Why you should explore this new wellness space in Bandra

Mahati Wellness offers sound healing and posture correction amongst a host of other therapies

Off Carter Road in Bandra, as we walk through the bylanes of Shirley Ranjan Road on a warm November afternoon, we are transported to a tranquil zone. If you ignore the towering high-rises and focus on the beautiful bungalows, you feel you are in a sleepy fishing village. We walk into Mahati Wellness, a 6,500-sq-feet space with exposed red brick weathered walls, a pink paloda stone staircase and French doors. There are glass cabins to our right and a large golden trident to our left, enveloped in green beauty, seamlessly blending in with its surroundings, which includes a chikoo tree, laden with fruits, ready for the upcoming season.

Inside, architecture firm Rad Co+Lab has given ample importance to natural textures and earthy materials, interweaving them to create an experience for the senses that feels like a tactile embrace of nature. They offer a perfect backdrop to the various blend of programmes, including soothing sunrise and sunset sessions to sound bath meditation, body transformation, posture correction, breathing techniques, and more offered at the yoga studios, cabins, private yoga classrooms, and spacious terraces.

The wellness space spreads over 6,500 sqft, and will soon have a sattvic cafe as well

Mahati, in Sanskrit, signifies greatness and paying homage to Mahakali. The idea behind the space was a brainchild of fitness enthusiasts Osho Kalwadia, Sailendra Rane, and Aaditya Bhardwaj. It was to build a serene sanctuary dedicated to holistic well-being. "If you want instant results, this space isn't for you," Bhardwaj explains as he analyses our breath and posture, "This space is meant to set you on a transformative journey where body, mind, and spirit converge towards self-illumination and inner peace." Just by looking, he could tell our dosha and our pain areas. "Our breathwork and posture tell us so much about our body if only we can pause, listen, and be willing to work on it," he explains, sharing a few posture-correcting exercises. "Don't rush; work on yourself for six months - give yourself that much time, and you'll never want to go back to the mundane," he advises.

Rane tells us of the upcoming sound healing programme that we must attend. He adds, "At the core of Mahati Wellness is a place of growth, healing, and restoration. It serves as a bridge to understanding Ashtanga and reaching Samadhi. We take a holistic approach to well-being, offering a range of programs that address physical ailments, vital energy imbalances, mental well-being, and spiritual growth."
A sattvic cafe will open soon, featuring a selection of wholesome and balanced dishes promoting physical and mental well-being.

A long, intense session with nutritionist Sarah Vazirali resulted in a deep-dive analysis of emotional eating and its effect on the gut and overall health. "Nutrition isn't about the diet charts; it is about being happy about what you are eating and therefore being able to adhere to it," she adds.

This was followed by another intense session, one of corrective exercises for balance and mobility with Dr Nishtha Khatri at one of the two yoga studios, with ample natural light. She discussed focussing on the five natural elements: earth for stability, grounding, and the physical realm; water for fluidity, emotions, and adaptability; fire, representing transformation, energy, and illumination; air, symbolising intellect, communication, and liberty; and ether (or space), which portrays expansion, vastness and the interconnectedness of all things. We also meet Mr Chatur, the skeleton that chills in the co-working area, used for explaining how bones and muscles function.

We wind down with a deep tissue massage by therapist Singhchuila Shimray, which put us into a slumber. When we head out, the mild sea breeze wafts in and embraces us, reminding us that in our zest for a balanced life, wellness, like happiness, is a choice.

WHAT: Holistic wellness space
WHERE: Near Jal Sagarika, Shirley, Bandra West
WHEN: Monday to Saturday
CALL: 9930100965