feature private balconies framing either the landscaped palace gardens or the sweeping Ganges river valley below.

The therapeutic core of Ananda is built on a precise triad: authentic Ayurveda, classical Yoga, and Vedanta philosophy. Upon arrival, guests undergo an in-depth consultation with resident Ayurvedic physicians to assess their constitutional baseline (*Prakriti* and *Vikriti*) using traditional pulse diagnosis (*Nadi Pariksha*). From this, a tailored daily schedule of targeted treatments, herbal formulations, and personalized movement sessions is designed to address specific health goals.

Dining at Ananda is governed by the principles of Ayurvedic nutrition without sacrificing modern culinary refinement. The primary dining space—featuring a Tree Top Deck cantilevered over the forest canopy—serves organic, seasonal menus carefully tagged by *Dosha* suitability (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha). Food is prepared using fresh produce from regional hill farms, designed to support digestion and detoxification while aligning directly with each guest’s medical protocol.

What defines the Ananda experience is its unhurried, disciplined rhythm. Guests spend their days in light white cotton *kurta-pyjamas* provided by the estate, moving quietly between morning pranayama at the Amphitheatre, afternoon hydrotherapy sessions, daily Vedanta lectures, and evening walks through the palace lawns. It remains an estate where royal history and ancient Himalayan wellness practices exist in complete, quiet alignment.