To call it the Indian head massage doesn’t do it justice. It’s actually a far more ambitious beast we’re hunting here – one that covers your face, neck and shoulders and will sometimes stray down to your upper arms and even your elbows. Believed to be over 4,000 years old, the massage is all about [...]

The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka

Feel like a good rub down?

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To call it the Indian head massage doesn’t do it justice. It’s actually a far more ambitious beast we’re hunting here – one that covers your face, neck and shoulders and will sometimes stray down to your upper arms and even your elbows. Believed to be over 4,000 years old, the massage is all about restoring physical harmony, relieving pain and stiffness and (when it’s good) bestowing a renewed sense of energy. This week, tired, parched and exhausted, we thought we’d seek out some head rubbin’ goodness – but from three very different places. Here’s what you need to know:

Kemara
107/1, Hampden Lane, Colombo 6. Tel: 011-2580573
Though you could go for an oil free massage at Kemara, why on earth would you want to? The Indian Head Massage is among the spa’s more affordable offerings at Rs.2,500 for 45 minutes. More often than not, founder Kishani Gunewardena is there herself to greet you and to put you through a quick Q&A where she identifies any problem she can help you with – it could be rheumatic arthritis or bruising or insomnia, but in my case it’s an allergy that leaves my sinuses clogged and an upper back that tends to ache after hours bent over the computer.
In her larder are a series of exquisite oils and she blends them to suit an individual client’s needs: there’s the fragrant rosemary, basil, peppermint and lemon blend if you’re planning on going back to work and need a wake-up call or she might suggest the restoring ylang-ylang, cedar wood and grapefruit combo if you have hair loss. Other less exotic oils might join the mix if called for – avocado and coconut to repair and soften damaged hair, sandalwood and lavender that smell good enough to calm the nerves and lighten the spirit.
At Kemara, the therapist worked her way across my shoulders, up my neck and onto my scalp, before spending a few (all too brief) moments on my forehead. The moment where she wound my hair around her hand and tugged was a display of mastery – as we found out later, it can be a hard trick to pull off.
Once done though, a hot bath under a clumsily pointed handheld shower took away a little from the decadence. In Kemara’s defence, you’re meant to leave the oil on for a few hours – something to keep in mind if you’re not heading straight back home.

Earth Essence Gallery
4, Deal Place, Colombo 3. Tel: 011-22574604
A glass of the most deliciously tart, cold tamarind juice greets me at the Earth Essence Gallery. Their range of cosmetic products is well worth worth exploring – coming as they do from Link, the same company that produces Samahan and Siddhalepa, and has a reputation for great R&D and state of the art manufacturing.
Their 30 minute head and shoulder massage costs 1200, falling into the same category as the face, hands, foot and head massages and here too you can opt to go oil free. If not, you’ll enjoy their special blend of sesame, sunflower and jojoba oil. It’s the little details you appreciate here – for instance the way the masseuse tucks a pillow under your knees to ensure you’re comfortable while lying down.
Unfortunately, the lying down doesn’t feel like such a good idea for this particular massage – you can end up arching awkwardly as the masseuse burrows under you to get to the muscles on your lower back. Perhaps turning over or unsympathetically allowing her to do all the heavy lifting might be the right approach.
The aforementioned trouble with the sinuses makes the exquisite face phase of the massage a favourite and nearly puts me to sleep. Next time I resolve to simply go straight for a face massage – having indulged, I can tell you it’s the better of the two.

Foot Rub
Crescat Boulevard, 89 Galle Road, Colombo 3
Tel: 011 – 5510453
Foot Rub is the drive through of the massage world. Utterly convenient, they don’t require that you make an appointment, only take 20 – 30 minutes of your time, allow you to remain fully clothed, eschew oil and provide remarkably consistent massages. In exchange you do give up the privacy of your own treatment room, but with your eyes closed anyway do you really care?
As you can tell by the name, foot rubs are their thing, and they do them very well, but their simple menu also offers a dry pedicure, a head, neck and back massage (for which you’re positioned on this wonderfully comfortable massage chair) and of course the Indian Head Massage. (Cost Rs. 1200 for 30 minutes) It’s a firm, invigorating massage, intended to send you back to work all pepped up. Be clear about how much pressure you like as well as your feelings on hair pulling – stray hair caught and tugged can blur the line between pleasure and pain.




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