First Take: Inside Villa Raag, Kairali Ayurvedic Group's Newest Wellness Retreat in Goa

Lulled into relaxation, I lay on my back, drifting into a state of yoga nidra or NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest). A faint sun struggled from behind dark clouds, pregnant with rain. The sunlight shone down weakly on me from the glass skylight above. But it is July and it is the thick of monsoon in Goa.

The rains have been rather sparse this year, I thought, shepherding my mind to the present moment, as the yoga instructor’s voice broke my reverie. “Inhale, Exhale,” said Pravesh Gaonkar, my terse yet gentle yoga instructor. We are almost at the tail end of his masterfully conducted yoga session, which is a notch more advanced than the previous day's session.

I am at Villa Raag, in Agonda, a yoga-inspired boutique resort by Kairali Ayurvedic Group, which has been operating a flagship 65-acre hospital-cum-wellness resort called The Ayurvedic Healing Village in Palakkad, Kerala.

Kairali Ayurvedic Group was founded in 1989 by K.V. Ramesh when the first centre opened in New Delhi. Today, the group has 35 Ayurvedic centres across 10 countries.

Ethos and Inspiration

“Villa Raag is not designed as a resort. It is a private sanctuary where architecture melds into nature,” explains Gita Ramesh.

Ramesh, besides serving as the joint managing director of Kairali Ayurvedic Group, has authored several books like The Ayurvedic Wellness Cookbook: Recipes for Balance & Rejuvenation, The Ayurvedic Cookbook: Get Fit in Just Two Weeks, and more recently, Harmony: Essential Ayurveda for All.

At the 18-seater dining table of the Villa Raag, we spoke extensively about Ayurveda over meals, making me feel like a personal house guest.

Overhead, a deep sea-green tinted crystal chandelier gave the illusion of glitter rain trickling down from above. These jewelled lights are suspended down transparent threads, doubling as the definitive pièce de resistance.

The food is fresh and clean. While the home-cooked meals are the highlight, feel-good dishes like Buddha bowls, smoothies, sourdough bread, salads, and vegan sorbets are available as well. The absence of tea and coffee machines in the rooms is intentional, though both are available à la minute.

Villa Raag, I learn, will be rooted in the tradition of yoga. The property will soon introduce curated wellness packages, including Hatha and Vinyasa yoga, restorative therapies, meditation and mindful nutrition via Mind Renewal, Joint Revival, and Metabolic Reset programmes. A barefoot mandate ensures that each guest is in touch with the earth.

Design of Villa Raag

In Goa, most places are designed as a convergence of sloping Mangalorean-tiled roofs with balcãos, all part of the Goan-Portuguese aesthetic. But, at Villa Raag, the brief is refreshing.

Designed by Kochi-based Durga Sarath Architects, Villa Raag brings a beautiful and contemporary play of white on white, with the colour palette cleverly punctuated with sage green. The exterior is swathed in whites, with a sliding front gate revealing the façade—a tasteful front porch balanced with four circular columns and two white lions on either side. Few plants set against this pristine backdrop create the quintessential Pinterest board.

The interiors extend this design sentiment. Clean straight lines, large windows, and an atrium that opens to the sky in the middle of the property. A large living-cum-dining area is at the heart. Elsewhere, a cosy lounge has a media room connected via a flight of stairs. A zen garden in the centre divides the space with a bed of milk-white pebbles and a softly murmuring water body.

Beyond the temperature-controlled saltwater pool is a deck that faces the tree-lined backwaters. Little islands of botanicals dot the periphery of the villa on the outside, softening the angular corners to create multiple mini-gardens.

There are six rooms in all: four Serenity Suites, and two Harmony Haven rooms, each with a built-in sauna and sunken bath.

Places to Visit Near Villa Raag, Agonda Beach

Guests can walk across the road to a seascape fringed by frothy waves on one of South Goa’s cleanest beaches. Eventually, Villa Raag is to have an extended wing with stay options on this beachfront. This time around, though, I was a tad disappointed to most of the souvenir shops at Agonda had closed.

Nearby, there are other beaches like Butterfly and Cola Beaches, along with Galjibaga or Turtle Beach, Goa’s southernmost beach. It is blessed with a pristine stretch which is an important nesting ground for endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles. Cabo de Rama Fort, a medieval hillfort, offers stupendous sunset views from the lookout.

Back at the property, Villa Raag brings together coastal living, yoga, and personalised care. But it really doesn’t try too hard to impress, much like the unpretentious character of the surrounding Agonda.

Rooms are priced at Rs 45,000 per night, and reservations are open.