I like aromatherapy massage so much that it has become one of my must-do activities when I travel to Southeast Asian cities, from Bangkok, Hanoi and Bali, to Sabah and Manila. The more luxurious ones are generally performed in a beautifully decorated room that exudes the feelings of zen and bliss, while the cheaper options tend to separate dozens of massage beds with thin curtains in a confined area. These are all I knew about massage setting, and I thought things couldn’t veer away too far from what I expected. However, my first Ayurvedic massage in Hyderabad, India, was one of a kind.

It’s a sizzling day in May 2019; the temperature reached 40°C at noon. Stepping out of the hotel was like throwing myself into a pre-heated oven, but even so, it didn’t change my mind about heading to Charaka, an Ayurvedic massage clinic located in Banjara Hills. Taking the hint of the lineup of shoes at the door, we walked barefoot into the spacious clinic, fitted with a wooden bench and a few potted plants. At the reception was a middle-aged lady in a traditional sari. After crossing off my reservation of a 90-min Ayurvedic massage on her chunky logbook, she beckoned to a young lady standing in the corner to take me to the treatment room.

The room was bright with natural light coming from sizeable windows. Perched in the middle was a beautifully carved wooden table, and above it hung a ceiling fan generating a gentle breeze of air. After a fleeting look of the surroundings, I found that two important features were missing: a massage bed and an air-conditioner. It took me a moment to realize that I was going to lie on that hard wooden board and sweat like a pig.

“Please take off your clothes,” the masseuse handed me a piece of T-shaped paper and waited patiently by my side without the intention of leaving the room. Before I stripped off my dress, I asked her to pull down the curtain of the window for some more privacy and to explain the purpose of the white paper. “It’s your underwear,” she smiled. From my previous experience, I would either be given a pair of disposable panties or asked to leave my own on. I had no idea how to hide my private part with the thin material provided. Seeing my helpless expression, she took over the paper, tied the two ends behind my back, drew the third end through my thigh and tuck it in the knot, making it look like the Japanese sumo pants.

While I was still amused by my new “outfit”, the masseuse guided me to sit on a chair. Warm oils ran down my hair while she gently massaged my scalp. After a few minutes of pressing and rubbing, she pulled out a step block under the table and instructed me to climb up to it. Lying face down, I felt like a carcass on a chopping board, waiting to be butchered. Another lady who was sitting at the corner joined the masseuse at the table and delivered my first-time four-hand massage. Having a distinctive smell of Indian herbs, the warm oils were poured all over my body, blending with the sweat both on my skin and their hands. It’s uneasy to digest at first, but I still tried to relax and enjoy the gentle pressure of the massage.

“Please sit up,” one of the masseuses tapped my shoulders and helped me get down on the floor. The other was preparing the steam bath, which is said to possess the benefit of eliminating toxins in the body and alleviating blood circulation. Sitting in a steam bath box with my head jutted out, I was enveloped by herb-infused hot steam for 15 minutes. When the door of the “box” was opened, I felt refreshed for the first time of the day like coming out of a sauna.

Was the massage amazing? I’d say it’s an interesting, eye-opening experience though I may not do it again. I believe travel allows us to broaden our horizons and understand the different portrayals of life. The things that seem unusual to us may just be the norm for the others. Be open-minded, and you’ll find them more intriguing than nerve-racking.

If you’re interested in Ayurvedic Massage, I’d recommend you to try it in cooler months (no need to concern about A/C at least) and request to pick the aromatic oil of your preference. I’d have done that if I had known that its vegetative smell and pale yellow color would linger on my body for more than a day even after a hot shower.