India has always been looked at as a cathartic destination for those seeking inner peace or enlightenment. With a rich lineage of Gurus and other Yoga practitioners, there are a number of credible institutes and ashrams that are known for their expertise. Yoga has roots deeply entrenched in everyday life in India, making it one of the most sought after yoga destinations in the world, attracting many travellers and students. Here are some top yoga destinations that you might want to explore.
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| Yoga Practice in India |
Alleppey
Kerala has always been synonymous with Ayurveda and other forms of healing. Due to the popularity, the concept has been plagiarised by many so choose your learning centre carefully if you are looking for an authentic experience. Keraleeyam, in Alleppey, is one of the most eminent destinations for Yoga.
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| Meditation on Beach |
Pune
Guru B.K.S Iyengar has etched the name of Yoga across international boundaries and can certainly be called the ‘grand old man of Indian Yoga’. His institute in Pune, Ramamani Iyengar Memorial, is a prestigious centre for Hatha Yoga. Classes are held for both adults and children and sometimes getting into the institute can be quite a feat – people have known to queue up for 2 years. This is an advanced learning centre and one has to have some amount of prior expertise.
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| Yoga Abhyaas |
Rishikesh
Parmarth Niketan, yet another stunning institute, is nestled in the verdant environs of Rishikesh. The ashram has over 1000 rooms on the 8 acres campus. If you want to be a visiting student, you can choose to stay in Rishikesh and visit the centre for classes. An international Yoga festival held in March sees a number of yoga enthusiasts visit from all over the world.
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| Quite Meditation at Ganges |
Chennai
Chennai has always been strongly associated with the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, which is run by the kin of T. Krishnamacharya. This Yoga Centre is known for Viniyoga. There are a number of courses available for one to choose from. The most popular ones are the Non-residential Pilgrimage of Sound Vedic Chanting, Heart of Yoga, and Pranayama courses that are opened bi-annually for students around the world.
Munger
The 1960s was the decade of discovery of India by the Western World. The Beatles might have started the trend, but the rage has never died out. One such institute that was started in the 1960s was The Bihar School of Yoga, Munger. Till this day and date, the school is considered as one of the best in the country. Though the main school has a rigorous schedule, for those who are interested in lighter and short duration yoga classes can look out for the one of the branches of the same, the Bihar Yoga Bharati Institute.
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| Yoga Group |
