From marriage to massages, Avanti Birla engages in a quick-fire Q&A with DNA
What are Yash's strongest points?
His most outstanding quality is that he's very strong and steadfast in what he does. He stands by his actions which are based on his convictions. Also there's no two people functioning inside him — it's just one person without any external cover and someone who's brutally honest at that. With Yash, what you see is what you get. Whether it's dealing with me or with the children or with the outside world. That is not what the rest of the world can be like.
Who mostly selects the art for your walls?
Both of us. Though I have a keener eye as far as the art in our house is concerned. We have most of the contemporary Indian artists hanging in our house. We specially love most of Krishnamachari Bose's works and Chintan Upadhyay's robotic dolls.
The two of you seem so united and together…
It's all about love and faith. I look up to him for everything possible. Yash is everything I want in a husband. We’re a modern couple, but principled. He never swears, doesn't drink or smoke and is totally vegetarian. In fact, I gave up being non-vegetarian because he asked me to.
What's a happy vacation according to you?
A happy vacation according to us is all five of us trekking in the Himalayas. It's something we do every year and by now we've gone everywhere in the Himalayas.
What led to the launch of the Kerala Vaidyashala herbal spas?
The Birla Kerala Vaidyashalas and the herbal cafés attached to many of them were a result of our travelling abroad and being inspired by the Jamba Juice centres in the US. We asked ourselves, why not have something like that in India?
The massage centres and herbal spa are the place to integrate all my ideas about wellness. So we're starting with the flagship centre at Prabhadevi and expanding outwards. I know the café will appeal to the youth who loved the vegetable juices served there that we had them sample — the kids thought that they were yummy. You have to try them to see for yourself.
What are the spa treatments you both are fond of?
I used to suffer from migraine that made life miserable for me until I discovered the benefits of Ayurveda. It was the Shirodhara massage that eased the migraine — I took them once a week for six-eight months and am feeling 99% better at the end of it. Actually, I love most Ayurvedic massages which for me is the answer to everything connected with wellness. And the Birla Kerala Vaidyashal chain of centres which are offering them on a scientific level are a natural extension of that belief.
