Two decades ago, given rising stress levels and the impetus on health and rejuvenation in the world, I embarked on a mission to find a spiritual, serene and pollution free location to create a destination spa and wellness retreat. When I came upon the Palace Estate of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal, overlooking Rishikesh and the Ganges river, I knew at once that this was the chosen place. Yoga and Ayurveda have their origins in these Himalayan foothills, and with inspiration from these ancient wellbeing and spiritual practices, Ananda in the Himalayas was born. In creating Ananda we stuck to ancient Indian Virtues, where holistic living was a way of life: back when people understood the balance of nature, the ways of the universe and how the elements affected not just physical health but also mental wellbeing. It was always clear to me, that if people achieved harmony within, they would be at peace. This is the very philosophy which brought Ananda in the Himalayas into being, believing that each individual is unique. Together with my wife Neelam, we studied the wealth of ancient sciences and health practices in India to piece together the pillars of Ananda- Yoga, Ayurveda, Vedanta and Spirituality. We adapted the concept of traditional ayurvedic food for your body type and refined it to incorporate modern cuisine concepts using fresh seasonal produce.