India's Top Five Yoga Hot Spots

chillibreeze writer — Anjana Vaswani

Satyug was the Golden Age of Hindus as per ancient religious texts – an age of truth and purity, when Hindus were believed to have developed a deep spiritual insight – one that moved them closer to eternal wisdom and away from the worries of the material world. It was an era when virtue rather than vice reigned supreme and it was in this era, over 4000 years ago, that the concept of yoga is believed to have originated.

The word ‘yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word, ‘yuj’ meaning to join or unite and the practice of yoga was meant to do exactly this – to unite one’s body, mind and soul with the express purpose of ultimately merging into the divine consciousness.

Today, India still offers many scenic and serene spots where one can venture to take a spiritual journey under the guidance of a learned yoga guru.

Here are a few places where you can find both the educators and the peace-of-mind to practice yoga.

Rishikesh
Caressed by the holy river Ganges and positioned at the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range (which, according to Hindu mythology cradled Mount Kailasha, Lord Shiva’s own abode), Rishikesh is perhaps one of the few destinations in the World where you can truly enjoy the combined benefits of all the five elements of nature – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether – in their original, unspoiled state.

So renowned is Rishikesh for its serenity that the scenic, little town located in Northern India has been dubbed the ‘yoga capital of the world’. Here, one has a number of alternatives to choose from when it comes to learning yoga, and depending on their budget constraints and choice-of-experience, visitors may choose to stay in humble yoga-ashrams, a variety of hotels in different price-brackets, or they may even opt for yoga courses offered by luxurious, high-end spas. The possibilities are infinite!

However, a newcomer would be better-advised to stay in a hotel and enroll at any one of the many yoga-centers scattered throughout Rishikesh, as ashram-life can be quite demanding and may even require that you abstain from meat, alcohol, garlic and onions for the duration of the course. Ashrams may also insist on a 15-day-minimum-stay; so; it would be best to think this decision through carefully before signing up.

Varanasi
Located in the State of Uttar Pradesh, the city of Varanasi is also situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges. With one of the oldest civilizations of the world, Varanasi boasts a rich cultural and historical heritage.

The city has played host to world-renowned Indian poets, writers, musicians and philosophers including eminent personalities like Kabir, Tulsidas and Bismillah Khan. Much religious value is also attached to the city, not only by Hindus but also by the Buddhist and Jain communities.

Gautama Buddha himself was believed to have declared Varanasi to be one of four main pilgrimage points. The religious aspect attached to this city lends it an aura of calmness, and renders it an ideal place to study yoga.

Considering its historical and religious importance, it is not unusual for Varanasi to be flooded with visitors all through the year. For this reason, the city has also witnessed a spurt in its hotel industry.

The Varanasi University and scores of yoga centers offer yoga courses within this city and various kinds of accommodations are available to suit every budget. Alternatively, one could opt to learn yoga while staying in an Ashram or Math in a more traditional setting.

If you’re visiting Varanasi solely for learning yoga, it would be worthwhile to pay a visit during the annual Yoga Festival organized by the Uttar Pradesh Department of Tourism around the months of February and March.

Shivpuri
Named after Lord Shiva and located in the State of Madhya Pradesh, Shivpuri’s reputation for being a tranquil setting is fast transforming it into a popular yoga-center.

With its dense forests and access to the rapidly-flowing portion of the river Ganges where river-rafting is permitted, visiting Shivpuri for a yoga-course can include a lot of additional advantages for tourists.

The city’s climate and natural beauty also makes it ideal for the practice of yoga. Yoga courses are offered at many well-established institutes such as the Shivananda Ashram, Parmarth Niketan, Ved Niketan and Phool Chatti Ashram to name a few.

Yoga-students often enjoy trekking up the hills of Kunjapuri to practice their asanas in harmonious surroundings. They could also drop in at the Kunjapuri-Devi temple for sight-seeing.

Pondicherry
Pondicherry has been a great seat of learning and culture in India since ancient times. In fact, even today, the fact that 55 different languages are employed by the locals here and that English, French, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil are all considered the city’s official languages, give evidence of the city’s diverse cultural heritage.

The concept of ‘Yoga Sport’ is believed to have originated here and competitions are held annually between South Indian States. Like the Uttar Pradesh festival, Pondicherry, situated in the Southern end of India, also hosts an annual yoga festival in the beginning of January.

It is a perfect opportunity for those who wish to learn yoga as it basically involves yoga classes and discussions about various forms of yoga. Yogic diet and Indian dances also usually form a part of the festival.

The Aurobindo and Ananda Ashrams located in Pondicherry have gained worldwide recognition for their yoga-programmes. But aside from the ashrams, there are myriad hotels available in Pondicherry, thanks to the scores of golden beaches and remarkable lagoons that lure visitors to this city that was so exquisitely planned and beautified by its French occupants.

Kovalam
With rich, fertile soil that keeps it lush and green, a beautiful coastline boasting tranquil beaches, glorious mountains and hill-stations and forty-four major rivers and lakes running through the State, Kerala has truly been blessed with nature’s bounty.

Kovalam, one of Kerala’s beach towns on the coast of the Arabian Sea, is already extremely popular with tourists who visit this land from far and wide, hoping to experience Kerala’s culture and enjoy its hospitality.

Gifted with such scenic marvels, Kovalam is the perfect place to go soul-searching and hence it is ideal for those who wish to learn about the ancient practice of yoga. And to meet this endless influx of tourists, accommodations in Kovalam are available in many varieties.

A vast range of hotels to choose from, houses and apartments on rent in the nearby city of Thiruvananthapuram, and even a concept called, ‘home-stay’ (where one can put up with a typical Keralite family for a small charge), are some different means through which visitors are invited to partake of Keralite culture.

Yoga-centers are common all over Kovalam, many of which fuse Ayurvedic treatments and remedies into yogic techniques. Many such centers especially devise Ayurveda and Yoga holiday plans for visitors who are keen to learn about these. Such trips are usually arranged for groups of people rather than for individuals but some centers may also accept individual bookings.

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—About our writer:

Anjana says, "I worked as a lifestyle journalist for a daily for some time, which was great fun, but also helped me realize how much I loved my previous job – playing Mum! And so I freelance."

India's Top Five Yoga Hot Spots

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