The Hindu Business Line : Health for a lifetime

People nowadays take to health foods as a passing fad. Before long, however, they are back to their old ways of unhealthy eating! I'm here to change all that," says Sunita Shahaney of Ahumcaara, the latest and first-of-its-kind `health and well-being store' in Chennai. Tucked away in the sylvan surroundings of a former 10-acre estate located, Ahumcaara operates against the backdrop of a 100-year-old house located in an upscale part of the city. But what inspired the graceful and elegant socialite, former Honorary Consul of Chile and wife of Corporate honcho R.J. Shahaney, Chairman of Ashok Leyland, to venture into unchartered territory? "In the recent past, I have been trying to overhaul my own body out of some minor ailments. Nutritionists and doctors have advised me on certain methodologies to apply in terms of what I should eat and avoid. But finding these foods and ingredients prescribed in my diet was tough. That's when I thought of setting up a place like Ahumcaara that would cater to health-conscious people like me on a regular basis."

Having been a fitness instructor for a few years, Sunita is a voracious reader of health and fitness books. Her interests in cooking, horticulture, handicrafts and the plant stores she ran for a while, all contributed to the knowledge and experience that helped her set up the concept of a health and well-being store. "After dabbling in different things for years, I have finally found what I want to do," says this mother of two.

Explaining the unusual Sanskrit name she chose for her store, Sunita says, "According to the Vedic texts, contrary to the current negative usage of the word, Ahumcaara means `the memory of who we were'. The philosophy behind my store is to awaken the true self through a quantum shift in lifestyle and awareness. The store invites people to embark on a journey of self-discovery, to gently and holistically help them make a change in the way they treat their bodies, and subsequently their minds and spirits. The richness of nature's secrets are there waiting to be discovered so that we can live healthy and maintain harmony with our inner selves. Each of us has a personal and sacred responsibility to our bodies and we owe it to ourselves to keep them functioning smoothly, by indulging in the right kind of foods that prevent malfunction."

Sunita's store stocks a variety of natural and organic foods, from juices and jams to seeds, nuts, health drinks and low-fat snacks from around the globe. And she will stock a product even if just one client requests it, regardless of the profit and loss factor. "I see this as both a service to social health and as a passion I am indulging in," she says.

It is in the 100-year-old home, done up to display her line of products to their advantage, that her background in interior design comes into play. "The house lends itself naturally to an ambience of going back to the basics. It highlights the simple life our ancestors were used to, one where they ate healthy, worked well and had fewer health problems. It's the perfect setting for this concept. I was very lucky in finding this place. Its beautiful spaces fitted in perfectly with my ideas," she says, explaining why she chose such an ambience in which to conduct business.

Her ideas also include a cosy research and reference library where one can browse through health books, along with a soon-to-be-opened bookstore. The upper floor will be used for talks, seminars and demos on alternative healing systems, new-age therapies and cooking tips, while the `Atrium' in the quaint courtyard will be the setting for a delicatessen serving health drinks and snacks and, later, a lunch service.

In addition to food, the store also has a range of innovative accessories such as mortars and pestles in wood, stone and marble, pasta platters, honey twirlers, cheese boards and pate servers, ranging from ancient models to futuristic ones.

The array and variety of the products show that a lot of time and planning have gone into sourcing them. Says Sunita, "I spent a lot of time reading labels of manufacturers in departmental stores, establishing contacts with food farms who work with organic material and networking with my friends who helped me with information and feedback."

But doesn't all of this come with a hefty price for the consumer? "The price difference between some of the organic products and the normal ones is only marginal. One has to understand that the food farms that produce these items have spent a lot on turning around their lands into purely organic farms, free from pesticides and chemicals. It's been a long process and surely one doesn't mind paying a few rupees more for the benefits. Also, eventually, as more people turn to organic foods and demand goes up, the prices will naturally fall," she says.

Sunita's aim is to guide people towards fitness beyond workouts. "It's a fitness that emerges from overall healthy living and thinking. That's why we want to create a forum for common ideas intrinsic with the Ahumcaara philosophy here, where people will find a stimulus to create and live in an atmosphere of calm, beauty and health. In short, I want to introduce people to a whole new way of thinking, eating, cooking, reading and enjoying life," she says. Well, the success she had at her launch party with guests rushing to the payment counters is an indication of things to come and Sunita is thrilled that people have reacted so positively to her concept. Does she have any expansion plans on the anvil? "First, of course, I want to strengthen this place as I have lots of new ideas to execute right here itself! But once it takes off, the sky is the limit," is her optimistic reply.

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