India’s best, popular yoga centres and yoga retreats

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Yoga centres and best yoga retreats in India. This article, initially, listed just a few best and popular yoga centres in India but based on readers recommendations I have started to include popular yoga retreats and also ashrams offering yoga ttc (teachers training courses), as well. Needless to say, this list is incomplete. I will keep adding more centres and retreats as and when I get reader recommendations.

Btw, Some of the centres may offer free trial yoga classes. Please contact them individually to check their schedule. Needless to say, as mentioned earlier, I will be adding more yoga retreats to the already listed famous centres…

Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, Mysore, India.

This popular Yoga center is located in Mysore, which is handled by the decedents of the revered Guru Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois. This center offers intensive Asthanga yoga classes throughout the year.

Only serious aspirants are entertained here who have applied for the courses at least two months in advance. Though accommodation is not being provided in the center, yet there are quite a number of residential accommodation available nearby.

The duration of course is of one month to six months. Please check Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute website to know more.

Contact details:
25 8^th cross, 3^rd stage, Gokulam
Mysore, India
Phone: 91 821 2516 756
Website: www.kpjayi.org

Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, Chennai, India

TKV. Desikachar, son of the “grandfather” of modern Yoga – T Krishnamacharya, runs krishnamacharya yoga centre.

One of the best yoga and famous centre in India, their programs covers principles, teachings and practice of asana, pranayama, meditation, mantra and key aspects of yoga philosophy.

Along with yoga therapy sessions, yoga mandiram conducts various international yoga teachers training programmes along with international healing chants teachers training programme.

Duration of other courses: two to four week. Please check their website to get more details.

Contact details:
No. 31 fourth cross street
RK Nagar Chennai, India
Phone: 91 44 2493 7998
Website: www.kym.org

Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Pune

This institute attracts students of yoga from all over the world. This Yoga Centre conducts classes in Iyengar yoga, which focuses on postures with breath control for all levels. There are special classes for women, children and people with medical conditions.

Prior registration is a must. Duration of course start from a month and maximum six classes can be attended in a week.

Contact details:
1071 B/1, Hare Krishna Mandir Road
Model Colony Shivaji Nagar
Pune, India
Phone: 91 20 2565 6134
Website: www.bksiyengar.com (website not responsive)

Bihar School of Yoga, Munger

One of the the best Yoga Centres in India, Bihar School of Yoga center was founded in 1964 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and teaches full yogic lifestyle.

This yoga center teaches yoga relating to traditional postures, breathing and meditation but more emphasis is laid to the practice of meditation and kriyas than on postures.

Duration of course: Bihar School of Yoga offers innumerable short and long term courses, including yoga ttc, Hatha yoga Yatra, Yogvidya courses. Please check their website to know more details.

Contact details:
Bihar Yoga Bharti,
Ganga Darshan Fort Munger, Bihar. India
Phone: 91 6344 222 430
Website: www.biharyoga.net

Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh

One of the most popular Yoga Centers in India, Parmarth Niketan Ashram is situated in the holy town of Rishikesh. Parmarth is the most suitable wonderful spiritual place to study yoga. There are about 1000 rooms in the center.

The ashram runs innumerable programs, conducted by guest faculties, on yin yoga, vinyasa yoga, kriya & meditation yoga along with routine yoga retreat, throughout the year.

Parmarth Niketan Ashram also conducts regular teacher training course, and study relating to Vedic heritage and spirituality. Day to day classes are also available for visitors. They also host the world famous yoga festival in the month of march, every year.

Duration of course: Starting from two weeks…

Parmarth Niketan Ashram is also known for its famour Ganga arti at Rishikesh and also the world famous yoga festival being held every march beginning.

Contact details:
P.O.Swargashram, Rishikesh
Uttrakhand, India
Phone: 91 135 244 00 88
Website: www.parmarth.com/

Sivananda Vedanta center Neyyar Dam, Trivandrum

Vishnudevananda – A direct disciple of Swami Sivananda, founded Sivananda Vedanta Center. The teaching philosophy is based on the five points of yoga i.e. postures, breathing, relaxation, meditation and diet.

The Neyyar Dam ashram provides courses in yoga and meditation that are best suited for beginners and advanced students as well. Sivananda Neyyar Dam ashram and its group ashrams in Kerala and the Himalayas, conduct yoga ttc (yoga teachers training courses) and advanced ttc throughout the year. Their yoga vacation programs and yoga retreats are some of the best that you have in India. Duration of Courses: 3 days to four weeks.

Contact details:
Neyyar dam, Trivandrum district, Kerala
Website: www.sivananda.org

Rishikul Yogashala, Rishikesh

Rishikul Yogshala, one of the high ranked and most reviewed schools, was founded in the year 2010 on the land of Rishikesh, with the mission to connect yoga and spiritual lovers across the globe through the wisdom of yoga entrenched in the Indian ethos.

Along with the quality yoga knowledge, the school extends the goodness of ayurveda to the students for enlightening their minds on both the classic disciplines of health and wellness.

The Yogshala offers 200 hour, 300 hour, and 500 hour yoga teacher training courses along with customised retreats, spiritual sessions and daily yoga classes.

Contact details:
Village: Jonk, Swargashram, Ramjhula, Rishikesh. Uttarakhand, India.
Phone: +91 7060060954, +91 9018860899
Website: www.rishikulyogshala.org

Rishikesh Yogis Yogshala, India

Helmed by Shri Uttam Ghosh, Shri Sushant Pandey and Shri Abhishek, Rishikesh Yogis Yogashala is located in Rishikesh (India) – recognised as the yoga capital of the world.

The school provides 200hrs yoga teachers training courses registered from Yoga Alliance in Rishikesh.

Training is given on various traditional styles of yoga like Ashtanga Vinyasa, Classical Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Nada Yoga, and wide variety of meditations.

Along with the teachers training certification and special yoga and meditation retreats, they also conduct traditional yoga, meditation, kundalini yoga drop in sessions on a daily basis. Please check the website for the latest updates.

Contact details:
Privaipal Sadan , Laxman Jhula Road
Tapovan Jonk. Rishikesh. Uttarakhand -249192. India
Phone: +91 999-977-3927
Website: www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org

AyurYoga Eco Ashram, Mysore District. Karnataka.

Brainchild of Shri Krishna Chaitanya, spread over 18 acres of pristine countryside, AyurYoga Eco Ashram is located between Mysore (Karnataka) and Kerala state in South India.

Touted to be one of the better yoga ashrams in India, AyurYoga offers various yoga teachers training courses, yoga wellness retreats, specialised ayurveda and spiritual retreats.

Initially a barren piece of land, AyurYoga and its team, with their dedicated karma yoga, have transformed this piece of land into a beautiful tropical garden. Besides an area dedicated to yoga and ayurveda, they have earmarked a part of the ashram to a organic vegetable farm, which now caters to their internal needs.

Contact details:
Village JP Hundi, Kannenur Post. Hulhalli Hobli, Mysore District. Karnataka.
Phone: (+91) 99866-99849
Website: www.ayuryoga-ashram.com

Yoga institute Mumbai

Founded by Shri Yogendraji in 1918, Yoga Institute is one of the oldest and the most polular Yoga center in Mumbai area. Yoga institute Mumbai offers important health program to restraint ailments including heart and respiratory problems, hypertension, diabetes, orthopedic conditions and stress related issues.

The Institute also conducts regular yoga classes. Duration of course: from 2 to 21 days.

Yoga Institute also conducts 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, 2 years non residential and residential yoga ttc (teachers training course) programs.

Contact details:
ShriYogendra Marg,
Prabhat colony. Santa cruz east, Mumbai, India.
Phone: 91 22 2611 0506
Website: www.theyogainstitute.org

Kaivalyadhama Health and Yoga Research Center, Lonavala

One of the oldest Yoga Centers in India, this institute is situated in the most beautiful campus in Lonavala. The center not only conducts regular yoga classes, but it also conducts research into yogic arts and naturopathy.

The students from different countries like China, Japan, Korea, France, US and Canada seek admission here.

Kaivalyadhama Health and Yoga Research centre, besides its yoga, mudra, sound healing courses and workshops, conducts yoga, ayurveda ttc and a marquee 3 years pranayama teachers training program. The details of these programs is on their website.

Duration of course: Certification course in yoga is conducted two times in a year. January 15^th to February 25^thand May 2^nd to June 12th.

Contact details:
Swami Kuvalyananda Marg
Lonavala 410403, India.
Phone: 91 2114 271008
Website: www.kdham.com

Isha Yoga Centre, Coimbatore

Isha Yoga Centre is located at the foothill of Vellangiri mountains in Coimbatore. This center was established by Isha foundation in 1992 as a non-profit organisation. Isha Centre is world famous for its Inner Engineering course.

Isha Centre has a Dhyanalinga yogic temple where yoga classes are held and which is opened for all.

This organization not only run the yoga center but also works on literacy, rural sustenance and for environment conservation.

Contact details:
15, Govindaswamy Naidu layout
Singanallaur, Coimbatore
Tamil Nadu 641 005, India.
Phone: 91 422 2515 345
Website: www.ishafoundation.org

Himalaya Yoga Valley. Goa | Dharamshala

Himalaya Yoga Valley is one of the more famous yoga centers in India. It offers teacher training courses throughout the year. This Yoga institution is run in the alliance of yoga federation of India, Asian union of yoga, international yoga federation and world yoga council.

Yoga training lessons on comprehensive knowledge of asana, pranayama, kriyas, anatomy of Ayurveda, meditation and other yoga techniques are conducted here.

Duration of courses: Two- hundred and five-hundred-hour intensive teacher training courses are offered at their centres.

Contact details: Goa and Dharamshala (India)
Website: www.yogagoaindia.com

Yogamea Yoga School, Goa

Yogamea yoga school offers yoga teacher training at agonda beach in Goa. It offers a 4-week residential yoga teacher training for 200 hours, which meet all the standards of yoga alliance USA, Europe and UK, which helps in registering with the relevant regulatory body after the completion of the course.

Duration of course: 200 hours for teacher training.

Contact details:
Agonda palace, near St. ann’s church
Agonda beach, agonda
Goa 403702 India
Phone: 91 91 58 695686
Website: www.yogamea.com

Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center, Dharamshala

Established in 1985, Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center is one of the best and the most popular yoga centers in India and is located in the beautiful town of Dharmshala, H.P.

The teaching here encourages an awareness of the body, mind and spirit to explore sensitivity and gratitude.by this way one gives respect to the highest principle of nature “prakruti”.

Free lectures on iyengar yoga, meditations and on other subjects related to good health and diet are imparted in the centre. They also conduct various yoga wellness retreats from both their Dharmshala and Goa Centres.

Contact details:
Village Dharamkot
Dharamshala Himachal Pradesh 176219
Website: http://www.hiyogacentre.com/en/

Prasanthi Nilayam, Anantapur District. Andhra Pradesh

Established in 1950, this center is called prasanthi nilayam which means”abode of the highest peace”. The place consists of beautiful temples, a kalpavriksha (a meditation tree) and a darshan hall. According to Sri Satya Sai Bab theory,” an individual is not the mind, he is the eternal spirit that temporary occupies the mind and the body”.

His meditation techniques inspire one for routine practice of sacred enchanting, hatha yoga and more modern laughing yoga.

Contact details:
Puttaparthi main road
Puttaparthi
Andhra Pradesh 515134. India
Website: www.prasanthinilayam.in

Arhanta yoga center, Banasarai, Madhya Pradesh

Arhanta yoga center aims to create and provide professional environment for high quality education of classical yoga and ancient vedic philosophy.

Location of the center ensures perfect place for practicing yoga, meditation and other yogic practices and retreats for spiritual growth. Duration of course: One year.

Contact details:
Village banasarae near bamitha
P.O.onta purwa, Bansarai
Madhya Pradesh 471105
Website: https://www.arhantayoga.org

Art of Living Center, Bangalore

One of the most reputed, popular and the best Yoga Centers in India, Art of Living center offers various programs, which combines yoga with various breathing techniques, stretches, postures, meditation and relaxation.

These practices cultivate an awareness in the participants to look beyond the level of physical body and thus sharpen their sensitivity which leads to healthier and happy lifestyle.

There are programs for all age groups. Techniques like Sahaj Samadhi meditation and art of silence techniques are also taught there.

Contact details:
The Art of Living International Centre
Ved vignan Maha Vidya Peeth
Kanakpura road, Udayapura
Bangalore Karnataka 560082
Website: www.artofliving.org

Siddhartha yoga center, Dharamshala

Siddhratha yoga and ayurveda center is located at the beautiful foothills of Mcleodganj, Dharamshala. The center ensures yoga learning in a clean pure and peaceful atmosphere and offers special courses on Ashtanga and Hatha yoga, pranayama, dhayana/ meditation and ayurvedic massage.

Duration of course: One to four-week intensive course for teacher training in Ashtanga and hatha yoga is offered in this yoga center.

Contact details:
Siddhartha healing center
Yoga and Ayurveda center
Upper Bagsu nag
Dharamsala
Himachal Pradesh
India 176219
Phone: 91 98165 65138
Website: www.siddharthayogacenter.org

Tushita Meditation centre, Dharamshala

One of the most well known and popular Buddhist centre, Tushita is a center for the study and practice of Buddhism from Tibetan Mahayana tradition. A must visit if you are in Dharamshala area of Himachal Pradesh.

Contact details:
Tushita Meditation Center
Mcleodganj, Dharamshala
Himachal Pradesh 176219
Phone: 91 8988160988
Website: www.tushita.info

The above mentioned popular yoga centres in India and yoga retreats in India are just a small percentage of what India has to offer.

For further details on various yoga centres in india, yoga retreats for healing or specified yoga courses etc, I request you to contact these above mentioned centres and retreats directly.