Here Is What To Expect At Aujasya By The Leela, The Luxury Hotel Brand’s Immersive Wellness Programme

I check out of The Leela Palace Udaipur, with something that's rather unusual to bring back from a hotel—a 2 kilogramme mudgar, an Indian version of the club. Not the type that Fred Flintsone carries. This has a small handle—just enough to grip it with both hands—at the bottom, and the upper part is long and bulbous with weight distributed through it in such a manner that when you land a solid blow on your opponent, it can potentially knock them out. But that’s not why this luxury hotel gave this to me. As a part of Aujasya—the Leela’s immersive wellness programme, it was handed over to all the intrepid guests who woke up at the crack of dawn for a yoga and mudgar session.

Aujasya: Wellness, The Leela Way

The idea for Aujasya by The Leela took shape in 2022. It has been designed with a focus on nourishment, mindfulness, and connections. The belief here is that wellness is not a collection of treatments but a way of life. “We wanted to move beyond offering standalone spa and yoga experiences and instead create a more holistic philosophy of wellbeing—one that, much like The Leela itself, is deeply rooted in India while remaining relevant to the contemporary traveller,” explains Anupam Dasgupta, senior vice president – Operations, North and Head of Wellness.

As a result, the Aujasya wellness journey encompasses a gamut of aspects ranging from sleep to food. The mornings start early, with yoga followed by a mudgar session at the hotel’s scenic Sheesh Mahal terrace, overlooking Lake Pichola. If not for your body, mind, soul, this setting will definitely make you want to wake up early for those Instagram posts. All of us turn up in our white yoga attire that the hotel thoughtfully kept ready for us. With the morning sun being constantly present as a faithful companion, we also get a welcome dose of Vitamin D.

The yoga sessions are led by Jenil Dholakia, while Yashesh Sethia is at the helm of the mudgar sessions. Sethia gives us a history of the mudgar and how akhadas around the country still use these as weights to build strength.

Wellness, Served At The Table

By the end of the power-packed practice, our stomachs start to rumble and we head straight to the restaurant for breakfast. All my dreams of tucking into round, hot pooris are shattered when we are informed that there is a special healthy menu for us instead of the usual buffet. But with options of chia pudding, piping millet dosas, multigrain methi missi, baked eggs with spinach, the smile is back on most of our faces.  

The culinary philosophy of Aujasya has been developed in close collaboration with Dr. Ankita Jalori, wellbeing nutritionist, and programme director – Aujasya by The Leela. At its heart is the belief that food should be both deeply enjoyable and purposeful, says Dasgupta, adding, “The menus are designed around specific wellness outcomes, including high-protein, anti-inflammatory and detox approaches.” Indigenous ingredients like millets, and natural probiotics are the heroes of the menu. 

Aujasya by The Leela was introduced as a signature IP across the brand’s portfolio, while allowing each hotel to interpret it in a way that felt relevant to its setting and guest experiences, says Dasgupta. “Depending on the property and its cultural and natural context, an Aujasya by The Leela journey may incorporate experiences rooted in the local landscape, traditions and sense of place, allowing wellness to extend beyond the spa and into the wider experience of the destination."

The Art Of Unwinding

Meanwhile, my days in Udaipur are packed with activities such as breath work, sessions on longevity, meditation, yoga nidra in the guava orchard, tratak (yogic practice of staring at one point of a candle flame)… My next session is what I am most looking forward to: an Aujasya signature massage ritual. The masseuse hands me a hot potli stuffed with fragrant Nilgiri and neem leaves. The comforting aroma from it initiates the start of this relaxation process. As the massage progresses, I drift into a slumber, awakened an hour later by a gentle tap from my masseuse. I feel rejuvenated, almost like a crisp ironed shirt with all its creases wrinkled out.  

Little did I know then that my next session would take me to a state of deeper relaxation. The set up of the sound healing space is truly enchanting. Little candles light up room with their warm golden glow, while inviting white mattresses and blankets are ready to cocoon us. In the centre of the room sits a large gong and other smaller instruments. As we choose our spots and tuck ourselves into our mattresses, Brij Allen Mahajan, Gong Master, Sound Medicine and Acoustic Resonance Specialist, starts the therapy, all the while speaking in gentle whispers. Barely 10 minutes later I am asleep, like a sedated patient. Embarrassingly, I am one of the last ones to wake up after the session ends. I carry the sense of Zen from this session through the rest of the evening that is busy with Kutchi Ghodi dance performance, a soothing boat journey with background music by a talented flautist, and a thali dinner featuring local ingredients and regional dishes. 

When I return to my room, a metal urn with water and rose petals is kept ready for a foot soak. Beside it is a selection of salts, and on the neighboring table is an assortment of teas to help me unwind after an eventful day. Finally, I get a moment to settle into the balcony, where, surrounded by the majestic Aravallis, the City Palace—glimmering in the distance, its reflection lighting up the waters of Pichola—and the stars twinkling above in the inky blue sky, I bathe myself in tranquility and a little ‘me time’.