Yoga has always been an integral part of Indian culture with the number of historical institutions that practice and teach it. These yoga schools offer a combination of in-depth courses and flexible drop-in lessons. Here is a list of the most famous yoga schools in the country:
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1- The Bihar School of Yoga
The Bihar School of Yoga ashram was founded in 1964 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. It’s a very old-school place that teaches a full yogic lifestyle. Satyananda Yoga incorporates traditional postures, breathing, and meditation. At the sprawling Bihar School, yoga is a lifestyle not to practice, and karma yoga is given precedence over asana.
- Address: Bihar Yoga Bharati, Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger, Bihar. Ph: (91 6344)222430.
- Course Duration: Four-month residential course in Yogic Studies, from October to January each year.
2- Parmarth Niketan
Parmarth Niketan, with its impressive mountainous surroundings in the holy city of Rishikesh, is a wonderfully spiritual place to study yoga. The ashram is equipped with 1,000 rooms on its eight-acre campus. Conduct an extensive yoga program for beginners, heritage and Vedic spirituality, and teacher training courses. A popular attraction is the one-week International Yoga Festival held at the ashram every March.
- Address: P.O. Swargashram, Rishikesh (Himalayas), Uttarakhand. Ph: (91 135) 2440088.
- Course Duration: From two weeks to one month. Inexpensive accommodations are provided.
3- Isha Yoga Center
The Isha Yoga Center was established in 1992 by the non-profit organization Isha Foundation. It is located at the foot of the Velliangiri Mountains in Coimbatore. The Isha Yoga Center has a Dhyanalinga yogic temple, a meditation space that is open to people from all walks of life. The organization does not manage the yoga center, but also works on social initiatives such as literacy, rural livelihood and care for the environment. In addition to participating in yoga activities, you can also volunteer at the foundation, provided you have enough time.
Address: 15, Govindasamy Naidu Layout, Singanallur, Coimbatore, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu – 641 005
4- Ashtanga Institute, Mysore
- Address: #235 8th Cross, 3rd Stage, Gokulam, Mysore Ph: (91 821) 2516-756.
- Course Duration: 28 Days to 6 Months
5- Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute:
This institute is located in Pune, Maharashtra state. It was started in 1975, BKS Iyengar, and is very popular all over the world. All forms of yoga are practiced here every day for people of all ages. It is a center for learning and practicing yoga style. Iyenger was developed by BKS Iyengar after much experience and research.
6- Arogya Yoga School in Rishikesh
Arogya yoga School based in Rishikesh, India, mainly emphasis on Hatha, Ashtanga yoga and yoga therapies for people. Yoga enthusiasts can learn different forms of yoga. Residential Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga Pranayama (breathing) Retreat to international students. Arogya Yoga School has designed courses in the most comprehensive and unique way, empowering you to stand apart as an inspired yoga teacher. The path of yoga is steeped in tradition; and has been evolving and cultivating spiritual awareness and mindfulness practices among spiritual aspirants for millennia. In the path of yoga, Arogya Yoga School is a beacon of light, illuminating the path and forging traditions along the way.
- Address : Nirmal Bag, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249204
- +91-9808823960, +91-8630677119
7- The Yoga Institute
India’s oldest yoga school, simply called the Yoga Institute, was founded by Shri Yogendraji in 1918. It would be another 30 years before it found a permanent base in the Mumbai suburb of Santacruz in 1948. The institute is spread over an acre of land that is a verdant paradise in the heart of a now commercialized suburb. Although the institute is sought after by people from all over the world, it continues to function without much fanfare, quietly and with the dignity of a yogi. If the Institute is to be believed, about 1,000 people visit the Yoga Institute every day.
Address: Yoga Institute Rd, Prabhat Colony, Santacruz (E), Mumbai 400055
8- Yoga Institute Mumbai:
This institute organizes a series of workshops and therapeutic health camps. It even organizes special learning programs for children and offers special classes for pre / postnatal mothers.
9- Kaivalyadhama Yoga and Health Research Center
Another very old yoga institute in India is Kaivalyadhama. Established in 1924 in Lonavala, the institute sits amidst a beautiful tree-covered campus that specializes in residential courses. In addition to daily yoga classes, Kaivalyadhama is also home to a naturopathic center and conducts research on yogic arts. Students flock to Kaivalyadhama not only from all over India, but also from China, Japan, Korea, France, the US, and Canada, among others.
Address: Swami Kuvalyananda Marg, Lonavala 410403
10- Ananda in the Himalayas
Ananda in the Himalayas located near the Garhwal range of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. Established some 15 years ago, it was India’s first luxury destination spa. The retreat offers various packages and activities tailored to meet individual needs. Ananda focuses on a combination of yoga and Ayurvedic remedies along with global styles to implement a holistic way of life. It also houses the Ananda Spa Institute, which offers Yoga and Ayurveda courses. It is one of the best spa and yoga retreat destinations in the world and guarantees to cater to every need of a visitor. The balance of meditation, yoga and a proper diet is the very least that Ananda has to offer you.
Address: The Palace Estate, Narendra Nagar Tehri – Garhwal, Narendra Nagar, Uttarakhand 249175
