Tap into your creative self by visiting these picturesque yoga destinations in India
While imagining yoga, you may often be reminded of four walls and a monotonous, slow practice of asanas. This thought pattern is being challenged with yoga-specific tours that millennials and Gen Zs are indulging in.
The umpteenth benefits of yoga call for a variation in style and practice, especially for seasoned yoga lovers who have been dedicated to the asanas. In India, from the plains to the rugged terrains, yoga retreats have sprung up in style to reimagine life with yoga and connect with people with a similar passion and respect for yoga. Quite a few retreats are equipped with accommodation, instructors, cooking classes, bike rentals, and engage in self-care.
Let’s have a tour of these places:
Yoga in Varanasi has flourished for thousands of years and continues to do so without being too anachronistic or monotonous. The city has dedicated yoga centres. If not, by the Ganges, you will find ample spots to pause and practice as the powerful chants tremble in incantatory highs and lows.
The distinct spiritual vibe of Varanasi lures many yoga lovers, creating the perfect ambience for you to live and practice—to relish a different way of savouring the holy city. The ghats, boats with the sun setting on the horizon, aarti ceremony, and ascetics further accentuate the beauty of it.
Kerala is much more than her backwaters, and the boutique hotels with immaculate yoga spaces bear testimony to this fact. Here, yoga combines a different format—a blend of Hatha yoga and Kalaripayattu, the latter being a martial art form. It is believed that this combination boosts spiritual and physical prowess.
Today, spas and hotels offering tranquil views of the Arabian Sea shelter many yoga enthusiasts, even those who are dabbling in the art. You will find courses to navigate through; most of these courses incorporate music and different philosophies. The courses deal with poses with varying levels of complexities and goals to achieve.
Mysore is popularly known for Ashtanga Yoga, but still a free spirit of practising yoga thrives in the city. Sritattvanidhi is a scholarly book which chronicles how Mysore has been associated with yoga since ancient times with illustrations of some 122 asanas.
Among the various styles, yoga sutras, Shatkriya, Hatha, and Pranayama are taught in the studios and centres by respected protégés. While few classes could be too stringent with the discipline, others could be as liberating and laidback as you want. This range in Mysore makes it an exciting and alluring place to visit for yoga.
The quaint hill station has nooks and corners buzzing with yoga spots. You just need to find yours! Even a brief encounter with a yoga group could be a life-changing experience. The place hosts ashrams and meditation centres tucked away in calm and serene corners offering an alternate lifestyle with yoga. Dedicated yoga retreats are synonymous with practicing yoga along with monks and refugees. Since yoga is viewed here as a natural part of life, in synchrony with its other aspects, Dharamshala shapes the way one perceives yoga. Ancient Buddhist philosophy is deeply embedded in the yoga culture, which beginners, intermediate-level, and professional practitioners relish and are promptly acquainted with.
Some of the centres and yoga studios of these places are affiliated with various institutes which offer certificates on completion of yoga course(s). Few centres also provide yoga-centric tours for more prolonged exposure to the art form. A fun, rewarding, and sublime experience, to say the least.
