Where to Study Yoga in India

Today we want to share with you something special:

This list of traditional yoga schools in India will give you an idea of what is on offer!

Yoga, as an integral part of Hinduism, has been practiced in India for centuries as a way to liberate the mind, body, and spirit. In recent years, yoga has also become popular in the West, inspiring an increasing number of people to study yoga in India in a traditional setting. There are many yoga centers in India that offer everything from detailed courses to flexible classes. As the style of yoga and teaching approaches varies from center to center, it is important to think carefully about your needs before applying.

1. Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh

Parmarth Niketan, with its stunning mountainous landscape in the holy city of Rishikesh, is a wonderfully spiritual place to study yoga. The ashram is outfitted with 1,000 rooms on its eight-acre campus. It offers an extensive program of yoga for beginners, Vedic heritage, and spirituality, as well as teacher training courses. Daily classes are also open to visitors. A popular attraction is the week-long International Yoga Festival, held at the ashram every March. The ashram also performs sacred Indian wedding ceremonies and a Ganges aarti every night.

• Course Duration: From two weeks to one month. Inexpensive accommodations are provided.

2. Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, Chennai

Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram was founded by the son of the "grandfather" of modern yoga, T. Krishnamacharya. Krishnamacharya taught yoga to BKS Iyengar and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. He developed an individualized style of yoga known as viniyoga, based on Hatha Yoga adapted to meet different needs. The Heart of Yoga is one of the institute's most popular programs. It is a 120-hour, four-week non-residential intensive covering the main aspects of asana, pranayama, philosophy, meditation, and chanting. Vedic chanting and pranayama (breathing) courses are also offered, along with a special international teacher training program of more than 500 hours.

• Course Duration: Two to four weeks.

3. Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Pune

This renowned institute attracts serious yoga students from all over the world. It offers regular classes of Iyengar Yoga (a form of Hatha Yoga that focuses on postures) for all levels. There are also special classes for women, children, and people with medical problems. Unfortunately, there can be a two-year wait to get a place at the Institute. As the Institute emphasizes in-depth study of yoga, students must also have substantial prior experience in the practice of Iyengar Yoga.

• Course Duration: One month. A maximum of six classes can be attended per week. Accommodation is not provided.

4. Ashtanga Institute, Mysore

Located in Mysore and run by descendants of the revered guru Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois, who taught yoga from the 1930s until his death in 2009, the Ashtanga Institute offers intensive ashtanga yoga classes throughout the year. Classes are for serious students only and venues are highly sought after. You must register at least two months in advance. No accommodation is provided, but there is plenty to find nearby.

• Course Duration: Minimum of one month, no more than six months.

5. Bihar School of Yoga, Munger

The Bihar Yoga School ashram was founded in 1964 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, a student of Swami Sivananda Saraswati (one of the greatest yoga teachers of the 20th century, who founded the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh). It is a very old place that teaches a complete yogic lifestyle. Satyananda Yoga incorporates traditional postures, breathing, and meditation. However, if you go to school, you will find that the poses are rarely practiced there. Instead, the emphasis is on work (service) and meditation. For those more interested in taking a yoga course, it is best to enroll in Bihar Yoga Bharati, a derivative that is more open to foreigners.

• Course Duration: Four-month residential course in Yogic Studies, from October to January each year.

6. Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers & Ashrams, Kerala and Tamil Nadu

The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers and Ashrams were founded in 1959 by Swami Vishnudevananda, another disciple of Swami Sivananda Saraswati. The teachings are based on the five points of yoga: postures, breathing, relaxation, meditation and diet. The ashrams offer face-to-face classes, as well as yoga and meditation courses. Yoga and meditation courses for beginners are very popular. Yoga vacations and teacher training are also offered, staying in ashrams.

• Course Duration: Ranges from two to four weeks.

7. Yoga Institute, Mumbai

The Yoga Institute is the oldest organized yoga center in the world. It was founded in 1918 by Shri Yogendraji, a disciple of Shri Paramhamsa Madhavadasji (a renowned yoga teacher from Bengal). The Institute, although not as well known as some of the other yoga centers in India, offers a variety of excellent courses, workshops and camps. The therapeutic fields of health are of special interest. The goal is to overcome specific illnesses, including heart and respiratory problems, hypertension, diabetes, orthopedic conditions, and stress-related problems. There are also special programs for children and pregnant women.

• Course Duration: From two to 21 days. Regular yoga classes are also held.

Source: The Traveling Monk/ey

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