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Well let’s get one thing straight from the start, I’m far from being a prude having had my share of massages on my travels, but my first experience of an Ayurverda treatment has opened up a whole new world for me.
Now, I did have some advance warning from my wife Anne, that personal modesty is almost non-existent in India, so I suppose I half expected what I got.
Daily Ayurveda Treatment
Having booked Devaaya on Divar Island, just off Goa, for a week’s retreat, twice daily treatments were part of the package (following assessment by the Ayurverdic Doctor and a treatment package established!).
Sat in the delightful waiting area on my first day, donning a giant colourful gown, I must confess I was wondering what was in order for me.
My therapist, Justin (not sure that was his real name!), a very polite and prim young man, came and escorted me to my treatment room, ethnic with a giant dark wood treatment table in the centre.
The order of things upon entering the room is to take off the giant gown and any underwear, then stand there in all your modesty while he ties some paper pants around your “bits”.
Paper pants in place, I sit on a stool, have my feet washed and then have ample amounts of treacle like oil massaged into my hair for a 15 minute head massage. Very nice indeed!
Next face down onto the massage table, having the aforementioned paper pants whipped off, for an oily, full body (and I mean full body!) massage. There was definitely the odd finger slipping in the nether crack region from time to time.
Second Daily Ayurveda Treatment
I think this was the warm up massage, as my later afternoon one was shorter but certainly more “interesting”.
A light lunch later, and it is time for massage number two. This time we are in one of the seven outside huts, each being a fully operational unit (showers, oil burning stoves etc). No paper pants offered this time (we’re old friends by now surely?!), it’s face up on to the table, with a hefty draft from the fan above for good measure! (I’m sure that cold breeze didn’t help, if you know what I mean).
What pursued is entirely my own fault. I made the error of informing the young, female Ayurverdic Doctor, that I had suffered a groin injury playing football around three weeks earlier. All the bruising had gone and it was well on the mend, but clearly she thought this was an area to focus on.
Light-fingered Justin was under orders to give me the hot oil treatment and cure that problematic groin. Laying there in all my glory, he proceeded to cook hot oil on the stove, then drip it on to my groin area and massage it in, gently easing anything that might be in the way, to one side.
Now hot oil can be an issue at the best of times, but mix in a fella’s delicate areas and this may cause permanent damage!
Now, to be honest the oil and subsequent massage, felt great. It’s just that the oil getting a little hotter with each session was worrying. Burning of the groin, not great, but burning of the left gonad, well that’s just not right!
Having warm oil smeared all over a chap’s wedding tackle may sound great to some of you guys but you probably have visions of Jennifer Aniston doing the applying, not Justin from Goa and certainly not with oil hot enough to cause permanent scarring.
Again, this may just be me and my sick mind, but it feels great getting massaged and oiled up in this area, I find myself thinking “I hope for gods sake I don’t start liking this too much”, if you know what I mean…
Fortunately, this doesn’t occur, and I’m sure for Justin, he’s just going through the daily motions, and brushing up against my privates is just “another day in the office” for him. Well I hope so, especially as after the oily massages, I’m stood naked with him down on his knees smearing a peanut butter like gunk all over me, before I shower.
As each day and session goes by, I find it less inhibiting and more liberating to completely doff off and allow another guy to rub me up for an hour or so, which is good because half way through the week Justin brings in a new guy for a four hands massage. So now I have two of them going at me in tandem!!
Yes, it’s certainly different to massages I have been used to but the experience was great, and I would highly recommend it to anyone as long as you approach it with an open mind and go with the flow.
What’s the worst that could happen……. Oh yes, but fortunately it didn’t!!!
If you wish to find out more about Devaaya, please see my wife’s review. If you then feel sufficiently inspired to go ahead and book, please quote ANNESBROOKS when booking to secure a TravelTheGlobe4Less 10% discount.
Maybe you have had a similar experience, and would like to share it below. It would be great to know I am not alone!
This does look like a relaxing place to get away. I love that two daily treatments are included. So often it’s hard to enjoy the treatments since the costs sneak up on you. Thanks for sharing!
I had an Abhyangam massage and was exactly like you narrated. It was an refreshing and overwhelming experience.
Glad it was a positive experience. Would love to book another Ayurveda trip
Loved the way you have described your experiences with such details. I was kinda expecting the reactions when I saw the title! Glad to know you liked the experience though!
Haha Ohh the Ayurveda massage! I wasn’t game enough to get on of these in India but I do know a couple of people who did it and let’s just say there were well looked after ;p
I’ve been on a few retreats now in India and it’s certainly different to what I’m used to in England. There’s no room for coyness that’s for sure. That said, it’s quite liberating in a way and I found the treatments incredible once I’d got my head around the complete lack of privacy
We love getting a traditional massage in whatever we are in, although I can’t think of any country or any occasion where we were required to be naked at any point – although the Turkish Hammam came close! Glad I know what to expect from an ayurveda treatment now tho!
This sounds like an amazing and relaxing time! Ayurverdic seems like the perfect remedy to anything alining you! I laughed out loud when you said you hoped you would not start liking it too much -that is so something my husband would say as well !
And now I need a treat like this too. Seems you had an awesome relaxing time.
This sounds like a real treat. I would love to try this one day. I really belive that Ayurveda is amazing for the body and soul.
Hi
Inreally like your story and the style you wrote it.
I’m sure it can be worse if you understand this.
I see most women comment your story.
I’m a male and travelled in India / kerala, Goa, Mumbai, jaipur, Agra,Delhi,.. for some weeks, and I tried 7 ayurvedic centres and I loved it.
Most massages started with a small to very small to very very small white or blue underwear.
Often it started with headmassage but half of the times it was done at the end.
Mostly after 5 seconds, face down the paper string or briefs were removed and i layed butt naked on the table.
Once, in Aleppi, the guy massaged both leggs at the same from feet to butt, pushing my leggs open and lifting my ass up. After some minuts I was sitting on my knees and leggs open. Then you really have to put your brains on zero and just enjoy the treatment without thinking about the view he has and hoping nothing will be put in somewhere I’m not used.
In Kochin, I had a young guy, who was in the same paper blue underwear. Sitting on me, laying on me with his elbows,… You know, after a time, the oil on the underwear makes it 100% see trough…He already moved my underwear, and Insaw he had an erection. You don’t say it but I was hard all the time, and probably you too, being touched everywhere. My young therapist took of his underwear and oiled my dick. I was a kind in trance and let him do what he liked to do ald soon both had an ejaculation. He came with me in the shower to wash off the oil, and to dry me with a towel like you dry a baby. Yes also all parts of the body had to be dry.
This happened only once, most other massages weren’t that naughty.
I often go to Dubai, and I always go to a Kerala Centre there, and for Dubai it s really really hot there.
SO jealous of your journeys (as usual!) I had wanted an authentic Ayurverdic treatment/therapy during my time in India, but just didn’t do it. I guess I have to live vicariously through you now.
Oh I highly recommend it. I’ve done a few of these retreats and the treatments are incredible. Are you still in 🇲🇽 mexico?
LOL, I had no idea what you where going with that title ‘Tackle” and was really curious until I started reading towards the middle…oooh touchy subject matter – not sure I can go there either! But good to know what this treatment is all about – I think I would just tell them to pass on the private areas 🙂
Yes o was a little surprised he allowed them to go there a second time!
Ha ha actually love you addressed that issue, and put anyone’s mind at rest about what to expect. How did you feel Street the full week, amazing I bet?!