A Guide to Top 5 Eco-yoga retreats in India – JURU’s pick

In this article we have covered top 5 yoga retreats in India to inspire your next trip if you are looking for a true relaxation.

The origin of Yoga dates back to around 5000 years ago and finds its roots in ancient India. Right from the inception of this holistic practice the stages of yoga can be broadly classified into four stages – pre-classical yoga, classical yoga, post classical yoga and the modern yoga. 

The holistic practice is not just practiced by yogis in India, but has attracted yogis from around the world and one can find large number of crowd participating in the eco-yoga retreats in India. Today, almost everyone is aware about the wider benefits of yoga as it cures not just physical ailments, but is also said to boost mental health.

It has now become a trend among yogis to come together and celebrate the practice of yoga. Over the years, this practice has now been commonly termed as ‘Yoga retreats and Yoga Festivals’. Talk about eco-yoga retreats and festivals what better place than its origin?

There are many cities in India, where the practice of Yoga has been celebrated. Few cities that tops in this list are Rishikesh, Mysore, Kerala, Pune, Pondicherry and Goa.

Rishikesh being the Yoga capital in India conducts the ‘International Yoga Festival’ every year. One can find many yoga institutes, teacher training course and workshops being conducted throughout the year in Rishikesh. Mysore famous for the Ashtanga yoga practice has foreigners crowding the place through all the seasons in a year.

Ashtanga Yoga Centre attracts thousands of yoga students throughout the year. Next comes Kerala, a place where Ayurveda and yoga go hand in hand, as these have the same benefits for mind and body. Goa and Pondicherry attract large number of visitors and foreigners as these are tourist places and foreigners who visit these places look for some ancient practices.

Most of the yoga retreats take place in these two places. Auroville ashram in Pondicherry is famous for its spiritual atmosphere and for soul purification and attracts visitors who are inclined to these practices.

Let’s take a look at 5 Best Yoga Retreats in India.

International Yoga Festival – Rishikesh

Not just the Yoga capital for India, Rishikesh is also the World Capital of Yoga. International Yoga Festival held at Rishikesh usually happens during the first week of March, and is the grandest of yoga festival welcoming yogis across the globe. There are many ashrams located in the city like Parmath Niketan, Yoga Niketan, Swami Dayananda ashram, Sivananda ashram, and Omkarnanda ashram. The Parmath Niketan is the most famous of all the ashrams in Rishikesh.

The Groove Yoga Festival – Goa

This is a six day event with vibrant programmes that includes music and yoga workshops in a chilled atmosphere with musicians, artists and yoga teachers. This retreat offers plenty of opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation and combines yoga in a retreat experience with great music.

The festival happens during the month of October in Goa, India, in addition to its previous editions in Ontario, Croatia and Germany.

India Yoga Festival – Goa

This is a 3 to 5 day event, celebrating the tradition of yoga and its evolution around the world. Throughout the festival, workshops are be conducted on various yoga styles and forms of yoga.

The India Yoga Festival happens during the first week of January and one can find visitors and yoga enthusiasts flooding the place from all over the world. For a healthy and spiritual start to the New Year, visit the India Yoga Festival in Goa.

Zambhala – Goa

Zambhala is India’s first Yoga and Life Spirit Festival which happens during mid week of December. It is a festival that shares the diversity, styles and forms of yoga from India and across the world.

The festival concentrates on many styles of yoga right from ancient vedic wisdom to modern yoga forms. Zambhala is a festival retreat guided by masters from Canada, Japan, US, France, and from the six Gurukuls of India. This is also a journey bringing together healers, practitioners, therapists, artists, and musicians to share their experiences with others. This festival is a journey of emotional, spiritual and physical growth.

Rainbow Festival – Goa

The name ‘Rainbow’ symbolises variety of yoga styles, schools, and modern yoga forms. One can find experienced and vivid yoga-teachers of similar traditions participate in this festival. All the retreat workshops held by highly qualified professionals in Rainbow Festival gives their visitors a complete bliss of rejuvenation experience.

Besides the above mentioned retreat programs you can also visit the other festivals and retreat programs in India. Some of the other famous eco-yoga retreats include Bhakti Kutir in Palolem, Shreyas Retreat in Bengaluru, Kaivalyam retreat in Munnar, Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore and Mysore Krishnamacharya yoga shala.

Feature Image Credits: Travel+Leisure

Watch this space for 6 Magical Yoga Festivals to celebrate in Summer.