Madhu the Magnificent

Some people want to be opinion leaders on movies. Others want to be experts on restaurants. Me, I like to be your source of information on area spas. Hell I've picked vacation destinations based on spa amenities. Thus it is no small thing to tell you that here I've one of the best masseurs ever--Maddhu.

A South Indian native from Kerala, where the ayurvedic massage tradition comes from, Maddhu brought to Mysore the table that's been in his family for the past 14 generations. He also keeps the scrolls he's had to copy, four exquisite books, hand-written on leaves, that detail his craft. One book deals with the physical aspect, another the spiritual, another finger techniques, and the largest of all, psychological. Each time I go I spend about three hours with him. He tells me about the tradition, his home in Kerala, Hindu culture. Yes, I have a crush. But it's mostly an intense respect. He's amazing at digging in deep and opening up the body. It's not a pain-free experience, but the end result is a sense of wellness and wholeness . People who are able to give massage like this are truly channeling. It's not a rote approach to palpitating the muscles.

Mike the Body (in Goa)... here I come!